my thoughts on.... 'Enter the Void' aka 'Soudain le Vide'

This film is classified by it's creator as: "psychedelic melodrama".

French director Gaspar Noé, is a film maker that you either love or hate. I can't imagine that anyone feels luke warm about him. They may be confused by his films, but you an usually say if you loved or hated it. I have seen all of his feature length films now and I can say that I have the utmost respect for him. I don't hate his films. 'Enter the Void', in particular, is (using a phrase I don't usually use) "ground-breaking". It takes what was started with 'I Stand Alone' aka 'Seul contre tous' and 'Irreversible' and pushes it to a near breaking point. This is an exhausting 2 and a half hour journey that you had better be ready to take, because it's not for the faint at heart. Once this film is underway, you quickly realize that you're in for an experience like you've never had before. I wasn't sure I was truly ready for it, once the credits started to role. It was like being punched in the face over and over by a glove filled with opium. I felt, at times, like I might start having a seizure. Then.... the actual film started and as the camera weaved and moved within the first person perpective, I knew there was no going back. This was going to be a film that left a mark. It does take a bit of a strong stomach to watch this, not for the graphic content but for the constant movement of the camera. Like in 'Irreversible', the camera spins and rolls and twists and turns and pulls in and out of rooms and flies in the air and just never ever stops. The very few times that it becomes static, it's not a time to catch your breath.... as he does something with the sound, color and lighting that messes you up. Does this sound like something interesting to you? Or does it sound like something that you would hate or something pretentious and strictly for the snooty French filmgoers? I would like to think that this is something that everyone who loves film or art should see. If I taught a film appreciation class or a modern art class, I would make this part of the ciriculum. It is something that is so unique and new that it needs to be seen. I can't even begin to understand how in the hell Gaspar Noé put this film together. The editing alone would be a mind altering experience, but add all the effects, colors and constant shifting of perspective that I'm surprised he's not locked away in an asylum by now. I think I would be. This film is beyond amazing in its technical skill. He is in the masterclass of film makers and should be studied by others to learn how to create something of value. What about the story or the actors or everything else going on? Well, let's get to that in a moment.... here's the plot breakdown.

This is a great breakdown of the plot taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enter_the_Void. WARNING SPOILERS! (including the ending): "The film opens with Oscar living in Tokyo, supporting himself by dealing drugs, against the advice of his sister Linda and friend Alex. Alex attempts to turn Oscar toward spirituality with The Tibetan Book of the Dead, as opposed to drug abuse, which Alex claims will "fry (his) brain". The first act follows Oscar's nightly routine through strict point-of-view shots, including momentary blackouts to represent blinking, and extended sequences of drug-induced hallucination.

Oscar and Alex leave the apartment to deliver drugs to Oscar's friend Victor. On the way, Alex explains parts of The Tibetan Book of the Dead aloud to Oscar: how the spirit of a dead person sometimes will stay among the living until it begins to experience nightmares, after which it will attempt to reincarnate. They arrive at the bar The Void. Oscar enters alone and sits down with a distressed Victor, who mutters "I'm sorry", before they are swarmed by police officers. Oscar seals himself in a bathroom stall, and attempts to flush his gear. When the toilet does not work, he yells through the door that he has a gun and will shoot. In response, the police officers open fire and hit Oscar, who falls to the floor.

Oscar's spirit rises and views his body from above, and then begins to witness his own previous life in a roughly forward-chronological order. His loving parents were killed in a violent car crash; Oscar and Linda, though devoted to each other, are separated into different foster homes; Oscar moves to Tokyo and earns money through drug dealing until he can afford to bring Linda to live with him; Linda finds work as a stripper for the nightclub owner Mario, to Oscar's distress; Oscar increases the scope of his dealing operations as well as using potent psychedelics, in particular DMT, more frequently; Victor discovers that Oscar has slept with Victor's mother, and finally, we again see Oscar meet Victor at The Void to sell him drugs, only to be shot in the bathroom.

