Gettysburg

Control

Drole De Felix

Yet again I wonder why and how French cinema can produce so many thoughtful films about human relationships. This one stars the wonderful Sami Bouajila - who features in one of my favourite films Days of Glory. This is in many ways extremely 'light' (as suggested by the title

perhaps). Felix is gay, an Arab, HIV+ and seemingly happy. He sets out to find his father, someone he has never met, after he loses his job and following his mother's death he uncovers some correspondence from this man. He travels across France from Normandy to Marseilles, but isn't (naturally) finding his father - he is finding himself. The film shows his various encounters and creates a new 'family'. Like many characters in French films he is remarkably casual, careless almost - and is portrayed in the usual manner that film makers consider gay men should be shown - promiscuous, on the edge, an outsider looking in, and more lustful than emotional. However, I'd give this a 8/10 rating.

3:10 to Yuma

Law of Desire

Another strange and yet fascinating film from director Pedro Almodovar. As is his usual style the storyline is shambolic and requires a great deal of attention, tricky when you're reading subtitles simultaneously with trying to see the action! In this film Pablo ( a film director mmmm) is obsessed with Juan - a 'straight' boy who cannot love him, becomes the object of the dangerous attention of Antonio (an interesting portrayal by Antonio Banderas), who falls passionately in love with Pablo - who in turn cannot return the affection of this boy (who is also allegedly straight too). Meanwhile Pablo's transexual sister Tina (keep up damn it!) is looking after the abandoned daughter of a flighty friend. All Almodovar's films are peopled by the unusual and bizarre and are tragic in the extreme - this is no exception, there is sex, violence, extreme emotions and a dramatic ending. I always wonder how much Almodovar is playing out his own fantasies and frustrations. Nevertheless a rating of 7/10 is deserved. Is this a tragic tale?

The Singer

I saw this film on DVD, rather than at the cinema - which always makes a difference - generally not for the better. Starring Gerard Depardieu and Cecile De France, a somewhat typical languorous slow moving French tale of romantic love and relationships. Depardieu plays aging crooner Alain (in the UK he would be the equivalent of the northern club circuit entertainer) who is a wow with middle aged single ladies. One night into one of his nightspots walks attractive young Monica (Cecile De France) suffering the effects of the break up of her marriage. Surprisingly (well in Britain this would be surprising, in France these unlikely pairings seem to cause no surprise, Alain is certainly showing his age, and she is tres chic to say the least). This is not really going anywhere, but it satisfies a need in Monica and Alain is craving for something to counteract loneliness and lack of success. French filmmakers love this kind of picking over and close examination of relationships, but generally it makes me feel uneasy. It could be better done in many cases, and this is one. Gerard slips into the role of Alain ever so easily, but the contrast with Monica is stretching credulity too far. The whole thing is just too bleak and needed more light and less shade. Rating 6/10

Bad Education

I got this film out on DVD rather than watching it at the cinema - there are pluses and minuses to watching on DVD.

This film by Pedro Almodovar and starring the talented Gael Garcia Bernal is supposedly autobiographical. I'm making no further assumptions about Slmodovar's life - this is strong stuff. Bernal plays both a man and a woman/transexual and the movie is the story of how two boys were affected by the abuse they received at a Catholic boys school. Both are scarred by the treatment they receive from the Father Principal of the School, but their lives turn out very differently. The story begins as the two are reunited when one (Enrique) is a film maker and the other an actor ('Angel') who has a screenplay written by (he says) himself. Enrique reads the play and finds he is one of the characters featured. As with all Almodovar's films there is a lot of confusing movements backwards & forwards in the story, it is a thriller, full of suspense and highly erotic content. He is very good at exploring relationships and depicting people on the edges of society - the misfits, the abnormal - or perhaps extraordinary characters. Many of his characters are ruthless in their desire to achieve everything for themselves - ammoral as well as immoral. A thought provoking film. Rating: 8/10