IMDB 250 - Three Colors: Red (1994)

Three Colors: Red (1994)

"Three Colors: Red" feels like the quintessential foreign movie. It's slow, deliberate, nothing but conversation and it deals with weighty philosophical ideas. It's also a French language film set in Switzerland and has a Polish Director.

A model in Geneva hits a dog with her car and looks for the owner. She finds the owner is a retired Judge who now spends his time listening in to his neighbors phone conversations. She's disgusted but also clearly drawn to the man and attempts to know him.

Although this movie is from 1994, it looks like it's from 1984. It looks and feels like Director Krzysztof Piesiewicz's other work "The Decalogue". That's not a criticism exactly, just an observation. In fact, I liked "The Decalogue" so much that I enjoy it. It must be a particular camera or type of film he used.

"Red" is part of a trilogy in which some of the characters in one movie show up in the other two. There's also a suggestion that some of the characters are actually the same character, but at a different point in time. The "Three Colors" trilogy, and this film, are about the interconnectedness of all of our lives and about the way all of our lives are disconnected as well. And it's all up to chance, destiny or serendipity as to which lives touch which others.

8/10.
Total "Top 250" Movies Seen: 375.

IMDB 250 8.1 - La Haine (1995)

La Haine (1995)

A French film, "La Haine" follows three inner-city youths over the course of a single day.

They buy drugs, they acquire a gun, they get hassled by the police, they argue, they steal. Recently, a guy from the neighborhood was beaten up by the cops so bad that he may die in the hospital. One of the guys says that if that happens, he may kill a cop in retaliation.

It's gritty, it's dirty, it's in your face, it's "street". You know what this movie is like? It's a French version of a Spike Lee film. It's extremely-well acted with characters that are completely believable and yet I don't care for them because they're all morons in different ways. Perhaps they serve as characters that I should look down on and feel sorry for. Unlikely, but conceivable. But over the course of an hour and a half or two hours, at some point, that's not entertainment anymore. The reason they're miserable isn't due to their circumstances or origins... it's because they're fools. They deserve their circumstances.

This movie is from the 90s so it's allowed to be dated. And like I said, it's very similar to a Spike Lee film and Spike Lee is an acclaimed director - so perhaps it deserves some acclaim. But not from me. Real talk.

5/10.
Total Top "250" Movies Seen: 362.

IMDB 250 7.12 - The Artist (2011)

The Artist (2011)

George Valentin is one of the top silent stars in the world. But when the new "talkies" capture the imagination of the public, he goes from being on top of the world to hitting rock bottom. The twist of "The Artist" is that it tells the story of the death of silent pictures with a silent picture.

As an appreciator of the silent film genre, I've often wondered whether a modern silent could be made today. There's no doubt - in my mind - that visuals, lush orchestration and minimal dialogue (displayed on title cards, of course) can create a compelling and moving story. But would anyone believe that enough to actually make one? And even if they did would anyone go to see it?

Of course, when I thought about a "modern silent", I had in mind a color picture, set in the present day, using modern film making techniques. As "The Artist" is black and white, set in the '20s and '30s and styled after the silent pictures of old, it's a case of "so close but so far."

My own personal curiosities aside, "The Artist" is a good movie, full of laughs, drama, romance and some touching moments. It's not only a sweet homage to the silent picture era films, but also a flawless recreation. Every minute of the movie feels totally authentic to the period. Even as the acting mimics the slightly over the top style of the 30's, you can't help but be engrossed in the emotion.

Watching it, the thing that jumped out to me is how inaccurate the term "silent movie" is. When a movie has a larger than life classical score that's front and center all the time, there's nothing "silent" about it.

"The Artist" is a worthy homage to the pictures of the silent era but it doesn't surpass them. If you want to see a silent movie, and can find one, watch a movie by Buster Keaton or Harold Lloyd. If not, "The Artist" is not a bad choice.

7/10.
Total "Top 250" Movies Seen: 361.

[End of Revision 7.]

IMDB 250 7.9 - The Intouchables (2011)

The Intouchables (2011)

When an extremely wealthy quadriplegic (played by French Dustin Hoffman) hires a black man from the inner-city (played by French Taye Diggs), an unusual friendship forms.

We've seen this movie many times before (though never from the French). The poor man moves into a mansion and lives the good life for the first time. The "regular guy" that brings new life to a stodgy household. The white guy introduces the black guy to classical music. The black guy introduces the white guy to Earth, Wind and Fire. The fact that they are so different makes their friendship that much more fun.

Still, it is done well. It's amusing, heartfelt, sometimes fun, light entertainment.

6/10.
Total "Top 250" Movies Seen: 358.