jump to navigation

Delicacy-Movie Review 08/08/2014

Posted by Films to consider in César Awards, Comedy, French language film, Light Drama, Movies, Romance, Romantic comedy, Sarlat International Cinema Festival.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

DELICACY (French) 2011
La délicatesse

Directed by David Foenkinos and Stéphane Foenkinos
Starring Bruno Todeschini, Audrey Tautou, Melanie Bernier, and Francois Damiens

NOMINATED, Best Adapted Screenplay (David Foenkinos); Best First Film, César Awards, France
WINNER, Prix Aquitaine: Prix d’interprétation masculine (Damiens), Sarlat International Cinema Festival

After losing her husband in an accident, young widow Nathalie (Tautou) devotes herself to her work. She seems to have no time for romance, but one day she inexplicably plants a sensual kiss on Markus, a Swedish coworker who is unpolished, to say the least. Once she happens down that road, there is no going back.

A romantic comedy/poignant story that will be enjoyed by fans of Audrey Tautou, although this film is not of the same caliber as the better-known Amélie. Bruno Todeschini does well in his role as her bumbling but charming suitor.

105 min. Rated PG-13

 

Safety Not Guaranteed-Movie Review 05/24/2014

Posted by Films to consider in ALMA Awards, American, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Fantasy, Independent Spirit Awards, Romance, Romantic comedy, Sundance Film Festival.
add a comment

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED (American) 2012
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, and Karan Soni

Among other awards and nominations:
WINNER, Favorite Movie Actress-Comedy/Musical (Plaza), ALMA Awards
NOMINATED, Most Promising Filmmaker (Trevorrow), Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
WINNER, Best First Screenplay (Derek Connolly); NOMINATED, Best First Feature, Independent Spirit Awards
WINNER, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award (Connolly); NOMINATED, Grand Jury Prize-Dramatic (Trevorrow), Sundance Film Festival

Darius (Plaza) is a lowly intern at a Seattle feature magazine. She volunteers to accompany coworkers Jeff (Johnson) and Arnau (Soni) to follow up on a quirky classified ad. As Darius gets to know its creator, self-proclaimed time traveler Kenneth (Duplass), she begins to question whether he is as delusional as everyone else thinks.

An unusual and enjoyable story. The movie was filmed in Seattle, with a low-key cast of actors who lend an unaffected charm to its telling.

86 min. Rated R.

 

Romantics Anonymous-Movie Review *** 04/03/2014

Posted by Films to consider in Cabourg Romantic Film Festival, César Awards, Comedy, French language film, JeanPierre Améris, Light Drama, Romance, Romantic comedy.
Tags: , ,
1 comment so far

Romantics Anonymous (French) 2010 ***
Les émotifs anonymes

Directed by JeanPierre Améris
Starring Benoit Poelvoorde and Isabelle Carré

WINNER, Best Actress (Carré), Cabourg Romantic Film Festival
NOMINATED, Best Actress (Carré),César Awards, France

A very sweet and funny story about a couple who meet because of their mutual love of chocolate. Jean-René (Poelvoorde) and Angélique (Carré) are each afflicted with a level of shyness that is emotionally crippling. At work Jean-René hides his anxieties behind a stern demeanor, but his business is failing and will soon be bankrupt. Angélique is too overcome by her fears to have her skill in creating exquisite chocolates acknowledged. The couple meets by chance, but beginning a relationship is not simple.

The cast, including the supporting characters at Jean-René’s chocolate-making business, helps the movie soar above the simple plot.

Highly recommended.

80 min. Not rated.

 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel-Movie Review 01/13/2014

Posted by Films to consider in BAFTA Awards, British, British Independent Film Awards, Comedy, Golden Globes, Light Drama, Movies, Romantic comedy, Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (British) 2011

Directed by John Madden
Starring Dame Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, and Dev Patel

Among other nominations (no wins are listed):
NOMINATED, Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical; Best Actress (Dench), Golden Globes
NOMINATED, Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film (Madden), BAFTA Awards
NOMINATED, Outstanding Supporting Female Actress (Smith); Outstanding Cast, Screen Actors Guild Awards
NOMINATED, Best British Independent Film; Best Director (Madden);Best Actress (Dench); Best Supporting Actress (Smith); Best Supporting Actor (Wilkinson), British Independent Film Awards

A group of retired British citizens decide individually to move to India where they plan to take up permanent residence in what they soon find out is a rundown hotel.

An amusing story that makes little sense if/when you think about it, but it does provide a pleasant enough vehicle for some major British stars, all of whom give good performances as expected. Over two hours long, though.

124 min.

Much Ado About Nothing-Movie Review *** 11/25/2013

Posted by Films to consider in American, Black & white, Comedy, Joss Whedon, Movies, Romance, Romantic comedy.
Tags: ,
add a comment

Much Ado About Nothing (American) 2012 ***

Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof, Clark Gregg, Reed Diamond, and Amy Acker

A very enjoyable, modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s comedy about love and romance almost gone wrong. The script uses the Bard’s own words.

Not an award winner, the black and white film was apparently a labor of love for director Joss Whedon. Many cast members, such as Alexis Denisof, Clark Gregg, and Nathan Fillion, will be familiar from TV and movies.

