Tagged: Charming
The Women on the 6th Floor
Director: Philippe le Guay
Country: France
Release: 2010
The Women on the Sixth Floor is part social satire and part working class fairytale. The story is set in 1962 Paris. Monsieur and Madame Jean-Louis Joubert live in a large and stately apartment in a beautiful building. Jean-Louis has lived there all his life, as did his father and grandfather, and he runs the family brokerage business started by his grandfather in 1912. When the Joubert’s maid of 25 years suddenly quits, Madame’s friends convince her to get a Spanish maid – the latest thing in Paris. They hire Maria, who has just arrived in France and lives in a room on the sixth floor as does her aunt and the other Spanish maids who work in the building. Maria proves to be efficient, polite, attentive and overall an improvement from what they were used to. Mr. Joubert, who is particular, is especially pleased and takes an interest in his new help. When he asks to see where Maria rooms, he is shocked at the negligent and unsanitary communal facilities that the maids must endure and he immediately engages a plumber and pays him double to instantly correct the problems. Mr. Joubert now becomes the kindly “Jean-Louis” and a friend and hero to the women on the sixth floor. Jean-Louis seems to enjoy the attention and his role as benefactor and finds other small favors to do for his new friends and becomes more familiar and intimate with the Spanish women. It is easy to see what would appeal to him about these women. His wife and her friends appear to be vapid and inconsequential, and his sons are ill-mannered narcissists. He works in an established firm known for safe, long-term investments and lives a life that is predictable and politically and socially correct. The Spaniards, by contrast, are lively, warm, joyous, outgoing, garrulous, emotional, supportive, colorful and fun-loving. As Jean-Louis becomes closer to the women, Maria’s aunt worries that his interest in her niece (who happens to be a beautiful as she is sweet) may go beyond friendship. In the meantime, as her husband starts coming home later and missing meals, Madame Joubert suspects something much more nefarious than the reality of his new friends. If I have not entirely made my point, it is because I do not want to give up too much of the story. You will have to watch it to find out more. If not completely believable, I think that the story is at least entertaining, if not downright enchanting. I was captivated – the movie lifted my spirits and I just thoroughly enjoyed this warm-hearted tale.
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Valentín
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Country: Argentina
Release: 2003
Valentin is a precocious, cross-eyed 8-year-old boy who dreams of becoming an astronaut and working for NASA one day. The story takes place in the late 1960’s in Buenos Aires, when space exploration was still in it’s heyday and making headlines around the world. His parents are divorced and Valentin lives with his grandmother. He loves his grandmother (who painfully and vocally misses her deceased husband) and they are good company for each other. But Valentin seems to long for a real family of his own. His father (who by his own family’s account, has a history of emotional problems) visits infrequently, devoting most of his time to his job and pursuit of women. His mother he hardly remembers, not having seen her since the divorce when he was three, but secretly confesses to missing her and often waits by the door hoping that she will suddenly visit. Valentin is closest to his uncle Chiche and to Rufo, a musician and neighbor, because both of them talk to him like a friend and an equal and seem interested in his life and what he has to say. Valentin carefully and quietly observes the adults around him, their circumstances and their behavior that appear to complicate their lives. Rather than blame them for their shortcomings, Valentin attempts to manipulate the adults in his life, in his effort to make life better for them and for himself. Sometimes his attempts are successful (he tricks his grandmother into seeing a doctor when he notices she is not well). Other times his efforts fall short, especially when it comes to his father. He encourages his father’s pursuit of women, hoping one day for a new mother and that chance at a family. He is especially encouraging of his fathers latest romantic interest – the very sweet and pretty Leticia, who he adores. But when the relationship fails (as they always seem to due to his fathers unstable emotions), the father blames the break up on Valentin’s interference. But Valentin is the eternal optimist. He does not let the setbacks discourage him from trying to shape the world into a better place for himself and the people he cares about. I found the movie to be a charming and captivating story a lonely young boy, who grows wise before his time by observing the adult world around him, and who accepts the world for what it is, but never loses faith in his ability to make it better. More than just another cute kid movie, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
