I enjoy French films very much and saw Seraphine in Paris. While the movie looks beautiful and the acting is excellent, overall the film bored me. There wasn't enough dramatic tension or intense character development to sustain my interest. I was very surprised that it won so many awards, but then again if the French academy is similar to the one in the U.S., they tend to play it safe. Seraphine is worth seeing if you are interested in thinking about the artistic soul. But there is nothing groundbreaking here. I would have liked to see a version of this artist's life that was less academic and more thought provoking. The one thing I admired very much was the performance of the lead actress. I was trying to imagine anyone equivalent to her in the U.S. and was unable to conjure any names. She is not classically beautiful, yet clearly she is an actress of great stature in France to have won this role. The lesson I took away from the film was the appreciation of talent, both of Seraphine and the actress who portrayed her.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Stella
(2008)
Insightful, emotional portrait of adolescence
17 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film in Paris in 2008, and it was in my top two or three for the year. It tells the story of Stella, a girl who is on the cusp of adolescence, trying to navigate the difficult path we all must travel during this time.
Stella does not have the best guidance from her parents and, in reality, has to figure out a lot of things on her own: how to cope in school, with friends, with boys, with adults.
The movie has so many poignant scenes, but for me, none is as moving as the very last one. I will not give it away, but the last line, in my opinion, sums up the writer/director's viewpoint on this period of our lives in a simple and beautiful way. I wasn't the only one with tears in my eyes in the theater.
Stella narrates the film, and her voice is a powerful one. The actress who portrays her is absolutely amazing: so real, so unaffected. No "Hollywood" types in this movie. It all feels gritty and genuine. It is filmed with a sense of up-close and personal realism that is refreshing.
I have not seen a version with subtitles, so I can't comment on that aspect, and I don't know if this movie is going to be released widely in the U.S. (I have seen it playing selectively in NYC.) But if you have a chance to see it, run to the theater or rent it on DVD. It is one of the few films I have seen in recent years that has really stayed with me.
Stella does not have the best guidance from her parents and, in reality, has to figure out a lot of things on her own: how to cope in school, with friends, with boys, with adults.
The movie has so many poignant scenes, but for me, none is as moving as the very last one. I will not give it away, but the last line, in my opinion, sums up the writer/director's viewpoint on this period of our lives in a simple and beautiful way. I wasn't the only one with tears in my eyes in the theater.
Stella narrates the film, and her voice is a powerful one. The actress who portrays her is absolutely amazing: so real, so unaffected. No "Hollywood" types in this movie. It all feels gritty and genuine. It is filmed with a sense of up-close and personal realism that is refreshing.
I have not seen a version with subtitles, so I can't comment on that aspect, and I don't know if this movie is going to be released widely in the U.S. (I have seen it playing selectively in NYC.) But if you have a chance to see it, run to the theater or rent it on DVD. It is one of the few films I have seen in recent years that has really stayed with me.
Perfect Alibi
(1995)
Major hole in plot
4 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler warning.
When the main character's sister is pushed down the stairs, the killer breaks a glass of vodka next to her, to make it appear that she's been drinking. But right before she is killed, tells her sister's business partner (Teri Garr) on the phone that she hasn't had a drink in 4 days. Yet the police never mention the results of a toxicology report! And, the characters talk about her being drunk when she fell down the stairs. Huh? Really bad mistake in this movie, which is pretty awful, overall.
Surprisingly bad, considering the great cast. Some faults: the writing isn't very good, the music is made-for-TV bad, and there is no tension at all because we already know the answer to the mystery from the first scene in the movie.
When the main character's sister is pushed down the stairs, the killer breaks a glass of vodka next to her, to make it appear that she's been drinking. But right before she is killed, tells her sister's business partner (Teri Garr) on the phone that she hasn't had a drink in 4 days. Yet the police never mention the results of a toxicology report! And, the characters talk about her being drunk when she fell down the stairs. Huh? Really bad mistake in this movie, which is pretty awful, overall.
Surprisingly bad, considering the great cast. Some faults: the writing isn't very good, the music is made-for-TV bad, and there is no tension at all because we already know the answer to the mystery from the first scene in the movie.
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