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Mother, writer and daydreamer. Also chocoholic and chick-flick lover. But mainly mommy. To two boys, at that! When not escorting my Elder One (EO) to karate class, I'm trying to get in as many cuddles as possible from my Younger One (YO). And when not doing either, I'm hard-at-work trying to maintain a steady relationship with my laptop. And as for the Man I Married (MIM), well, let’s just put it this way – even though we share a bedroom, our most meaningful conversations are held over the cell-phone!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Deux Films Francais

La Vie en Rose/La Mome
Have you ever heard of an actor/actress oriented movie? Well, if ever there was one, "La Vie en Rose" (also known as "La Mome") is it. This is Marion Cotillard's movie through and through. I haven't seen any of her other movies, but if she puts in even 25% of what she put in here, then she is a stellar performer. One of today's best and brightest. She sooooooo deservedly won the Oscar in for Best Actress in 2007.

The movie is a biopic of one of France's most well-known and popular singers, Edith Piaf. She literally rose from the gutters to International stardom, encountering love, loss, addiction and illness along the way. But no matter what challenges she faced; no matter what curveballs Life threw her way; no matter how much she had to lose, there was always one thing that was her very own and which lifted her from rock-bottom nadirs to star-shining zeniths...her voice.

I recommend this movie for one reason and one reason alone -- Marion Cotillard.
What an actress! Phew! What an actress!

La Tourneuse de Pages
The best movie about revenge I've seen in a long time.

Melanie Prouvost is an exceptionally gifted piano player, so dediacted and single-minded in her pursuit for perfection it's almost manic and that makes her seem like she's devoid of human emotion. Her hopes for getting into the Conservatoire to become a concert pianist are dashed by the actions of a thoughtless, self-absorbed judge, celebrated concert pianist, Ariane Fouchecourt. Devasted, Melanie gives up playing the piano.
Ten years later, we find that Melanie is studying law and she finds herself a job as a summer- intern in a rich lawyer's office. Now, this lawyer needs a nanny/governess for his son while he is away on business. Melanie offers her sservices. Surprise, surprise when we find that the lawyer in none other that Ariane Fouchecourt's husband.
How Melanie wins Ariane's trust to become her page-turner and how she destroys the older woman's career and life is what makes up the rest of this movie.

Gripping, intense and riveting, I sat in my chair stupefied for long moments even after the movie got over, just letting the chillingly beautiful music mess around my brain.

5 comments:

Monika said...

Lovely review M4. You bring out the movie's emotions so well in words. I am glad you are getting to see so many good movies.

Mama - Mia said...

wow! you are really making the most of Cinema Paradiso! and a good thing too!

i am so totally tempted to get a membership right away! :)

cheers!

abha

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

@ M&A: Just one or two more left. Then I guess I have to find another video-wallah with a superb selection. Any suggestions?

@ Namesake: You are quite the movie-loving couple, so I strongly recommend this! :) Happy watching!

PI said...

thanks for the recommendations. my dvd-kaku doesn't stock eclectic stuff,sadly :(

Preeti Sharma said...

I have seen La Vie en Rose...in the days when Rohit was still fooling himself into believing that we could whisper naughty french things in each others ears. I loved loved loved the movie and ofcourse still cannot speak a word of french...