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L’auberge Espagnole
*
Director: Cédric Klapisch
Country: France, Spain
Release: 2002
The story focuses on a year in the life of Xavier, a young French guy who sets off to spend the next twelve months in Barcelona, Spain attending school for economics in a European scholastic exchange program, known as Erasmus. The schooling is one of his final preparations for a career waiting for him in government work. Once he arrives in Barcelona, he is lucky to obtain a room in a large, luxurious (by student standards) apartment with six other students – all from a variety of nationalities and backgrounds. The international mix works out well with a sometimes complicated blend of languages, rules of conduct, mutual respect and patience. The mix of nationalities in the apartment does point out that there are cultural differences that do exist between people’s which can create some small tumbling blocks to perfect harmony. But overcoming those minor differences is a small price to pay for the overall enrichment they experience from the eclectic human blend. The roommates become friends and allies, and they become involved in each others lives, relationships, families and romantic entanglements. Nothing extraordinary happens – rather it just shows the things that happen in the course of one years time in the lives of these young adults and shows the everyday, universal perils of growing into oneself and finding your way, with a nod to the tenuousness of young love. For me, the film is a light-hearted, feel-good adventure and it makes you want to be young, in school and in Spain – even if just for a couple of hours. It is an affectionate, often funny, look at young adulthood and fellowship. It has an appealing international cast and set in the beautiful, cultural, interesting and spirited city of Barcelona – what’s not to like. I think this movie would appeal to a lot of people. I really enjoyed it a lot and recommend it highly.
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Sweet Land
Director: Ali Selem
Country: USA
Release: 2005
“Sweet Land” is a tender and affectionate portrait of one immigrant couple in early 1900’s America. Olaf is a Norwegian who has been in the country for some time, and has homesteaded a farm in Minnesota. Shortly after WWI, he is joined by Inga who has come to be his wife, although they have never met and she does not speak English. Immediately they go to the preacher to be married. However, it comes to light that although she came here from Norway, Inga is actually an orphan of German nationality, and the preacher refuses to marry them unless she can obtain the proper papers. The county clerk similarly refuses to issue her papers. They base their refusals on the fact that Inga’s undocumented status does not allow them to verify her background or character – but the real reason is that America just finished a war against Germany and, frankly, she just is not one of “them”. At first Inga is sent to live with Olaf’s best friend and his wife. But with 9 children plus them in the house, privacy and sanity is at a minimum, and Inga quickly insinuates herself into Olaf’s house, forcing him to sleep in the barn. Despite a rocky start based on their awkward unfamiliarity with each other and differences in dispositions (she is too fun-loving and he is too serious), they spend the year in close companionship, striving hard together towards the common goals of working the land, keeping their farm afloat and gaining acceptance among their community. As they face the challenges of their life together (fairly ordinary and uneventful challenges for those times) a real bond and genuine love and affection grows between them. The movie is mostly set in the time of their first year together, but also jumps to the 1960’s at the time of Olaf’s death and interment, and then to 2004 at the time of Inga’s passing, when their grandson Lars is faced with the responsibility of deciding the disposition of the family farm. Viewers who like a lot of action in a movie may find this too slow. I think it would be a great story for young children who grew up in an internet, computer, cable TV, cell phone, ipod, ipad world – to see and know that less than 100 years ago, many people in this country worked so hard to farm the land by hand, without even a tractor to assist them; and did so happily and determinedly without complaint or reservation. “Sweet Land” is also a fine example of the kind of quiet, lyrical and unassuming movie option that independent filmmakers can provide as an interesting alternative to mainstream Hollywood offerings.
