samedi 30 novembre 2013

The English Patient - Dramatic and sad - 9*/10

The English Patient is a timeless piece. It is long and very slow developing, but captivating to those who like to savor a rich story filled with characters of depth, great scenery, and a solid score. The leading man is the worst kind of lover and it makes for a excellent romance.

For those who are patient.
9*/10

vendredi 29 novembre 2013

Attack the Block - Much better than one might imagine - 7*/10

Attack the Block is obviously a low budget flick, however the results are interesting. The scenario is definitively made of an unusual vibe and it has a number of good ideas. The acting is not spectacular, but good enough to entertain. Great score.

If you'd like to see something different and you don't have too much expectations, then you'll like it.
7*/10

De rouille et d'os - Une dure histoire de cassure et de renouement - 8*/10

De rouille et d'os n'est pas pour tous. C'est une histoire parsemée d'éphémères moments où les nuages gris laissent entrevoir un ciel bleu tel un mirage. Jeu d'acteurs très fort.

Pour ceux qui n'ont pas peur des difficultés.
8*/10

jeudi 28 novembre 2013

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Not as strong but still very entertaining - 7*/10

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is not as strong as its first installment, but is still a great spectacle. Impressive visuals with the same captivating setting. However, there's a few flaws in the scenarios and it feels too much like the middle movie it is. It's rehashed stuff without solid plot elements that seems to be promised in the next film.

To be seen if you like the first one.
7*/10

lundi 25 novembre 2013

Mansfield Park - Delightful with a touch of dark - 8*/10

Mansfield Park fits impeccably well with all the other Jane Austen films. It is the same witty intellectual scenario with a touch of darkness woven into it set around 1800 in the English upper class.

A must for Austen film fans or those who like light romantic intrigue of the time.
8*/10

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Interesting premise, lousy execution - 3*/10

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has interesting idea sprinkled throughout the scenario, but fails at every turn to really build something solid.

Only for the most rabid vampire fans.
3*/10

dimanche 24 novembre 2013

L'amour dure trois ans - Cynique et hilarant - 8*/10

L'amour dure trois ans est une sorte d'anti comédie romantique. C'est hilarant par moment, légèrement rocambolesque, les personnages sont solidement bâtis, et l'histoire remplie de détails nous laisse sans reste.

Pour les cyniques et ceux qui aime rire d'un peu de tout le monde en amour ou en peine d'amour.
8*/10

vendredi 22 novembre 2013

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Could have been more - 6*/10

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is disappointing in the fact that it builds up a lot of its scenario elements to only drop them without grace.

You might enjoy, you might not.
6*/10

jeudi 21 novembre 2013

Charlie Wilson's War - Sarcastic, funny, and irreverent - 8*/10

Charlie Wilson's War is a frank and irreverent view of politics and the American view. If you put it side by side with a movie like 9th Company, it will make you think twice before passing judgement. Funny, with strong performances.

Not perfect, but great piece, very interesting point of view.
8*/10

mardi 19 novembre 2013

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - For your kids while entertaining you - 6*/10

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a kid movie, but a good one. Very imaginative and silly, great graphics, lots of extravagant jokes, extremely colorful, and tons of adorable creatures. You'll like it if you liked the first one, but it's not required to have seen it.

Your kids will love it and you'll be entertained.
6*/10

lundi 18 novembre 2013

The Book Thief - A rich yet simple story - 9*/10

The Book Thief will move you in some way. It's a WWII movie, but it's neither about its darkness nor the fighting, it's about its forgotten people. The decors are rich and incredibly detailed, the characters full of life and deep in emotions, the story is captivating and touching, the scenario makes time fly away, and finally everything is told in a simple manner that really takes you there and makes you live their life.

The only incongruous thing would be the fact that the characters sometime speak in German sometime in English.

A must watch.
9*/10

dimanche 17 novembre 2013

Planet Terror - Funny gory exploitation homage flick - 7*/10

Planet Terror is not for everyone. True to his style, Robert Rodriguez is gory as hell. It's a good homage to the old exploitation movies of the seventies.

A must for Rodriguez fans, it's a hit or miss for the others.
7*/10

Celeste & Jesse Forever - Unusual and realistic with great humor and a bit of cynicism - 7*/10

Celeste & Jesse Forever will make you laugh. It will also make you uncomfortable with a straight forward view of what kind of mess life can make of love and friendship.

For those who like quirky movies.
7*/10

vendredi 15 novembre 2013

Save the Date - Scattered at best and very quirky - 6*/10

Save the Date has a lot of good elements, it's just not holding well together. The characters and the acting is very peculiar and mostly not to my liking. The story takes a while to get where it's interesting. A very quirky flick.

