110 posts categorized "French Cinema"

April 25, 2022

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE — THE CRITERION COLLECTION

COLE SMITHEY

Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

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ColeSmithey.comCéline Sciamma's lesbian romantic fantasy almost works on its own terms, but falters during crucial elements.

18th century French portrait painter Marianne (Noémie Merlant) travels by boat to paint a wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) at an idyllic seaside estate surrounded by a community that consists solely of women.

Héloïse is bereft over the recent loss of her sister, and angry about her arranged fate of marrying a man she doesn't know.

Screen Shot 2022-04-25 at 12.40.20 PM

Thus the table is set for a doomed lesbian tryst after Héloïse's mother leaves the women alone for a few days.

ColeSmithey.com

An abortion subplot, involving the mansion's servant, allows for a scene of artistically inspired exploitation that breaks the film.

"Portrait of a Lady on Fire" is Céline Sciamma's weakest film to date.

Rated R. 122 mins. 

2 StarsCozy Cole

Cole Smithey on Patreon

February 16, 2022

THE TRUTH

ColeSmithey.comGroupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

Welcome!

This ad-free website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel.

Get cool rewards when you click on the button to pledge your support through Patreon.

Thanks a lot acorns!

Your kind generosity keeps the reviews coming!

Cole Smithey on Patreon



ColeSmithey.comCatherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, and Ethan Hawke; those three names should insure a marginal level of quality.

Sadly, that is not the case with writer/director Hirokazu Koreeda’s meepy pomo French drama about a deceased character we never even see.

Nothing ever happens in this movie, and no truths are revealed.

Ethan Hawke takes a bite of an apple, and makes it look like a good apple.

ColeSmithey.com

Deneuve smokes her signature skinny cigarette. Cool.

Binoche looks great. Sexy.

ColeSmithey.com

Paychecks.

1 Star

Cozy Cole

Cole Smithey on Patreon

January 18, 2022

FRANCE — CANNES 2021

ColeSmithey.com    Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

Welcome!

This ad-free website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel.

Get cool rewards when you click on the button to pledge your support through Patreon.

Thanks a lot acorns!

Your kind generosity keeps the reviews coming!

Cole Smithey on Patreon

 

ColeSmithey.comRepetitive satirical poke at the Anderson Coopers of the world, comes up short.

French auteur Brunot Dumont runs out of steam in sending up media manipulation of human misery (vis a vis war) as staged by Léa Seydoux's celebrity journalist France de Meurs. 

Journalism, my ass.

ColeSmithey.com

This film's saving grace may reside in putting off its audience from all manufactured (corporate) media, i.e. anything you can watch, listen to, or read.

Not Rated. 133 mins.

2 Stars

Cozy Cole

Cole Smithey on Patreon

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