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Monsieur Lazhar
* Director: Philippe Falardeau
* Country: Canada
* Release: 2011
* 
If you have been reading this blog, I think you might pick up on the fact that I really like a lot of contemporary French cinema – they have a way of making quiet, unpretentious stories into engrossing films without a lot of plot twists, gimmicks or special effects. Often they focus on stories about people and everyday life that gets elevated to poetry about the human condition. This is French Canadian set in Montreal, but unmistakably of that ilk. The story starts out with the dramatic premise about a teacher who kills herself while at work, and the effect on her young students. After that, nothing much sensational happens. The title character is an Algerian immigrant who takes over as teacher of the misfortunate class. He sees that the effect of the suicide is still apparent and varied on the kids and, despite the wishes of the administration and many of his colleagues, makes overt attempts to help the students deal with and come to terms with what happened. Along the way, a relationship of acceptance and mutual respect develops between teacher and students, and the film is a very affectionate portrayal of the ups and downs they experience as they adjust to each other, and of the bond that grows between them. Monsieur Lazhar has his own baggage that he brings to the situation and motivations for his interest in helping the children with their grief. It seems that maybe they are helping each other, for as much as he gives to his charges, it is clear he receives equally in kind. They help each other heal. Beyond the opening premise, nothing that dramatic happens story-wise, and there is no happy ever after where everyone is amazingly redeemed and the world is made right. Just life happens. People meet, their backgrounds and experiences shape the course of their interactions and mold the form of their relationship and in the end, they move on with their lives, and the world seems the same – but on some level, part of their lives big or small, is changed forever. I loved it!
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Soul Kitchen
Director: Fatih Akin
Country: Germany
Release: 2009
The movie centers around the story of two German-Greek brothers. Zinos, who owns the Soul Kitchen which is a schlocky restaurant with bad diner food – but he owns it outright and it is his life. Illias, his brother who is doing time for burglary, wants Zinos to give him a job at the restaurant, so that he can get out of prison during the day on a work release program. Zinos soon has a string of bad luck: his girlfriend moves to China for her work, the tax collectors are threatening to shut him down, he severely injures his back, and without health insurance he cannot get medical help for his excruciating pain. Unable to work in the kitchen, he hires a chef he knows of, who is a magician in the kitchen, but a Nazi about it and basically unemployable. The new chef will not make the bad food that Zinos’ customers are used to and comfortable with, and Soul Kitchen loses its paltry clientele – until they accidentally discover that loud, contemporary music attracts a young, hip crowd who are crazy for the new cuisine and literally eat it up. Soon the Soul Kitchen is a big success which is good news to everyone, except for an old school chum of Zinos’, who is interested in the property as a real estate investment and has been undermining the restaurant and Zinos behind his back in an attempt to motivate him to sell. With his brother to manage and the chef to run the kitchen, Zinos feels his investment is secure and prepares to leave for China to join his girlfriend. Of course everything is not as secure as Zinos thinks and just as he is about to depart, everything hits the fan. What ensues can only be described as a tongue-in-cheek, screwball black comedy of errors, mishaps, bad choices and betrayal. On one level, almost no one in the film is redeemable (with the exception of Zinos). But the wacky array of characters are the most unlikely likeable bunch of oddballs, and are at times, downright charming. You can’t help but get sucked into their plight, fret for their setbacks and cheer for their successes. This movie ended up being nothing at all like what I expected but a fun, fun time
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Departures
Director: Yôjirô Takita
Country: Japan
Release: 2008
The story is about Daigo, a cellist who loses his job in a Tokyo symphony that goes out of business. With his career hopes dashed, he and his wife return to his home town to live in the house he inherited from his mother. Unable to pursue a musical career anymore, Daigo searches for a new job and he reluctantly ends up finding work in an odd profession – preparing corpses for their final showing and funeral, or “assisting departures”. He is hired on the spot by his new boss based solely the man’s instincts about Daigo, and it becomes apparent, much to his dismay, that he is being groomed to eventually take over and carry on the business. Although the job is basically that of an undertaker, the work involves a very circumspect and ritualized process performed in front of the family and the film portrays this ceremony in a loving, respectful and even admirable light. However, despite the fact that everyone eventually uses their services, the profession is viewed as undignified by some of Daigo’s friends and neighbors. His new profession begins to cause a riff between Daigo, who is developing a growing regard for the work, and his wife, who worries about the others’ disapproval. “Departures” is a very subtle movie with some family interaction issues and psychological subtext. But, to me, it is mostly an honest and affectionate portrayal of the occupation that even includes some surprising, well-intentioned humor (when he first sees the listing for the job, Daigo imagines that “departures” hints at a career in the travel field). I found “Departures” to be a tender, unassuming and beautifully made, intimate film about how you never know where life is going to take you, and the potential for personal nobility in even the most seemingly mundane or undignified of circumstances. I really liked this film a lot. It may be too “quiet” for some people’s taste, but I found it to be a quiet masterpiece and immensely entertaining and rewarding – one of my favorites in a long time.
