La Vie en Rose

Tags

2000's, Édith Piaf, Based on a true story, Biopic, Emmanuelle Seigner, Foreign Language Film, Gérard Depardieu, Jean-Pierre Martins, La Vie en Rose, Marion Cotillard, Olivier Dahan, Sylvie Testud

Film Title

La Vie en Rose

Director

Olivier Dahan

Starring

• Marion Cotillard as Édith Piaf
• Sylvie Testud as Mômone
• Jean-Pierre Martins as Marcel Cerdan
• Emmanuelle Seigner as Titine
• Gérard Depardieu as Louis Leplée

An unconventional biopic of the hugely talented but deeply troubled French singer Édith Piaf, La Vie en Rose is a largely effective rendering of the tragedy she endured. The pace can be a bit off as can the choice to shoot out-of-order at various intervals, yet the fiercely intense and ward-winning work from Marion Cotillard and the handsome design of the piece, more than compensate for these quibbles and foibles to fashion a theatrical experience.

It is 1918 when Édith is first glimpsed as a girl living in poverty with her mother, who sings in the street for whatever money she can get. Her mother, wanting to be an artist, abandons her daughter with a relative. The little girl’s father returns from the War and takes Édith with him for a very short time. Her father then drops her off at his mother’s place in Normandy, which is a brothel, so he can go back to the circus. Young Édith is a very sickly child who nearly goes blind due to disease, she regains her sight after a long time of being without the use of her eyes. One of the prostitutes there named Titine, becomes something of a maternal figure and nurses her through these hard times. In later years, her absent father returns and forcibly takes her with him to the circus. Yet this doesn’t last and they are left busking on the streets, which is where the young Édith discovers her talent for singing. As she grows into a young woman, she continues to sing on the street, until one day she is discovered by Louis Leplée, who asks her to perform in his nightclub. She is given the last name Piaf( which in French slang means Little Sparrow) owing to her diminutive stature. Her first stab at stardom is cut short when Leplée is murdered, and it is assumed to be the work of men who Édith unintentionally knows, who are in fact nasty criminals on the side. Temporarily stuck in what to do and besmirched by many, she manages to catch the eye of songwriter , whose rigorous and often brutal training helps her with her perfect what would become her dynamic stage persona. Later with a new manager, Édith eventually hits stardom, though it soon turns out to be something that will lead to her downfall as drug addiction, thwarted love affairs( particularly the one with married boxer Marcel Cerdan) and many moments of tragedy that ruin her already temperamental and brittle mind are inflicted on her. Soon the lively woman is replaced by one that is aged well beyond relatively young years, yet still wanting to project passion. The film is depicted as a reverie of her memories from various parts of her short but eventful life, the structure of the film will be discussed later in this review.

Olivier Dahan directs this biopic on the life of the ‘Little Sparrow’ with some interesting ideas and style. While the script takes a bit of getting used to, Dahan and his flair for drama ensure that there is never a dull moment in what is often a moving and painful film. Now the main point of discussion in La Vie en Rose has to be the aforementioned structure of it. The events in life are depicted as a series of vignettes that at first don’t seem to link, but if you look closely actually match up quite a bit. I must say that the nonlinear execution can get quite confusing on occasion and I could have done with a bit more exposition and order, but I understood that the film was eschewing certain tropes of the biopic to conjure up the feeling of her life flashing before her eyes. The feeling of her reflecting on life when she is near the end is backed up by the expressionistic lighting, that mirrors a candle billowing and creating a deep golden colour that could go out any minute. Overall, the representation of her life is complex and sometimes lacks coherence, but still it gets across that she gave so much in her short life, that by the end she had nothing left in her. The use of Piaf’s music deserves credit as a lot of it bleeds into the next scene in a most theatrical and melancholy manner. The famous songs of hers, including the title song and ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’ are all here and performed with emotional clarity.

The centre of La Vie en Rose and quote possibly the best thing in the movie is a truly staggering performance from Marion Cotillard, who garnered the Best Actress Oscar for her devastating work playing the iconic Édith Piaf. I can’t think of one thing Cotillard doesn’t put across or express here; there’s the fierce lust for life, tortured frailty, selfish tantrums and deep sadness to be seen throughout. The best way to describe the excellence of Cotillard’s performance is that she doesn’t just play Piaf, she literally lives and breathes this woman with unnerving emotion and realistic conviction. There are moments when you have to pinch yourself that it is Marion Cotillard acting as her work is so convincing and uncanny. Simply put, Marion Cotillard puts in a deep and shattering performance that ensures you won’t ever forget its intensity. Sylvie Testud is pretty good starring as Piaf’s best friend from her youth, who grows distant and resentful of her because of the way she abuses and treats others once she has become a star. I thought Jean-Pierre Martins was well cast as Marcel Cerdan, whose affair with Piaf had a huge impact on her. The scenes he shares with Cotillard are well-played across the board and add to the film. There was a beautiful melancholy and love expressed by Emmanuelle Seigner when portraying the prostitute who became an unlikely figure of motherly love for a very young Édith. Gérard Depardieu appears in the small but important role of the man who discovered Piaf and he does some good work in the limited time he is allotted.