Next, Oscar floats disembodied over Tokyo and witnesses the aftermath of his death. Linda becomes withdrawn and despondent, especially after receiving an abortion to prevent bearing Mario's child; Oscar's dealer, Bruno, destroys his stash; Alex lives in hiding on the streets, and Linda wishes she would have been with Alex instead of Mario, like Oscar had wanted her to. On one occasion Linda wishes that Oscar would come back to life; Oscar then enters Linda's head, after which he experiences how he wakes up at the morgue. He is unable to speak and Linda and Mario are disgusted by him when they arrive and pick him up. Oscar is eventually convinced by Alex that he is dreaming, and returns to watch his friends from a floating perspective.

Victor screams at his mother because she had sex with his friend and is thrown out of his parents' home. He shows up at Linda's apartment and apologises for having her brother killed, but says Linda is partially to blame since she hung around with creeps. This angers Linda, who repeatedly screams that Victor should kill himself.

Oscar hovers high above Tokyo and enters an airplane, where he sees his mother who breast-feeds a baby to whom she whispers Oscar's name. The view then drops to Linda and Alex who take a taxi to a Tokyo love hotel and have sex. Oscar moves between hotel rooms and observes several other couples also having sex in various positions. Each couple emanates a pulsating electric-like glow from their genitals. Oscar enters Alex's head and experiences having sex with his own sister. He then travels inside Linda's vagina to witness Alex's thrusting, then observes his ejaculation and follows the semen into the fertilisation of his sister's ovum.

The final scene is shot from the perspective of a baby being born to Oscar's mother. According to Gaspar Noé, it is left to the viewer to decide if this is a flashback to Oscar's birth, either genuinely or as a false memory, or if his life starts over again, trapping him in an infinite loop for all eternity.

If you read the details above, then you can see how simple the plot is, but how complex it is. It's what I love. Once I finished this film, I was exhausted. However, it was a good kind of exhaustion. I spent quite a bit of time after this film ending thinking about it and trying to decide where I stood on it. I knew I was amazed by it and was glad I spent the time watching it, however.... I just wasn't sure exactly my final thoughts would be. I even spent the majority of the morning thinking about it and mulling over the entire experience. In the end, I've settled into my final thoughts that this a masterpiece of French cinema and that Gaspar Noé has proven, once and for all, that he is a film maker to be taken seriously and I cannot wait to see what he has to offer up next.

Some things about this film that I found interesting in one way or another. One was the use of the teddy bear that his sister Linda has throughout the film. It seems like a symbol of her youth and how she never really seem to grow up properly after her parents are killed. The relationship with her and her brother is also unique. It's never clearly explained whether or not there is more to their relationship than just a brother/ sister one. It almost ends up in incest and during the film while he's out of his body, he seems to enter the body (on more than one occasion) of a man that is having sexual relations with his sister. It ends up being an important plot point at the end of the film. Also, the first person perspective of our main character, Oscar, provides a unique feel to the film. It's like living the life of someone else. You see what he sees, you feel what he feels, you experience what he experiences and Gaspar Noé goes so far as to have the camera blink when Oscar would blink. I have never had a full length feature take this gimmick that far. The biggest thing that stands out in this film is the use of color, sounds and lights. The colors are loud and never dull. It's a neon jungle. The sounds are critical. The sounds start right off the bat and never let up for the whole film. It is used to imply emotion and constantly is assaulting your ears. The lights also play a big role. You just have to see it to understand. Finally, if you decide to undertake this film, watch for the fact that it's never daylight. (or VERY seldomly) It's only at the end that the sun comes out and the whole mood shifts before the sudden abbrupt ending.

Now comes the moment of truth. What is my final thoughts? I've actually gone back and forth about this as the story is there, but minimal.... however, this film isn't just about the narritive, it's about the experience. I have never seen a film like this before and I kind of doubt I'll see another one quite like it again. This film could only have been made with modern technology. It relies heavy on it. This film has opened my eyes to the true potential of what film can do. Gaspar Noé is a man with a vision and this is the film he's been working on since he was a kid. Because of that we get the best of the best. He has outdone himself here and has given birth to something that cannot be denied a work of sheer brilliance. Is this for you? I don't know that I can honestly recommend this to someone. This film is on the DEEP end of the pool.... it's so deep in fact that it's not even in the pool anymore. I am certain that students of film will appreciate this for what it is. However, the casual film goer may not see it for what it is. Some may find this to be another pretentious French film, others may find something they never expected. Critics and film watchers alike are torn apart about this film. I can imagine readers of this blog will be too. I just ask that if you undertake this film, come prepared. Watch it with an open mind. Watch it from beginning to end. And prepare yourself for something entirely new.... 5 out of 5 stars, this is why I love film.