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Sidewalls
Director: Gustavo Taretto
Country: Argentina
Release: 2011
“Sidewalls” is a very low-key, witty, adroit and poignant observation on life and love in the digital age and the urban jungle. The film takes us through a year, or rather four seasons, in Buenos Aires with its two main characters. Martin is a web designer who lives in a 400 square foot “shoebox” which he infrequently leaves, and the internet is his constant companion. Mariana is an architect who has never built anything, designs store windows for a living, spends more time with her mannequins (both at work and at home) than with real people and who lives in a tiny duplex – so designated because of five little stairs – with a freakish half window and half balcony. On the surface the movie appears depressing. Both Martin and Mariana seem to live lonely, dispassionate lives. But the story gives us a strong sense of hope. Martin and Mariana have so much in common: they visit the same websites, watch the same films on TV, have the same interests
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Kolya
Director: Jan Sverak
Country: Czech Republic
Release: 1996
At the start of the movie we are introduced to the character of Louka, a cellist who used be an accomplished performer with the Czech Philharmonic and now makes a meager living playing for funerals in Prague. A womanizer, a bit of an opportunist, and confirmed bachelor, Louka – due to unexpected circumstances – reluctantly develops a relationship with Kolya, a young Russian child, and becomes the boy’s main caretaker. It is set in the time of Russian occupied Czechoslovakia, and financially, existence for most people is a struggle and life in general appears to be somewhat oppressive and dreary. There are obvious indications of a strong undercurrent of a patriotic resentment by the Czech people against their occupiers who they seem to blame for the current woes in their country. Those nationalist considerations, plus the difficulties of the language barrier between the two, and Louka’s singular lifestyle, make the relationship between musician and child seem unlikely and doomed to failure. However, as the bond between them develops, the boy brings out strong paternal feelings in the musician that surprise everyone who know him, especially the musician himself. It is a very matter of fact and surprisingly unsentimental treatment of a somewhat complicated and potentially emotionally charged story. The narrative tells a bittersweet tale with some unexpected but very pragmatic twists, and is both touching and enjoyable. Overall I found the move to be a life-affirming story that engages the viewer without becoming too sappy or melodramatic in the telling.
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Plan B
Director: Marco Berger
Country: Argentina
Release: 2009
A very subtle movie, shot in a raw, realistic and unsophisticated looking style. The result is almost a documentary feel, with frequent long, quiet and uneventful scenes. At first, to me, this slow-paced style felt like it disrupted the flow of the narrative and took some getting used to. However, once I adjusted to the rhythm of the filming, I actually found it to be an effective technique for portraying this subtle story of friendship and love. In the movie, Bruno decides to befriend Pablo, the new lover of Bruno’s ex-girlfriend – who she dumped him for – in an attempt to sabotage the new relationship and win her back. Pablo, on the other hand, becomes friends with Bruno, unaware of his nefarious intentions. Despite that covert start, the two men actually find things in common and a compatibility between themselves. Somewhere along the line, Bruno and Pablo become genuinely close and inseparable friends. As their bond grows stronger, they both become aware of feelings that seem to go beyond mere friendship. Eventually they feel comfortable enough to discuss and confront those feelings with each other, and consequently they are faced with the question of whether or not to pursue them further or to just leave them alone. Unfortunately, their changing and conflicting opinions on that question not only results in no agreement or resolution, but even threatens to end the relationship completely. What I really like about this story is that it presents an unusual and thought-provoking view of this unusual turn of events. I like that the movie focuses on the importance of the emotional, rather than the sexual, aspects of attraction and love. It seems that I like this film more than other viewers and give it a much higher rating than most. Some viewers may not be able to adjust to the low-key pace, however if you do stick with it, I feel that there are rewards in regard to the films interesting perspective and offbeat approach to a taboo subject. Personally I found it to be a moving and interesting experience.