It's not for everyone, but some would probably love it.
6*/10

jeudi 14 novembre 2013

Sliding Doors - Only interesting for the comparative scenario - 6*/10

Sliding Doors is getting old and it shows. The story itself is old fashioned, but the way it's told is interesting. Beside Gwyneth Paltrow's acting there isn't much to capture our attention.

For Paltrow's fan.
6*/10

mercredi 13 novembre 2013

12 Years a Slave - Abjection and misery - 8*/10

12 Years a Slave is what it is. The scenario has a few solid moments, but for the rest, it's just about making us watch how degrading it is to be a slave. The acting is excellent, except for an unremarkable performance by Brad Pitt, and that's what's really keeping our attention, because the story itself is very simple and on the boring side, as many other biography/history based films.

If you're interested in the old american slavery conditions or if you like flicks based on true events.
8*/10

Dallas Buyers Club - Tough to watch - 9*/10

Dallas Buyers Club is better than its trailer makes it out to be, but it's still not an easy movie to watch. It's dark, full of prejudice, misery, pain, and injustice. The acting is without reproach, the characters are what makes the story, and the situation is extremely compelling.

Not for everyone, but if you don't mind watching a tough film, you should at least see it once.
9*/10

La vie d'Adèle - Fort, intense, et actuel - 10*/10

La vie d'Adèle est assez percutant comme film. On plonge en profondeur dans sa vie et sa relation, rien n'est caché et on nous donne beaucoup de discussions, de détails émotionnels, et aussi sexuels, au point où l'on a l'impression de visionner un film pornographique par moment. En fait, il me semble qu'il n'y aurait probablement pas autant de pornos si on avait tout simplement plus de productions se donnant une telle liberté. Jeux d'acteurs puissants, histoire prenante et scénario se respectant énormément.

À voir.
10*/10

dimanche 10 novembre 2013

The Sessions - Surprising yet predictable - 6*/10

The Sessions starts out pretty differently than what its trailer suggested. Nonetheless, it eventually catches up to what I feared and plunges into a particularly bad example of romance. Its saving grace is the ending which is pretty solid contrary to most biographically or historically based movie. One thing really ticked me off, once again prostitution is vilified.

Not for everyone.
6*/10

samedi 9 novembre 2013

Monster's Ball - Stark and full of emotions - 8*/10

Monster's Ball is not the type of movie you watch everyday, it's too difficult to watch, the reality too dark. It's a strong movie that shouldn't be avoided as long as I did. The ending is perfect.

If you are strong enough.
8*/10

jeudi 7 novembre 2013

Lola Versus - Simple, confused, and confusing - 6*/10

Lola Versus is enjoyable in a way, but it's not a great movie. It has its moments, good intentions, and a realistic approach, however, it all doesn't stick very well together.

Entertaining, but nothing more.
6*/10

mercredi 6 novembre 2013

Cairo Time - Exotic but real - 9*/10

Cairo Time is almost timeless. It's a slow-paced experience of Cairo, with a slow-developing relationship. Take your time and enjoy it. Be transported.

A must for realistic romantics.
9*/10

About Time - Captivating and very touching - 9*/10

About Time achieved what it set out to be: talk about the beautiful simplicity of life and love while making us laugh. It's a well built scenario with only one logical flaw, easily forgiven, that paints a captivating coming of age story. It's simple in its own way, full of nice details, quirks, and very touching moments.

A must see for anyone.
9*/10

mardi 5 novembre 2013

Escape Plan - Good enough - 6*/10

Escape Plan is a nice action suspense movie with a bit of intrigue an a few surprises. It's nowhere near magnificent and it's better appreciated with your brain off, but it's good enough entertainment. This means that there are many glaring logical flaws in the scenario and some lame character developments that you'll have to take with a grain of salt to appreciate the flick.

Don't expect much and you'll have fun.
6*/10

Ender's Game - Spectacular feast - 9*/10

Ender's Game is an extremely visual movie with action and special effects everywhere. You also get a very interesting background and captivating story teamed up with a solid score. This incredible entertainment easily makes you forget its few flaws that include a weak raft scene and some not too obvious acting limitations mostly due to young age.

A must see.
9*/10

dimanche 3 novembre 2013

Hostage - Not worth much - 5*/10

Hostage is an excellent story, but with a poor execution of a less than stellar script. More over, mixed in with the good actors are some pretty poor ones. Definitively, this is the weakest movie Bruce Willis has ever been involved with.

Only good for the action and the novelty.
5*/10

vendredi 1 novembre 2013

The Guilt Trip - Better than expected - 6*/10

The Guilt Trip starts as one might think, the mother is ultra annoying and you get to anticipate the whole thing as annoying movie. However, it gets better a third way through. It gets more down to earth, a bit touchy-feely, and actually ends realistically if a touch rosy.

A few good laughs in a simple flick. Recommended to Seth Rogen fans.
6*/10