The non chronological narrative may act as more of a hindrance than a help, but as an evocation of the tragic ups and down of life and sensationally played by the wonderful Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose shines with moving moments. Despite a few gripes, La Vie en Rose made its mark on me that I don’t believe I’ll forget it in a hurry.

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Macbeth

Tags

2010's, David Thewlis, Jack Reynor, Justin Kurzel, Macbeth, Marion Cotillard, Michael Fassbender, Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Tragedy, William Shakespeare

Film Title

Macbeth

Director

Justin Kurzel

Starring

• Michael Fassbender as Macbeth
• Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth
• Paddy Considine as Banquo
• Sean Harris as Macduff
• Jack Reynor as Malcolm
• David Thewlis as King Duncan

Shakespeare’s classic play Macbeth is one that is often committed to film many a time, but this version of the tragedy has enough clout and striking atmosphere to distinguish it from the crowd.

The film begins on a Scottish battlefield as civil war is raging. Lord Macbeth is fighting for the cause of King Duncan against the opposition. The battle is a bloody one and following events will also change for Macbeth. After the battle, Macbeth encounters a group of witches who tell him of a prophecy that he will be king. The other part of the foreshadowing is that his friend and fellow fighter Banquo’s descendants will also be kings in the future, as Macbeth’s child has died. This prophecy, in particular the fact that he will become king, haunts and consumes Macbeth, who is unsure of how to react to it. Yet spurred on by the deep ambitions of his manipulative wife Lady Macbeth, he goes through with the deed and kills King Duncan. The King’s son Malcolm sees what has happened yet flees, leaving the throne wide open to Macbeth, who already holds a significant title. Macbeth, thanks to the murder he committed with the help of his wife, is crowned King just like the prophecy of the witches said. But the grips of paranoia seize Macbeth and he is haunted by his actions. People grow suspicious of Macbeth and his ways, in particular Banquo and Macduff. This brings out the depraved cruelty within him that begins to wipe out anyone who stands in the way of his tyrannical rule. Soon Macbeth is spiraling into full-on delusional behaviour and outright savagery, as what was once good inside him shatters in the wake of his viciousness and ambition.

Adapting anything from Shakespeare must be a challenge, as you want to  stamp your own impression on the material and not just follow suit of everyone else, though keeping the feeling of the play is crucial to. No one need worry though with Justin Kurzel in the director’s seat. He makes this Macbeth bold, uncompromising and daring in style and content. I’ve always seen Macbeth as something of a cinematic work, and Kurzel holds control over events like a maestro conductor with a dazzling repertoire of celluloid techniques that thrust the story into visceral and dark life. Mist and oppressive setting of the film gives grandiose and spooky ambience to Macbeth, that ensures that the coldness and savagery we witness practically seeps off the screen into our conscience. Gothic splendour exudes from almost every frame before we get an orange-red climax that is an exhilarating spectacle of overflowing anguish and corrupting darkness in which Macbeth faces off with Macduff. Macbeth should also be praised for adhering to the text in a largely faithful manner. It doesn’t try to bring anything up to date and has the verse intact, allowing the actors to savour the lines they are given. A Celtic influenced score matches the events beat for beat as treachery and murder ultimately take hold of almost every character.

At the heart of the film there is Michael Fassbender, who is searing as the eponymous character. Displaying a an engulfing ferocity that becomes more impossible to contain, Fassbender truly draws out the menace and cruelty of Macbeth. Yet in quite a few instances he humanizes the character a little bit, so you can practically feel the anguish and growing paranoia from the moment he stabs Duncan and begins his downward spiral. Fassbender is truly on fine form as Macbeth, wrapping his voice around every syllable with a commanding performance of intensity and suffering. Matching him move for move is Marion Cotillard as the driving force which is Lady Macbeth. She’s a calculating woman of dark ambition that Cotillard plays to the hilt with a sometimes mask like detachment that serves the character well and gets the audience to puzzle over what is going on in her head. With the added sub-plot of her losing a child, Cotillard works wonders in unfurling that maybe Lady Macbeth has filled the devastating void left my her loss with a ruthless and cruel plots of which she has control over. It’s a different interpretation of the character that is all the better for the uniqueness that Cotillard provides, especially in the later scenes of a guilt-ridden woman knowing that a lot of her husband’s descent is by her own hand. The excellent supporting cast is strong and includes David Thewlis, Paddy Considine , Sean Harris and Jack Reynor. Each of these respective actors is fine in their roles, though the film ultimately belongs to Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.