If you enjoy this, you might want to check out the other films of Gaspar. He's an artist working when it comes to film.

my thoughts on.... 'In My Skin aka Dans Ma Peau'

This film is in French, despite the trailer included below. FYI.

'In My Skin aka Dans Ma Peau' is a disturbing trip through one woman's mental collapse and obsession with herself. This film is written, directed and starred in by Marina de Van. I had never heard of her before this, but I know want to pursue her other films. She has a unique quality to her that is both untouchable and very approachable. I can't quite put my finger on it, but she commnands your attention when she's on the screen. Not too mention that she is a very good director, actress and writer. My only complaint about this film was that the ending was a bit ambiguous and lacked closure. If she could have tightened it up a bit, I would be saying that this would be a part of my library some day.... as it stands now, only time will tell. As mentioned above, this is a French film. (You are all aware of my feelings on the French cinema, if you've read my blog before.) The reason this film even showed up on my radar was because of the outstanding reviews I've been reading for a while now. It was listed on several lists including the most disturbing films of recent and the best "horror" films of recent. I think it qualifies on both lists, but not in a traditional sense. What Marina has created here is something beyond horror and beyond a thriller or drama. It's mostly what I would call, a psychological horror. What's disturbing and horrifying about this is not so much what's happening due to outside factors, but what's inside. Her mind is the villan and she is a willing victim. I think that's why it was such a refreshing chance of pace from the usual fare that's out there right now. Thank god for people like Marina who are willing to take risks on screen.

The story here involves a woman who seems to have her life together. She has a good job and is looking at a promotion, she has a good boyfriend and they're relationship is growing and she knows who she is. While at a party with a friend, she wanders off outside and stumbles onto some rubble in the yard. She is injured, but doesn't know to what extent until she realizes she's bleeding all over the house. She quickly heads off to a restroom and finds out she's suffered a rather serious gash to her calf muscles. She hides it and goes to the ER after the party. The doctor finds it odd that she wouldn't have noticed it sooner and that it only hurt several hours after the fact. He fixes her up and she's on her way. Over the next several days something strange starts to happen.... she begins to fixate on the wound. This fascination grows and grows until soon she's cutting herself in other places and re-opening the original wound. Things get worse and soon she's suckling her own blood and eventually eating her own flesh. Each time she does these things to herself, she is almost in a stupor. It's like she's sleeping and doesn't realize what she's done until afterwards. Everything in her life begins to crumble. Until a horrific climax and the semi-unsatisfying ending.

I feel like I've already said about as much as I can about this film. I recommend you check out the trailer below, but it's in English. They avoided any speaking parts from the film and just overdubbed the background voice in English. The film is available to rent from Netflix, but I'm not sure how available it is elsewhere. If you like to take risks with your film going experiences, then I would recommend this film without hesitation. If you like your films safe, easy to comprehend and without those 'icky' moments.... this is NOT the film for you. This is what Andrew Zimmern would call, "The deep end of the pool." I look forward to whatever Marina de Van has to share with us in the future. I think she has the potential to push the barriers of our fears and to delve in the mind in a unique way.

A 4 out of 5 star attempt from our friend across the pond. A frightening journey to take, but one that's worth the effort. I can only wonder if there is anyone out there in the world who's ever ended up in the position she ended up in within the film. What a dark place to live. Afraid of being alone with yourself, unsure of what you're capable of and unsure how far things will go before you either injure yourself beyond repair or injure someone else. My only suggestion to you before watching this is to make sure you're not eating anything that falls into the 'rare' category. Stick with things that are well-done.

If you like this, watch other psychological based horror: 'Spiral', 'The Silence of the Lambs' and 'High Tension aka Haute Tension'

my brief thoughts on.... 'Trouble Every Day'

Ah, yes.... the French horror cinema. Yet again another movie from across the pond. It stars Beatrice Dalle and Vincent Gallo in a story of erotica and canniblism. Sounded like an interesting mix and I am a fan of Vincent Gallo, so it seemed like a no brainer. Well, what I didn't count on was the fact that this was from the first half of the 2000's. At that time, the French still felt like a movie had to be pretentious to be good and by my count there hasn't been one good horror movie that was pretentious. I'm not saying that they don't exist, I'm just saying that they're like oil and water.... they don't mix. Now this movie isn't in French, not the whole thing anyway. It's a mix of French and American.... I suppose so Vincent Gallo wouldn't need to learn the language. The cover for the DVD, the stills from the movie and some certain scenes in it were just beautiful. Very well done images of a bloody woman doing different things. All things pointed to a good movie going experience. Well, things didn't work out that way. If this movie had been made last year and was like this, then I might have lost faith in the French horror cinema. Luckily it was from long enough ago that I can forgive the error in judgement.

