Weekly Viewings From The To-Watch Pile #6

Also known as the controversial post that dismisses two highly regarded classics of French cinema. In the end it does depend on individual tastes; some people with agree with me on some of these reviews, some will not. That’s what makes film criticism interesting in the first place.

For anyone curious, one of the reasons this thread is frequent, especially now in October, is my attempt to catch up with writing about all the films I’ve seen in the last week or so. Also worth noting, since I have mentioned the month, is that I do want to start watching a few more films fitting for Halloween. At the moment it is a bit difficult to do so since there is a lot, not just in films, to clear through but hopefully I’ll be able to engorge myself in horror and genre films as much as other bloggers have.

Heima (Dean DeBlois, 2006)

From http://dcist.com/attachments/dcist_mehan/heima-poster.jpg

‘In the summer of 2006, Sigur Rós returned home to play a series of free, unannounced concerts for the people of Iceland. This film documents their already legendary tour with intimate reflections from the band and a handful of new acoustic performances.’ – From IMDB

With music as beautiful as that of Sigur Rós, it needs to be filmed in a way that allows its mystical qualities to shine; this also needs to be considered when one is showing an environment like the Icelandic countryside and the expansiveness of it. While Dean DeBlois does a serviceable job, he ends up relying on a traditional documentary format, instead of experimenting with the material, which restricts the music and environment from showing their full awe. Only one of the final performances depicted shows what could have been, but a lot of what makes that good is the band themselves and the people they work with their stage performances not the director.

Double Take (Johan Grimonprez, 2009)

From http://ruthlessculture.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/doubletake-poster.jpg?w=252&h=320

‘Director Johan Grimonprez casts Alfred Hitchcock as a paranoid history professor, unwittingly caught up in a double take on the cold war period. Subverting a meticulous array of TV footage and using 'The Birds' as an essential metaphor, DOUBLE TAKE traces catastrophe culture's relentless assault on the home, from moving images' inception to the present day.’ – From IMDB

Starting with an event in 1962, when Alfred Hitchcock met his doppelganger on the set of The Birds (1963), as a springboard into the climate and mood of the time surrounding the Cold War, this is an intriguing docu-fantasy. Some of the connections between them don’t completely make sense on the first viewing but it is an inventive and fresh perspective on its topics.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel, 1972)

From http://www.thecinematheque.com/poster_discreetcharm2.jpg

‘A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.’ – From IMDB

Sadly I have to dismiss this film. I felt it had no real significance behind it (it’s not really a good satire of bourgeoisie for me) and not politically interesting. The dream sequences and how they were portrayed were exceptionally annoying and added to said disappointment.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (Jan Kounen, 2009)

From http://pacejmiller.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/coco-chanel-igor-stravinsky.jpg

‘Paris 1913. Coco Chanel is infatuated with the rich and handsome Boy Capel, but she is also compelled by her work. Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring is about to be performed. The revolutionary dissonances of Igor's work parallel Coco's radical ideas. She wants to democratize women's fashion; he wants to redefine musical taste. Coco attends the scandalous first performance of The Rite in a chic white dress. The music and ballet are criticized as too modern, too foreign. Coco is moved but Igor is inconsolable. Paris 1920, Coco is newly wealthy and successful but grief-stricken after Boy's death in a car crash. Igor, following the Russian Revolution is now a penniless refugee living in exile in Paris. Coco is introduced to Igor by Diaghilev, impresario of the Ballets Russes. The attraction between them is instant and electric. Coco invites Igor along with his wife - now sick with consumption - together with his four children and a menagerie of birds to stay at her new villa...’ – From IMDB

Were it not for a surprise 10/10 review from someone I know online, I would have ignored what turned out to be a near-perfect gem and miss it at the cinema. Taking a tired and generic storyline of adultery – based on reality or not – as its central plot, this depicts it in a refreshingly subtle and thoughtful way backed up by excellent performances by the likes of Mads Mikkelsen (a candidate for the person of the year in film with only the awful Clash of the Titans (2010) remake affecting his chances), Anna Mouglalis and Yelena Morozova. It is a film where everyone involved including the person who designed the wallpaper on the sets deserves praise for their outstanding work, with lavish and detailed production values to match the excellent drama within. This may turn out to be an underrated and ignored film for 2010, which is an absolute shame.

Partie De Campagne (Jean Renoir, 1936)

From http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/Partie_de_campagne.jpg

‘The family of a Parisian shop-owner spends a day in the country. The daughter falls in love to a man at the inn, where they spend the day.’ – From IMDB

An incomplete film left as a short work, this does present a lot to like specially in Renoir’s use of the natural environment the story is set in for mood and contemplation. The film does feel too barebones however, working well as a short story in presentation but, sadly out of the director’s hands, missing potential depth to it. It also suffers from slightly annoying and exaggerated acting from at least one of the actors.