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The Grocer’s Son
Director: Eric Guirado
Country: France
Release: 2007
Antoine sees his family, after a 10 year absence, when he checks on his father in the hospital where he is recovering from a heart attack. He has been estranged from his family due to strained relationships, most especially with his harsh and unforgiving father. His mother and brother ask him to help with the family grocery store in Provence during the father’s hospitalization. His mother offers to pay him for his service, and Antoine agrees if she will front him the money. He then gives the money to his friend and neighbor in the city, Claire, who at 26, is trying to get into college in Spain and improve her life. Claire, grateful to Antoine, accompanies him to the country for a change of scenery and to keep him company, while she prepares for her college entrance tests. Antoine’s mother runs the main store in the village, and he drives a grocery truck (or mobile grocery) around the surrounding countryside, servicing their rural clientele, which consists mainly of elderly folks who immediately find the young man brusque and uncaring. Antoine is obviously sweet on Claire and enjoys her company while she tries to teach him people skills to help him deal with his customers. Claire does not enjoy being around the tensions among the family members. When the father is unexpectedly released from the hospital and returns home, the tension becomes markedly worse. Claire returns to the city, but Antoine must stay the summer to pay off his debt. Unexpectedly, during the rest of the summer, Antoine discovers that he is not only getting good at his job, but he is beginning to enjoy it. Simultaneously he develops a symbiotic respect and rapport with his customers and even becomes a friend, companion or confident to some of his more eccentric clients. Despite these developments, when his debt is paid, Antoine plans to return to life in the city. This is another film about the pull of family relationships and their ability to go so wrong. Even people from happy families can, I think, identify with the emotions behind such conflicts. But the story does not overplay it, nor is Antoine’s emerging affinity to his elderly clients (perhaps a substitute for his lack of closeness with his own parents) sappy or sentimental. It just seems to happen naturally and is an engaging subtext to the main narrative. Throughout the process we are treated to the beautiful scenery of the Provencal countryside, and a touching, often understated family drama.
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The Hedgehog
Director: Mona Achache
Country: France
Release: 2009
A funny, poignant tale that portrays the beauty of individuality over the importance of social acceptance. A precocious 11-year old girl, living with her family in an affluent apartment building in Paris, finds her family and their affluence and social position to be frivolous and shallow. Bored and unable to discover the meaning of it all, she pragmatically decides to kill herself on her next birthday and to film her remaining days, thus showing the banality of life that brought her to this decision. In the meantime she befriends the concierge of the building, a dowdy, insignificant and reclusive older woman, who is basically looked down on or ignored by the residents, but hides a native intelligence and curiosity that she secretly satisfies through reading. The young girl and the manager are both, in turn, befriended by a distinguished elderly, foreign gentleman who has just moved into the building. He, it seems, is able to see beyond their seemingly oafish and immature exteriors and recognize them as fellow soul mates, and a mutual bond is formed between them. It is a very quiet, low-key movie with quirky, fully realized characters and subtle story line, and with lovely, touching and understated observations on life, death, aging, happiness and self-actualization. Almost nothing happens, but in the process three lives are changed forever. For me the movie also has an underlying message that there are so many things in life like economics, background, occupation, clothing, etc that are used to differentiate us; and that if we look into our hearts for what really matters and use that as the meter by which we measure others, that maybe we will find more commonalities than differences with our fellow men, and maybe that would make life more enjoyable. I loved this film.
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