The plot is simple. A man, who becomes cannibalistic when he's aroused heads to France with his girl. He's taken a job over there and is moving to start a life there. Meanwhile, a woman with the same afflection is basically a prisoner in her own home. The doors and windows are all sealed up and she is almost an animal. A couple of guys come by there very often and try to get in. She keeps enticing them to break in, but her intentions aren't pure. The man is doing everything he can to contain his urges, however it eventually overwhelms him. Soon he meets up with the woman in the house and things kind of get messy. This movie was not good. Maybe I missed the point, I hope that was the case. It was just so slow and there was hardly any dialouge and when people did speak, it didn't seem to move the plot along much. A lot of things are implied and a lot of that leads to confusion. The scenes mentioned earlier of blood and the woman are the only parts of this movie that were worthwhile. They're shot in a way that's very flattering even with the subject matter involved. I really wanted to like this movie. It had the recipe for something that could have been great. It's not because it was slow, I like movies that build to a climax no matter how slow. It's not because it was a bit pretentious, movies can be pretentious and still be good. It's not because of the actors, they're good actors.... it was just that they were in a bad movie.

This is something that I never need to see again. A 1 out of 5 star movie will, generally, always be a 1 out of 5 star movie. This just had nothing worth talking about. I wish I could pinpoint the reason it was so terrible. There are a lot of reviewers out there that thought this was a great movie. Maybe I'll never understand why that is and to be honest, I don't know that I care to understand. I don't want my money back, nor do I regret spending the time on it. This movie has been on my radar as something to see for a long time. I just finally felt it was the right time to watch it. Now I can move on with my life and it's one more free space in my Netflix queue. I'm not a fan of cannibals and this just adds another nail in their coffin.

Good French horror films: 'Haute Tension aka High Tension', 'À l'intérieur aka Inside' and 'La Horde aka The Horde'

my brief thoughts on.... 'Vertige aka High Lane'

I praise the French on a regular basis for their expertise in horror filmmaking. I have yet to see one of their films that I didn't like. I recently watched the French survival horror film called 'Vertige aka High Lane'. One part 'The Descent' (in regards to going 'off the beaten path' for adventure storyline) and one part 'Wrong Turn'. However, the comparison to these two other films only goes so far, as 'High Lane' never really got off the ground. It started out strong enough and showed some promise, but the further into into the story I went the less and less I cared what happened. It really pains me to say that because I love the French horror cinema so much. However, I am not going to lie to you about what I saw.... it was only mediocre at best. I mean, any film that starts out heading in one direction and then makes a bit of a left turn suddenly, it better have a good reason for it. I just never saw it here.

The plot from http://www.Netflix.com: "In this French thriller, a mountain climbing trail closed to the rest of civilization becomes a path to adventure and horror for a group of friends who dare to go beyond its barriers. It's not just because they trespassed into forbidden territory or because they're testing the laws of gravity. It's because they're not the only ones willing to push the envelope out there, and their visitor isn't very welcoming at all." That basically sums it up, however the "visitor" is more of an inbred mutant type thing. (see the photo below.)
I really wish this would have been better. The biggest problem is that this territory has been rehashed a lot in the past decade and finding a new story to tell is nearly impossible. And this film only had one inbred mutant guy and he was uninteresting and uninspired. I could've cared less if he was even in the film. As far as I'm concerned, this would have been just as interesting if it was strictly about the friends trying to get back to civilization. Not too mention that the Netflix OnDemand version of the film was dubbed, not subtitled. That always makes foreign films really hard to watch because you focus more on the dubbing than the acting. 'High Lane' did however leave a little bit of a positive impression. I actually gave it a 3 out of 5 rating, even with all the flaws it was still better than a lot of garbage that's out there. I just wish the filmmakers had realized the changes they needed to make before they made this. It could've been a whole lot better.

