Angel-a
Luc Besson is an acclaimed French director, producer and screen-writer.
His movies are usually tough and stylish affairs generally
depicting criminals and their underworld, but his films also
normally contain a strong narrative thrust. Luc Besson has
often been described as the natural inheritor of the French
‘new-wave’. The ‘nouvelle-vague’,
as the French prefer to call the film movement, was created
by a group of young French directors at the end of the 1950’s.
Francois Truffaut, Alain Resnais, Louis Malle and Jean-Luc
Goddard were to explore film narration and visual presentation
to create a cinema language that, in France at least, is considered
‘de-rigueur’, while some contemporary film-makers
would probably consider it to be ‘old-hat’. All-the-same,
the ‘new-wave’ directors created a body of work
that is cinematic history, and the majority of their movies
are unforgettable. Luc Besson’s movies have always displayed
an interest in ‘new-wave’ visual construction
and plot development. His latest movie, ‘Angel-a’,
is not concerned with criminal activity, though it does contain
some of those elements. Shot in ‘retrograde’ black
and white, ‘Angel-a’ is a nostalgic romantic-comedy,
which comes as a change of pace for its director. The hero
of the movie, Andre, has until midnight to repay his creditors
a large amount of money. Failing to do so, he decides to end-it-all
by leaping from one of the many bridges to be found in Paris,
yet, as he attempts to do this, he finds there an extremely
beautiful, and extremely tall, young woman. Together, they
try to remedy Andre’s economic and emotional problems,
as a romantic attachment develops between the pair. Jamel
Debbouze is funny and endearing as the diminutive Andre, while
Rie Rasmussen is incredibly blonde as the mysterious tall
stranger, Angela. The rapport between the actors is enchanting,
however, there is a third ‘star’ to this movie,
and that is the City of Paris itself. Whether the movie is
depicting the sparkle of early morning, or the sexual neon-throb
of Parisian nightlife, Luc Besson’s vision of Paris
is captivating, and essential to the mood of the movie. Luc
Besson has created a movie that is not only romantic and mystifying,
but he has also made a haunting evocation and tribute to the
French ‘new-wave’. His movie will remain beautifully
etched in your mind, long after the final credits roll.
Prey
Coming close on the heels of ‘Primeval’, Darrell
James Roodt’s movie ‘Prey’ is another gory
film concerned with rampaging wild beasts, in this case, a
pride of ravenous lions. Bridget Moynahan stars as the second
wife of an engineer who is preoccupied with the construction
of a hydro-electric dam, while Bridget and her step-children
are expected to enjoy a vacation in Africa. To improve her
relationship with her jealous and spoilt step-children, Bridget
takes the children on a day safari through a nature park,
to view the animals in the wild. But, everything goes wrong!
Stopping for a toilet break by a clump of convenient trees,
the family and their guide arouse the interest of a pride
of bloodthirsty lions. Director Darrell James Roodt does quite
a good job of creating tension and suspense, considering that
most of the movie is shot inside a land-rover. This claustrophobic
setting is intensified as the lions crawl all over the car,
trying to find ways to break into the flimsy vehicle. Anyone
silly enough to leave the security of the land-rover will
come to a grisly end. Much blood is eventually splattered
all over the windscreen. Bridget Moynahan develops her character
quite well. Initially, she is intimidated by her step-children,
but as the situation gets slightly out-of-control she finds
the courage to take charge, and devise a solution to their
predicament. Carly Schroeder is also particularly good, and
annoying, as a temperamental teenage girl who doesn’t
fully appreciate their dire position, while Peter Weller gives
an acceptable performance in the thankless role of the father,
unable to come to the rescue until it is almost too late.
Inspired by true events, the film successfully creates a feasible
amount of fear and fright.
Shrek The Third
The cartoon franchise ‘Shrek’ has probably run
its course. The first ‘Shrek’ was highly entertaining.
‘Shrek 2’ had lots of amusing moments, but ‘Shrek
The Third’ is extremely dull. It is hard to say why
the cartoon is so boring. The producers have not tinkered
with their cartoon ‘formula’, and the story is
interesting enough. After the death of his father-in-law,
King Harold, the ogre Shrek must find a suitable candidate
to inherit the throne of ‘Far Far Away Land’,
seeing as Shrek doesn’t want the position for himself.
Along with his faithful companions, Donkey and Puss-in-Boots,
Shrek journeys throughout the kingdom searching for the perfect
contender. The cartoon contains its usual social satire, and
send-ups of contemporary film and TV culture. Everything is
as should be, but, in this latest cartoon, everything falls
very flat. Perhaps it is just a case of familiarity breeding
contempt. But, whatever the problem is with the cartoon, ‘Shrek
The Third’ is more like ‘hard work’ rather
than ‘entertainment’. Children have short memories,
so they won’t notice any differences. Put the cartoon
on to keep them amused, while you do something of much more
importance. Like mixing Margaritas!
The Reaping
Whatever has happened to Hilary Swank? A couple of years ago
she was a double Academy Award winning actress, appearing
in important movies such as ‘Boys Don’t Cry’
and ‘Million Dollar Baby’. These days she is reduced
to starring in movies that can only be termed ‘trash’.
‘The Reaping’ is an abysmal satanic saga that
is unbelievably bad. The movie seems to be one of those which
originally ran for two hours or more, and then suffered at
the hands of a ‘studio executive’, who trimmed
it to exactly ninety minutes. As a result, the characters
keep appearing in locations and situations that defy explanation,
and the movie continually jumps between ‘past’
events and ‘present’ events, neither of which
being adequately explained. Hilary, or her advisors, should
take a critical look at her career and get her out of this
cycle of appalling films, before she becomes another Hollywood
‘has-been’.
