Lady in the water & The wind that shakes the Barley

Dear all,

Enjoy going to cinema thanks to two noticeable (perceptible, sensible) films! Each has its own style and is in a different register (registre).

The first one “The wind that shakes the Barley” (“Le vent se leve” in French) received this year the Gold Palm in Cannes. The Festival jury awarded not only the artistic success of this movie but also Ken Loach’s integrity towards his commitment to rebels, militants, unwanted people such as unemployed, alcoholics and immigrants.

This upsetting (bouleversant) film aroused (susciter) controversy for the British part (du cote anglais).

Indeed, the purpose of Ken Loach was not to make an anti-British film but one finding fault with the bad management of crisis by the government at this time.

The topic is related to the British-Irish conflict in the 1920s among the Irish members of the Resistance movement fighting to get the independance and the struggle (la lutte) between them, especially between two brothers whose destiny will be quite different in accordance with their idea of the independance for their country.

As in 2002, Ken Loach declared his “shame” for his country, Great Britain, “to follow” the position during the Irak War, Tony Blair could not care less about the Gold Palm received by Ken Loach (se ficher royalement de). Even the British newspapers did not write any line on this matter.

For your record, his 10 best films are:

-          Kes in 1969

-          Family life in 1971

-          Hidden Agenda in 1990

-          Raining Stones in 1993

-          Ladybird in 1994

-          Land and Freedom in 1995

-          Carla’s Song in 1996

-          My name is Joe in 1998

-          Bread and Roses in 2000

-          Just a Kiss in 2004

My opinion: in spite of some bloody scenes, the story is well-built and touching (emouvant). The two-brothers’ story gives a real impact on the film and the realisator also pays homage to unconquerable (indomptable) women from mothers to daughters. The actor Cillian Murphy plays his role very intensely and convincingly (de facon convaincante).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460989/

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4336504

http://www.timeout.com/film/news/523.html

http://www.1worldfilms.com/kenloach.htm

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/L/htmlL/loachken/loachken.htm

Let us have a look on my favourite: “Lady in the water” by Night Shyamalan.

Even if in the United States, this film did not excite (emballer) critics at the same level as for his previous ones. However, Shyamalan can be qualified as the most interesting author of the Hollywoodian cinema and considered as the spiritual son of Hitchcock and Spielberg.

Thanks to his four movies, he has become THE champion of movies’ finale which overthrows (bouleverser) the whole sense of films.

Convinced by the fact that another reality is alive, the director (realisateur) plays with our relationship towards the world and includes on his films sentimental death-living characters, depressed heroes, vintage ET or mythological monsters.

Lady in the water is inspired by a fairytale (conte de fees) imagined for his own children: the story of a caretaker (concierge) at the end of tether (au bout du rouleau) who discovered a nymph in the swimming-pool of the hotel.

Originally, the film script was proposed to Disney studios that refused it whereas they accepted to produce the previous movies. Night Shyamalan, consequently, joined Warner studios and published a book on this affair.

My opinion: I like Night Shyamalan’s universe as it leads us to our own limits and sometimes helps us to recover our childhood mentality to open our mind and understand better some situations. I always have pleasant moments with his films even if this one is different from the village where a kind of deep atmosphere and fear occured.

I particularly appreciated the clues’ discovery and the team work to solve the problem of the nymph. It is a lesson of humanity, to believe in an unbelievable fact...

http://ladyinthewater.warnerbros.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452637/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072001922.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796117/

http://www.mnight.com/

Just a few words about Da Vinci Code, the film.

I must admit I only read the first chapter of the book and was fascinated. I do not remember why but I stopped reading it and will start again as soon as my friend will give me back this book.

To prepare the TV quizz about Leonardo Da Vinci, I decided to see the film version. On the whole, the result is not so bad as I have heard so many reproaches on this film. Maybe I will change my opinion after reading the book.

With best wishes,

Ceraulen