2013 Movie Diary

Rewatched. Christmas classic. (29.12)

Rewatched. For my thesis. Because I don't think I'd rewatch this for any other reason. (27.12)

Rewatched. (23.12.)

I'm now in love with Samantha Eggar. (05.12)

The journey of the controversial Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. Really interesting documentary on a side of the world we're not aware enough. (17.11)

A documentary on the place of women in the media eye. The conclusions may be precipitate, but the message is strong and necessary. (13.11)

The photograph Deborah Anderson meets 16 young pornstars for a professional shooting. She takes the opportunity to discuss with them about their reality and their vision of life. It's interesting to hear these voices : articulated, precise and not preachy, they let us think about the place of these women (and women in general) in our culture. (08.11)

A classic Mel Brooks comedy I haven't had the chance to watch yet. Some great moments, and a fantastic casting (08.11)

Catherine Breillat questions herself and her spectators about sex, eroticism and pornography in cinema. A deep, strong and intelligent reflexion on feminity, masculinity, and our relationship to sex. (05.11)

Actor Keanu Reeves interviews several cinema personalities about the arrival of digital filmmaking and the possible disappearance of film. Some interesting point of views. The result appears maybe a little too didactic, but it's a good way to discover how people make films, from the beginnings to today. (03.11)

Rewatched. A classic for Halloween, to watch with a bunch of candies. Bette Midler is spectacular in her role of the leading witch. (02.11)

A photographer tries to do a brief history of male nude in art. The narration, which reminds Beckett at some moments, questions the hypocrisy of art and censorphip. (01.11)

A touching story of a young girl, Adèle, discovering her sexuality, her aspirations and love. Strong eroticism, but with some deepness. I was expecting another deceiving coming out story, but La vie d'Adèle is really more than that. Pleased. (31.10)

P.S. : 3 hours. Be prepared.

A short film where reigns a kitsch and delirious atmosphere, as a museum attendant fantasizes about a young visitor. Erotic, camp and poetic. (29.10)

Rarely Quebec city has appeared so cinematographic. Although this new Robert Lepage is visually impressive, I had some issues with the scenario, which appears sometimes a little too simple for its complex subject. But Pedro Pires (Danse Macabre, Hope) and Robert Lepage prove they are a great cinematographic duo. I hope to see more. (27.10)

A one-man-show from the one and the only John Waters, the cult director of Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Mondo Trasho and so many other classic trashy pics. (27.10)

The story of the man behind the beloved Elmo, Kevin Clash, and his entry in the puppet world. Interesting and charming, though I was expecting more. (26.10)

Rewatched. I had forgotten how good this film is, not only for his interesting twist-ending, but also for his subtility, his deep emotion and the strong acting of the young Haley Joel Osment. (26.10)

A farmer and his daughter progressively disappear, as the family horse is dying. As them, the spectator erases itself gradually, diving in the sublime of the images.

You have to be in shape to watch this minimalist masterpiece. Visually impressive, the film is largely contemplative. In fact, it's 150 minutes of contemplation. But a stunning, beautiful contemplation. (26.10)

A documentary on the debuts of what theoricians call New Queer Cinema, aka the emergence of openly and overtly homosexual images, problematics, and characters, in cinema. (22.10)

Colorful, dark, mysterious and a little kitsch. Not really scary, but stunning by its look. (19.10)

A good J-Horror film. In the same vein as Pulse and Ringu, the film confronts us to the strangeness of our technologies. (19.10)

Rewatched. I had forgotten how great this film was. The incredible tension between Adjani and Sam Neill is hypnotic. (19.10)

Rewatched. A classic for Halloween. Yet, my souvenir of the film was much more a terrifying experience than what I saw. (19.10)

I was expecting a little more, but I'm satisfied that I've finally seen this cult, epic, trashy pic. (19.10)

Here the psychoanalyst Slavoj Zizek discusses ideology, the Big Other, capitalism, communism, consumerism and so on. With some examples from The Dark Knight, They Live, Titanic and many others. (15.10)

Roger Corman is the true representant of rebellion in the cinematic world. With his low-budget productions in the 70s and 80s, he reinvents the art of making films and started a lot of big careers. An interesting portrait of this man who, still today, miss some recognition. (11.10)

Homosexuality have always been a touchy subject in the world of cinema. This documentary gives us an inkling of what being a gay spectator have been, from the debuts of the medium to today. (09.10)

A documentary portrait on the 70s and its cinema, with interesting interviews of some key people of this decade. (09.10)

A great introduction to psychoanalysis in cinema. And Slavoj Zizek is such a funny teacher. (08.10)

A great comedy with some amazing performances. And brillantly written. (05.10)

Based on a short story by Stephen King, the film gives some great chills and, above all, a kind of underground terror as the trap closes on the protagonist. However, John Cusack is maybe not the best for make us feel the growing terror of his character. (05.10)

A young mother decides to go with her husband, as he travels the country for his work of photograph. A simple story, some lightness and a view on the Quebec at the beginning of the century. (04.10)

An iconic film from queer cinema. Though I wasn't expecting anything, I've been surprised by the aesthetic qualities of the film. Funny, erotic and light, the film gives us a look of what gay scene looked like in the 90s. (30.09)

Disappointing, to say the least. Even with such an interesting premice - to see where pornography meets art, and vice versa -, the result is really unequal. Some interesting works as Balkan Erotic Epic meets some oversimplistic experimentations (Death Valley, House Call). (15.09)

An exploration of some theories on the meaning of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. What is really interesting here is to see how the viewer's experience makes him create (or re-create) the movie, attributing it a new sense. Kubrick is known for opening doors to the spectator, and Room 237 is a great example of that. And some theories are quite astounding. (14.09)

Abramovic is one fascinating individual, and this documentary features it really well. (10.09)

(02.09)

Rewatched. Leigh Bowery is an uncompromising, decadent and splendid artist from the club scene of the 80s. (01.09)

Rewatched. (31.08)

Great blockbuster with monsters and robots, in 3D. A little bit too long for me, and with really too much orange and blue for my poor eyes. (27.08)

The documentarist Jennifer Alleyn follows the traces of the german painter Otto Dix, in an interesting decaportrait. Rewatched. (27.08)

A stunning galery of animal portraits, which is somehow dense, dramatic and filled with a light ironic humour. (26.08)

Even if the subject seems, at first, heavy, this movie has a great lightness, humor and intelligence. Assembling an amazing cast, Sophie Deraspe creates some beautiful images and brings an interesting reflexion on dying and aging. (16.08)

I wasn't expecting anything from this movie. Finally I found it quite funny and interesting. Maybe some lenghts. (01.08)

Was in the mood for a real slasher movie as in the old times. This was perfect. (28.07)

Perfect film for a summer bad mood. Lightness, charm and seduction. Ah, Rohmer.(21.07)

Surprisingly good. (22.06)

Loneliness and hate. A great use of time, silences and sensuality.(06.06)

A great action comedy. Good punch lines, great twists and an amazing casting. Christopher Walken is memorable.(01.06)