If you're bored this upcoming Friday and you've seen every other French horror that's out there, give this one a chance. Maybe I'm just jaded about this genre. Perhaps this film is a whole lot better than I'm giving it credit for. It could've been that I was just expecting too much, the French can't always make a winner. Everyone deserves a less than stellar outing every once in a while. Hell, we're all guilty of it once in a while. This review may be my 'less than stellar outing'.... who knows?

if you want something similar, but maybe better: 'Wrong Turn 2', 'The Hills Have Eyes' (2006) and 'The Hills Have Eyes 2' (2007)

my brief thoughts on.... 'Mutants' (2009)

i've been a cheerleader of French horror films for quite some time now and for good reason.... they've proven that we're not necessarily on the top of the food chain here in America.... i never thought that i would look elsewhere for high quality scares, but i can't ignore what the French have produced and in many circles it could even be called art.... therefore, anytime i hear of a new film being made in France my mouth starts to water.... somehow 'Mutants' slipped under my radar though.... and i stumbled upon it totally by accident.... it kinds of ticks me off that i took so long to find this.... it's the perfect set up for a flim for me.... mutant/zombie type creatures running around in a semi-post-apocylapic world and people fighting to survive.... it's the perfect combination for me.... my bread and butter of horror films.... that's why it bothered me to have missed out on this one for so long.... i can't say that i recognized anyone in this film.... from the director all the way down.... everyone was unfamiliar.... i think that kind of lends itself to a better moviegoing experience.... so the question is: was this worth all buildup and waiting....? well, let's find out.

as mentioned just sentences ago, this film is set in a semi-post-apocalyptic world where a zombie/mutant/virus has broken out and much of the population has turned into monsters.... the few who've survived are scavengers and are fighting for their lives.... 'Mutants' focuses on a couple, one who is pregnant and a survivor of a bite from a creature and is trying to get her blood out to provide a cure.... the father of her child is with her, but has been bitten and is slowly starting to turn into one of the creatures.... they take refuge in an abandoned hospital and try and hold out for help from the army.... most of the film is a waiting game, but soon strangers show up and upset the balance.... and as the man is losing his fight, the woman must decide whether to put him out of his misery or hope for help and a cure....?
honestly, i had to watch this twice.... i was so exhausted the first go around, that i had to stop it because i didn't want to fall asleep.... in hindsight, i'm glad i made that decision.... the second time around i was able to fully focus on the storyline and enjoy it.... this is not the best French horror film i've seen this year, but it's still quite a bit better than most of the other horror movies i've watched, American or otherwise.... it is shot beautifullyand the creature effects are superb.... the sets and locations are amazing and it has a strong beginning, middle and end.... if anything i could say that's bad about this....? it's that it does slow down a bit too much in the 2nd act.... if you're not 100% committed to the viewing experience than you may lose interest.... but if you can hold on, you will be satisfied by the end.... this is a one off film in my opinion.... it would lessen it to make a sequel.... i can't say that i'll own this one, unless i find a really good deal on it someday.... however, i am glad that it finally found it's way into my DVD player so i could enjoy a short trip from reality.... i gave it a 3 out of 5 star reception and wonder if it might get better with repeated viewings....? it is only available to rent at this time.... i think that it's worth it.... just be well rested before you settle in for this dark little gem.

if you like this, also see: 'La Horde aka The Horde', '28 Days Later' and '[REC]'

my brief thoughts on.... 'Ils aka Them'

the French continually impress me with their horror films.... this one may classify as more of a thriller or something like that, but it's extremely terrifying regardless.... this plays on one of my fears, home invasion.... it's not the first time a film has been made about this subject.... the most recent one that comes to mind is 'The Strangers'.... i think this film might be a bit more frightening then 'The Strangers'.... and one of the reasons for that is something that i don't want to give away, you'll just have to see it to find out what it is.... if you've seen 'Eden Lake' then you'll have an idea what the secret is.... anyway.... the budget seems fairly low for this film.... or perhaps it's just that they use so few sets.... the majority of the time is set in the home of the couple that's being terrorized.... regardless of this, the film is very effective on so many levels.... they also keep the villans hidden and early on all you see is a flash of light or a knock on the door.... you don't actually see them until the last like 15 minutes of the film....