A visceral, violent and bold retelling of the play, Macbeth brings the action to the cinematic heights yet never sacrifices the intimacy or verse of the source material. Shakespeare never looked so brutal and entrancing as it does here.

Ladies in Leather

Tags

Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Ladies in Leather, Marion Cotillard, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sienna Miller

Once again, it’s another ladies post. This time it’s a bevy of stunning actresses rocking leather. Leather has so many connotations, ranging from sexual dominance to elegant sophistication and that’s why it’s such an interesting choice of clothing. But don’t worry all the ladies out there, there’ll be two guys for you to look at near the end of the post, also clad in leather. And once more I’d like to extend my thanks to Zoe, for giving me the inspiration for these posts.

The gorgeous Sarah Michelle Gellar brings a rock chick sensibility to this sexy get up.

The delightful Kirsten Dunst encompasses the role of a playful vixen in this shot.

The sensual Sienna Miller displays athletic prowess in this racy photo.

The stunning Marion Cotillard exudes a Gothic sophistication in this sombre outfit.

And now for the guys, who also sport leather. Today for all my blogging sisters out there we have Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine and Colin Farrell. Chris Hemsworth is at the request of Table 9 Mutant.

Nine

Tags

2000's, Daniel Day-Lewis, Fergie, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Musical, Nicole Kidman, Nine, Penélope Cruz, Rob Marshall, Sophia Loren

Film Title

Nine

Director

Rob Marshall

Starring

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini
• Marion Cotillard as Luisa Contini
• Penélope Cruz as Carla Albanese
• Judi Dench as Lilli La Fleur
• Fergie as Saraghina
• Nicole Kidman as Claudia Jenssen
• Kate Hudson as Stephanie
• Sophia Loren as Mamma

Adapted from the musical play of the same name and inspired by Fellini’s 8 1/2, Nine is a visually lovely musical with some great sequences but the lack of emotional connection doesn’t involve. It is a flawed movie, but there are certain points to praise, even if it adds up to less than the sum of its parts.

In 1960’s Italy, Guido Contini is a well renowned  film director. As he approaches middle age, he is starting to develop writer’s block and his relationships with the women in his life further complicate the matter. With a script not written and producers hounding him to make a hit movie, he begins to struggle whilst juggling the many female influences on him and his own personal torment. The women include his neglected wife Luisa; his fiery yet unstable mistress Carla Albanese; his confidant and costume designer Lilli La Fleur; a prostitute who Guido met as a child named Saraghina; his muse and leading lady Claudia Jenssen; a Vogue reporter Stephanie and the memory of his Mamma. Through musical numbers that play out as fantasies in Guido’s head, we see the turmoil of both him and the many women who surround him, some of these numbers come off better than others.

The whole concept of the musical numbers being part of the tormented Guido’s imagination works in some cases, yet director Rob Marshall achieved this effect better in his last musical Chicago. The film should be praised visually for the way it conjures up the stylish 60’s in Italy in all its glory.  Special mention must go to the costumes which are ravishing to look and crafted with precision. Yet the script doesn’t have much of an emotional core and the results emerge as hollow.

The cast of the film is star-studded beyond belief but only three actors are given a chance to expand on their characters because of the flawed script. Daniel Day-Lewis is reliable as ever as the tormented director Guido, managing to imbue him with a melancholy the script sometimes overlooks. Penélope Cruz plays his feisty mistress Carla, who feels pushed away by Guido. Cruz has a very sexy song to perform “A Call from the Vatican” which she pulls off amazingly, it is a raunchy burlesque style number which will no doubt send pulses racing. Yet Cruz also manages to show the vulnerable side to Carla that is sometimes hidden by her passionate demeanor.  But the best performance of the bunch is Marion Cotillard. She beautifully and movingly plays Luisa, the neglected wife of Guido who is growing tired of his philandering and feeling the pain of his rejection. Cotillard has two numbers that are both stunning because of her. The first “My Husband makes Movies” an emotional ballad about her undying love for her husband is beautifully executed and her face expresses her emotions in a subtle yet stunning way. The second “Take it All” is her anguished and angry message to Guido that she won’t stand his treatment any longer. It is in this number that Cotillard really shines by combining sexy determination with a bruised anger whilst baring her body and soul.

