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Wasp Network (2019)
Uncomfortable truths
Hello! An automatic corrector keeps modifying my original text, creating a real nonsense; hence the following modification, withnhopes that it will appear unaltered:
The film proceeds in a deliberately disjointed manner, slowly revealing the human aspects as well as complex ramifications in the Cuban diaspora in Miami, as revealed through two women for long held in ignorance, and especially through the character interpreted by Penelope Cruz, remarkable in her constrained sensitivity. That story is widely documented, for anyone being genuinely interested in knowing the truth, including the fact that the Cuban air force had indeed deliberately shot down two planes from the "Brothers to the Rescue association" whilst they were back in international space. Also widely documented is the central role of the abominable master-terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, acting as the armed right-hand man of the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF), led by Jorge Mas Canosa and Alberto Hernandez. The very Posada Carriles, having been for a decade involved in illegal operations of the CIA, from Irangate to the Contras; furthermore involved, with Pinochet's DINA and other anti-Castrists Cubans, in the attack on former Chilean minister Orlando Letelier and the explosion of commercial "Flight 455 Cubana" in 1976. In a subsequent interview published by the New York Times, he also acknowledged the fact of being the organizer of the series of bombing in numerous Havana hotels in the nineties. The fact that such a character did so often and for so long benefit from the complicity (i.e. his escape during trial in Venezuela) of the CIA, as well as the protection of the U.S. diplomatic, political and judiciary apparatus remains a historical question. As to the "Cuban Five", the evidences are that they were neither granted a fair trial, in violation of U.S. rules of procedures and constitutional rights, nor proper conditions of detention. To the extent that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights was led to adopting a report stating the following: "it arises from the facts and circumstances in which the trial took place and from the nature of the charges and the harsh sentences handed down to the accused that the trial did not take place in the climate of objectivity and impartiality that is required in order to conform to the standards of a fair trial as defined in article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the United States of America is a party."
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
John Wick, for the worst.
When action cinematography is turned into a childish shooting video game.
Saint Amour (2016)
Soon to forget
An appealing cast, yet not Gérard Depardieu at his best; who could blame him for delivering here the impression that he is bored? Vincent Lacoste is given such an insignificant role that we might as well have done without him. Andréa Ferréol shows up in a pleasant sequence, yet so very shortly. Solène Rigot, soon forgotten, gives a glimpse that she is really worth a much better part. Benoît Poelvoorde's eccentric and yet very human figure is the only one to stand up (so to speak) throughout a poor script leaving such a feeling of bad taste and totally missed opportunities: the theme of father and son, the problems facing the agricultural world – such a basic aspect of public health –, not to mention the wine-producing tradition as a deep part of French culture...
Ma Loute (2016)
Disturbing
I happened to be on the site at the time of the shooting. So, I looked forward to seeing the produced work. Enormous was my disappointment, up to revulsion, and nevertheless that film that I still dislike keeps haunting me. The French press in its large majority covered with praise - speaking even about poetry - what for me stays as a nauseating demonstration by the absurd, the grotesque and the vulgar. All the professional actors contributing to the ludicrous by a voluntarily excessive overplay, up to the point of raising extreme annoyance, such as throughout the galloping hysteria of the character played by Juliette Binoche. At the heart of the exceptional beauty of Côte d'Opale - however watered down by the cinematography -, all characters are grotesque to the excess: the painting of a degenerate humanity, from the fishermen's poor family of mussels pickers poured into cannibalism, up to the microcosm of a bourgeois family enriched by the textile industry. ... Every character but one, about whom for quite some time one can not help wandering whether she is a girl disguised as boy or whether he is a boy disguised as girl. A sensitive character in such ambiguity, till nowadays a pariah through ages... Maybe that was the message intended by the director, how could we know?
Un homme et une femme (1966)
Deep in the core
I was extremely moved when I first saw Lelouch's masterpiece. Genuine personal reasons (a car racing disaster the same year – 1966 – resulting in a painful separation) adding to the unsaid and yet so deeply expressed stress of emotion between Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimée, still wounded and so marvellously sensitive. A poetry made tragic with recurrent flashbacks. So well served by splendid photography and music. Although at a minor level than his uncle (French champion Maurice Trintignant), Jean-Louis had himself a fair involvement in motor sports – as did Paul Newman and, best of all, Steve McQueen. Half a century later, the emotion remains deep in the core, putting « Un homme et une femme » in a very special position among my favourite films ever.
Les carnets du Major Thompson (1955)
A touch of nostalgia
"Les Carnets du Major Thompson" literally translating as "Major Thompson's Medals", or "Trophies"? How wrong! "Carnets" actually translate as "Major Thompson's Notebook" in English. Which explains that the book – and the film – be a sum of sequences of subtle humour, with the constant opposition of delightful Martine Carol as a sparkling Parisian woman, and her "so British" punctilious husband – yet a lovable character, Jack Buchanan
His series of notes depicting behavioural differences on each side of the Channel, focusing with pleasure on timeless traits of the French, such as the "moaner" side. To me, the book and the film were very much on line with George Mikes' notes at the time, such as "How to be Inimitable", "How to be an Alien", and so forth... With the re-editing of a number of Pierre Daninos' books, including "Les Carnets", I also would welcome a DVD version revival of Preston Sturges'film, with quite a touch of nostalgia.
Incidentally, the author Pierre Daninos was the brother of a French classy sports car manufacturer, the prestigious Facel Vega.