the story is about a couple who have a home that's seculded from other people.... they come home after a normal day only to begin being terrorized by unseen attackers.... it starts out innocently enough, but gradually becomes more and more agressive.... soon the attackers are in the house and the couple is split up.... and it's a fight for their lives from a group of relentless unseen enemies....
this is a film that you should watch late at night with the lights off and all alone.... it plays on our most basic animal fears, those of being out of control and fighting to survive.... this film, although fairly simple in storyline, succeeds in so many ways.... and takes you on an exhausting journey that will stick with you for a few days after the fact.... if you don't mind subtitles and have just a little bit of time to kill, i highly recommend that you see this film.... currently it's avaiable only to rent from Netflix, but it's well worth the time.... it's a solid 4 out of 5 stars and a film that doesn't need anything changed about it.... it's the right length of time, a simple enough storyline, well done cimematography, great direction, good acting and a pretty satisfying ending.... all in all, something that is hard to find in films these days....

if you like this, watch: 'The Strangers', 'Eden Lake', and 'August Underground: Penance'

trailer is in English, but the film is in French:

my brief thoughts on.... 'La horde aka The Horde'

in this day and age, zombie movie are a dime a dozen.... every director's first movie seems to be in the zombie genre.... there's an oversaturated market right now.... there's new zombie movies come out almost every week.... and very few make a lasting impression.... recently 'The Walking Dead' took the genre and made it into a series.... and it was the first time zombies were on TV on a weekly basis.... now there's another series starting soon and the movies keep coming.... i watch a lot of the movies that come out with the hopes that something fresh or original or at least fun will come out.... i love 'The Walking Dead' and have seen a few good zombie films in the past year or so.... but a couple of weeks ago i finally had the chance to see the French take on the undead....! and let me say that i was NOT dissappointed.... this movie was such a good time to watch.... it is what i would call a 'satisfying' movie.... something where at the end of it, you feel like you didn't waste your time.... and i certainly felt like it was time well spent.

the basic story is that some cops go rogue to avenge the death of a fellow officer.... they infiltrate a run down old apartment complex where the bad guys are hanging out.... things seem to be going fine, but then things suddenly go straight to hell and the cops get caught by the bad guys and are held hostage.... meanwhile, the rest of the world has been taken over by the living dead.... once they realize what's going on, they lockdown the building and make a shaky truce so that they might get out alive.... the rest of the film revolves around them making their way through the building in an attempt to escape....
if you don't mind subtitles, lots of gunfire and some pretty nifty gore, then this film is for you.... i am continually impressed with the quality of the horror films that the French have been producing.... they are a big time contender in the horror genre and this movie proves yet again that they're on the top of their game.... the action is well done.... the zombies are scary.... the characters are well drawn out and you get attached to each and every one of them.... i can't recommend this film enough.... it's a wonderful addition to the zombie lexicon and one that will eventually be a part of the Joel DVD library.... zombie films are my bread and butter of the horror genre.... and this one stands out above all the other garbage that keeps getting pumped out.... i gave it 4 out of 5 stars.... a great film.

if you like this, watch: 'Diary of the Dead', 'Zombieland' or 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004)

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Anatomy of Hell'

well, well, well.... Catherine Breillat you've done it again.... you've written another pretentious, overly hyped piece of crap.... at least this one only ran a bit over an hour.... i've sat through three of your films now an i can honestly say i'm not a fan.... and i don't understand your place in cinema.... maybe i'm watching the wrong films of yours....? perhaps i don't understand them....? (i kind of doubt it.) or perhaps they're just garbage....? just because something is provocative and the people talk like overly educated hipsters doesn't make it art.... and just because you include XXX rated nudity and sex, doesn't make it high art.... i've seen films that include hard core scenes and they made sense with the story.... in your movies, it seems like you do it just to shock and to give yourself a name....
to everyone else who may see this movie or 'Romance' or 'A Real Young Girl'.... stop yourself before you start.... or watch it and see if you agree with what i'm saying....? 'Anatomy of Hell' is OnDemand right now on Netflix.... i personally have seen enough of her work now that i can say i'm not a fan and i've given her every opportunity to make me one.... she's going to continue making movies and she's going to continue getting praise and i'm going to continue ignoring them.... ah well.... so be it.