Unfortunately for the rest of the cast, their roles are sketchily written. The delightful Judi Dench is not given enough time to be memorable as Guido’s costume designer and the one who gives him advice. Fergie, most famous as the girl from the Black Eyed Peas, does manage to have an excellent musical number in “Be Italian” despite her character of Saraghina, the beach dwelling prostitute who Guido meets as a child, not really calling for much in the way of acting. Nicole Kidman as Guido’s muse Claudia is a stunning actress to watch but the emotional connection with Guido is lacking and her character as a result is not very memorable. Like with Fergie, Kate Hudson has a strong musical number in “Cinema Italiano” which is stunningly cut between black and white with colour, but her character doesn’t really serve much of a purpose. Finally, the eternally beautiful and talented Sophia Loren portrays the lingering spirit of Guido’s mother but although she is moving in her delivery, the narrative doesn’t flesh out her character enough.

All in all, Nine is a very flawed picture that has a weak script and wastes the talents of some actors. But it is a visually arresting piece and it does have some brilliantly choreographed musical numbers.

Midnight in Paris

Tags

2010's, Adrien Brody, Alison Pill, Comedy, Corey Stoll, Fantasy, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Midnight in Paris, Owen Wilson, Paris, Rachel McAdams, Romance, Tom Hiddleston, Woody Allen

Film Title

Midnight in Paris

Director

Woody Allen

Cast

• Owen Wilson as Gil Pender
• Rachel McAdams as Inez
• Marion Cotillard as Adriana
• Michael Sheen as Paul Bates
• Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein
• Adrien Brody as Salvador Dali
• Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald
• Tom Hiddleston as F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway

From the opening minutes of Midnight in Paris, as the camera takes in the sights of the city with a jazz soundtrack, you know you’re in for something magic and nostalgic from Woody Allen. Funny, touching and imaginative, Midnight in Paris is a comical fantasy film of beauty and the link between the past and present and how one longs for a life before their time.

Gil Pender is a hack screenwriter who is desperate to write a novel. He is a wide-eyed and nostalgic guy who travels to Paris with his gorgeous but disagreeable fiancée Inez, with her wealthy parents. Gil is suffering from writer’s block and is in need of inspiration, though Inez dismisses this as a daydream and cares more about herself. After an evening at a wine tasting with Inez’s pedantic friend Paul, Gil goes for a walk through the Parisian streets as it chimes midnight. As this happens, an old car from the 20’s pulls up and the passengers coax Gil into getting in. He does and soon realises he has been transported into his favourite era and along the way he meets such iconic figures as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Salvador Dali. This re-invigorates Gil’s imagination and he continues to travel back in time every night into the magical and nostalgic world. Through his trips to the past, Gil gains more inspiration, falls for Picasso’s alluring mistress Adriana and begins to realise that his union with Inez is not exactly a match made in heaven.

Prepare to be swept into the glamorous fantasy world conjured up from the pen of the prolific Woody Allen, who imbues the material with humour and a bittersweet longing for the past. His Oscar-winning script and various characters of literacy fame that populate it are funny, assured and highly enjoyable. Woody Allen shows he still has the gift for comedy after so many years in the celluloid spotlight. It is almost impossible not to be captivated by this tale of the tentative link between the past and present. Props should go to the jazz score that sets the right period setting and the dazzling cinematography, that bathes Paris in a golden glow of times gone by. Many beautiful shots abound in the film, but the one I remember the most is Paris in the rain. It just has such a poetic and romantic beauty about it that I can’t describe as I’d need a good few pages to do so. Above all it’s the characters that capture the interest of the viewer as Gil explores the nocturnal haunts of the famous. A played by Owen Wilson, Gil becomes a wide-eyed dreamer escaping his boredom by journeying back to another time. Wilson takes on this role with a charm and imagination, that is in the mould of roles Allen used to play many years ago. Rachel McAdams absolutely nails the role of the stylish but increasingly shallow Inez, who disapproves of Gil’s romantic notions of nostalgia. Fleshing out the supporting cast are a wide array of talented individuals. As Paul, the know-it-all friend of Inez, Michael Sheen injects humour as he tries to be much superior than he really is. Marion Cotillard, who is fast becoming one of my favourite actresses, is ideally cast and radiantly beautiful as the alluring Adriana. She has charming chemistry with Wilson, highlighted more by the fact that both characters wish for a long-lost past. Whilst Gil enjoys the 20’s, Adriana longs for a time before this. This adds a distinct poignancy tp the picture as we watch them fall for each other and discuss their nostalgic longings that somehow remain elusive at times. Also look out for Kathy Bates who is witty and wise as writer Gertrude Stein, Adrien Brody who is a hoot as surrealist Salvador Dali and Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway, whose advise holds special meaning to Gil. And not forgetting the pairing of Alison Pill and Tom Hiddleston who are excellently cast as the Fitzgerald’s.

Touching, warm and funny, Midnight in Paris is a comedy injected with a mischievous fantasy that is guaranteed to at least make you smile. Woody Allen proves he’s still got what it takes to make quality movies with this delightful picture.