Highly recommended, even for reluctant Shakespeare readers.
109 min. Rated PG-13.

 

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day-Movie Review *** 09/07/2013

Posted by dbinder in American, Comedy, People's Choice Awards, Romance, Romantic comedy.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (American) 2008 ***

Directed by Bharat Nalluri
Starring Frances Dormand, Amy Adams, and Lee Pace

NOMINATED, Favorite Independent Movie, People’s Choice Awards

Set in pre-World War II London, the hapless Miss Guinivere Pettigrew (Dormand) loses her job as a governess and has little hope of finding new work. Threatened with life on the streets, she uses her wits to find a new position and ends up being mismatched as social secretary to the flighty, social-climbing Delysia (Adams). Delysia teaches her what’s most important in life.

Frances Dormand, an actress I admire, makes the movie as Miss Pettigrew. It’s not an award winner, but I found the film surprisingly charming, funny, and enjoyable!

Highly recommended.

92 min. Rated PG-13

 

Silver Linings Playbook-Movie Review 08/29/2013

Posted by dbinder in Academy Awards, Based on a novel, Comedy, Emotional Drama, Movies, Romantic comedy.
Tags: , , ,
1 comment so far

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (American) 2012
Based on the novel by Matthew Quick

Directed by David O. Russell
Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Jacki Weaver

This film was very popular on the awards circuit, so click here for a list of awards and nominations.

Former teacher Pat Solitano (Cooper) returns to his parents’ house after spending some time in a mental institution where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His parents, Pat Sr. (De Niro) and Dolores (Weaver) do their best to cope with his ups and downs. When Pat Jr. meets the offbeat Tiffany (Lawrence), his life seems to take a new and more promising turn.

The beginning of this movie didn’t seem very entertaining or humorous to me, and I almost stopped watching it. One of its benefits is said to be an increased awareness of this type of mental illness and how the family is affected by it. That it did do, I suppose, although I venture to say that not all (and probably not most) outcomes are so positive. Overall, I thought the film was worth watching and that the versatile Jennifer Lawrence did deserve her Oscar win.

 

The Fairy-Movie Review 06/02/2013

Posted by dbinder in Belgian/French language film, Comedy, Hamptons International Film Festival, Movies, Romantic comedy, Stockholm Film Festival.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

The Fairy (French) 2011
La Fée

Starring Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon
Written and directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, and Bruno Romy

NOMINATED, Saturn Award-Best International Film, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA
WINNER, Golden Starfish Award, Narrative Feature (Abel, Gordon, and Romy), Hamptons International Film Festival
NOMINATED, Bronze Horse (Abel, Gordon, and Romy), Stockholm Film Festival

A very quirky comedy/romance about Dom (Abel), an unmotivated hotel clerk in Le Havre who meets Fiona (Gordon), a self-proclaimed fairy. She promises to grant Dom three wishes; he uses up two, she disappears, and he races to find her. Thus begins a most unusual romantic adventure.

Not a big award winner, and the humor in this film (much of it physical humor) is probably not for everyone. At first, I wasn’t too taken with it, but it grew on me. It’s certainly an unusual story. And I trust no babies were injured in the making of the movie. ☺

93 min. Not rated. Not suitable for children.

 

Wild Grass-Movie Review 03/08/2013

Posted by Films to consider in Cannes Film Festival, César Awards, Comedy, French language film, Light Drama, Movies, Romance, Romantic comedy, Sant Jordi Awards, Suspense.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

Wild Grass (French) 2009
Les herbes folles

Directed by Alain Resnais
Starring André Dussollier, Sabine Azéma, and Anne Cosigny

WINNER, Special Award to Alain Resnais for all his works; NOMINATED, Palme D’Or (Resnais), Cannes Film Festival
NOMINATED, Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Cinematography; Best Editing; Best Film, César Awards
WINNER, Best Foreign Actor (Dussollier), Sant Jordi Awards

When dentist Marguerite Muir (Azéma) has a purse stolen, retired Georges Palet (Dussollier) eventually comes across the wallet from it. Although Georges delivers the wallet to the police, he remains intrigued with what he knows about its owner.

For those who like a quirky story and don’t need to understand where it’s going at all times, this one should fit the bill. There’s a bit of suspense, a bit of comedy, and a bit of romance (I think).

While this particular film was not a big award winner, director Alain Resnais has been making critically acclaimed films since the 1930s. He has released yet another, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, in 2012. I’ll be on the lookout for that, and for some of his earlier films.

104 min. Rated PG.

 

I Do-Movie Review 02/05/2013

Posted by Films to consider in César Awards, Comedy, French language film, Movies, NRJ Ciné Awards, Romance, Romantic comedy.
add a comment

I Do (French) 2006
Prête-moi ta main

Directed by Eric Lartigau
Starring Alain Chabat and Charlotte Gainsbourg

NOMINATED, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (Bernadette Lafont), César Awards, France
WINNER, Best Comedy Film, NRJ Ciné Awards

Luis (Chabat), a confirmed bachelor in his forties, must fend off his five sisters and his mother by pretending to have finally found the right woman, Emma (Gainsbourg).

Not a big award winner, but a moderately funny film about love and family done in the French way.

89 min. Not rated. Adult humor.