if you want something sexually explicit with bad dialogue, watch a porn.

my brief thoughts on.... 'Delicatessen'

for those of you who've never seen a Jean Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro film.... you're missing out on near pitch perfect filmaking.... sadly, they don't work together anymore.... but they're still putting out amazing work on their own.... now, i've seen 'Delicatessen' many times before.... but i just re-watched it this week.... and it's still as strong as it ever was.... i highly recommend you watch it as soon as possible.... the story, the cinematography, the acting, the script, the characters, the music.... everything is amazing.... however, that can be said of anything with their name on it....

this movie tells the, what seems to be, post-apocalyptic tale of an apartment where the butcher runs the place and continually hires new handymen to fatten them up to serve to the tennants as meat.... food is in short supply and all has gone to hell in this world.... the tennants know the deal and are in on it.... it's no secret.... however, when the new handyman moves in, the butcher's daughter takes a shine to him and doesn't want him killed.... he's a former circus star and a very likable guy.... the rest of the story just has to be seen to be believed.... it's bizarre and wonderful....i put this in my top 50 films of all time.... as with their other film, 'City of Lost Children'.... if you can stand French subtitles and like your movies off the beaten path, then this is one for you.... 5 out of 5 stars hands down.... i only wish i could watch it again with fresh eyes so i could experience the joy of not knowing what was going to happen next.... but it still holds up as an amazing piece of art....

other Jeunet and/or Caro films: 'City of Lost Children', 'Amelie' and 'A Very Long Engagement'

my thoughts on.... 'District B13'

i know the French are good at a lot of things.... one of them being the gift of ticking off Americans.... but i can see past all that with their filim industry.... and with the recent crop of amazing French horror films, i figured it was about time to give them another shot at their action films as well.... and this one came recommended.... yes, it's subtitled and yes, that makes it just a hair harder to follow the action if you're a slow reader.... but don't let that sway you from seeing this kick ass piece of cinema.... you've got likable characters, amazing stunts, a great storyline.... and that's just scratching the surface.... i saw in awe during the entire movie at what i was seeing unfold.... and most, if not all of it, was due to it's writer and producer Luc Besson ('The Fifth Element', 'The Professional').... he put a lot into this movie and it did so well that it's even spawned a sequel now.... (which is in my queue....)

it's the near future in France.... and the government has decided to wall up the ghetto's in an effort to control the crime and keep everyone seperate.... the worst of these being District B13.... and that's where our story begins.... with one of our hero's getting rid of an amazing amount of drugs and soon being chased by a huge gang of thugs, which leads to one of the most incredible foot chase scenes i think i've ever seen.... they do things that just don't seem humanly possible.... after we see the outcome of the chase which switch to outside the walls where we meet our other hero.... who is a police officer who's notorious for going deep undercover and his amazing skills in combat.... after both introductions are complete we learn of an overall plot that brings the two together.... it would seem that the government has a test weapon that is capable of a clean sweep of an area through a surgical explosion of a bomb.... and somehow it's been stolen by some thugs in B13 who plan on selling it to the highest bidder or destroying a big chunk of France.... this is the point where the action goes from kick ass to m-f'ing jaw dropping....
i was amazed at the two leading men's performances.... both acting and action wise.... it's a wonder they're not popular in the states.... perhaps they're France's best kept secret.... and i'm so glad i was let in on the secret too.... granted if i never had seen this movie then i never would have been the wiser.... but after seeing it, i don't know what i ever did without it.... this is a movie made for adrenaline junkies.... and fans of gunfights, car chases, martial arts moves and lots of ass kicking.... the plot is enough to carry the movie.... it may not be breaking too much new ground but it still feels fresh.... and it makes me want to take the time to rent the sequel.... the original is available OnDemand right not.... and i hope some of you check it out tonight.... and let me know what you think.... if you're an action fan at all, there is no way you won't like this movie....

4 out of 5 stars for this.... and yet again another possible addition to the library of films that i own.... if for nothing else than just the fight scenes alone.... but it's so much more than that.... i highly recommend this movie and will be renting the sequel here in the next week or two.... and i'm sure i'll post a review of that too.... why not....? it's what i do....

if you like this, check out: 'Chocolate', 'The Professional' and 'The Transporter'