Paris Je t’aime ulit!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Lots of thanks to CINEMANILA for including this film on their line-up. I have been hunting dvd stalls for a copy of this movie for several months now, actually, since I published an article about it on my site last January.
The idea of collecting 18 works of world-renowned filmmakers into one film is indeed attractive. A 5 minute short , shot in a known neighborhood in Paris as assigned to each director and the plot must relate to one thing …. LOVE …. both bitter and sweet part of it !!!
Problem about this film is that you really cant afford to miss a minute. A minute is like 1/5 of a segment. I wasnt able to enjoy it that much because I have to hold my bladders until the credit rolls. But anyway, the movie is nothing less than brilliant. Though several story lines were like potholes on a film that is almost perfect, it is impossible not to fall in love with the film.
The film tried not to be sappy and cheesy, but I guess it can't divert its roads from being… well … as I mentioned …sappy and cheesy. Because ultimately, LOVE is indeed ….ghaaaad !!!! …. the sappiest and the cheesiest thing in the world!!!!!! It could make you cry in the most serious and petty reasons and it could make you do the corniest, craziest and the most stupid things in the world!!!
There were some segments that are really funny. I was laughing at that part featuring Elijah Wood. I was expecting for it to be scary but it was a complete 360 degrees turn from that genre. It was actually cute. And yeah .. Elijah was cute… The storyline was funny. It was sort of slapstick but really funny. (syempre ilang beses kong sinabing funny, so malamang, funny nga talaga sya!!) I also liked the story of that boy whose parents are mime.
I was enthralled by how love was presented in different angles. There were some storyline where the viewer is not spoon fed on how love relates to those characters. Love was shown in different angles. So dont be surprised with the mixed emotions that would fill you up while watching the movie.
I myself was deeply affected by some of the scenes. Especially the storyline about the mother who takes care of some other people's baby but sadly cant take care of her own. My tear ducts were squeezed in that storyline about an African Man who was given a chance to spend minutes before his death with the woman who never knew his existing affection. One notable plot was about a man who was supposed to leave his wife for his mistress, but a tragic revelation made him stay and he later found himself in love with his wife again. He was left emotionally dead when his wife died at the end and he has that longing to see his wife again every time he sees a woman who wears red trench coat.
There were several bumps on some of the contributions, but they didn't spoil the film as a whole in any way at all. The last part was my favorite. It was so hilarious.. I didn't expect that it would be sad and leave a bang of realization at the end. That part alone was worth 3/4 of the movie ticket!
Here are the scenes and some comments from me that are obviously not needed.
* ey guys WARNING!!!! — > Spoilers right after the jump…
Sorry, I just can't keep blabbering about it eh!!
1. Montmartre - written and directed by Bruno Podalydès
- a guy looking for a parking space but found love instead.
2. Quais de Seine - co-writtenn by Paul Mayeda Berges et réalisé par Gurinder Chadha
- a nice take on how love could cross beyond colors, culture and race … sweet! yeah… being young!
3. Le Marais - written and directed by Gus Van Sant
- Gaspard Ulliel was really gorgeous as a homo. It has a funny ending, but it still left me heartbroken. For me, it was a love not permitted to bloom.
4. Tuileries - written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
- it was a good idea of leaving it with no subtitles. it allowed the viewer who doesnt understand french to empathize with the character.
5. Loin du 16e - written and directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas
6. Porte de Choisy - co-written by Gabrielle Keng and Kathy Li and directed by Christopher Doyle
- a lousy comedy …. slapstick! didnt like it at all!
7. Bastille - written and directed by Isabel Coixet
8. Place des Victoires - written and directed by Nobuhiro Suwa
9. Tour Eiffel - written and directed by Sylvain Chomet
- saw this on YouTube before. The kid was adorable.
10. Parc Monceau - written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón
- I was impressed with Cuaron's 5 min staright, one take shot. The story line was obvious, but the execution made it wonderful. I love how he used lighting to relate with the mystery of the plot. It started out dark and ended with this merry-go-round that tied a happy knot at the end of the story.
11. Quartier des Enfants Rouges - written and directed by Olivier Assayas
- this is one of those potholes. I liked how it started, didnt like how it ended . Something's missing…
12. Place des fêtes - written and directed by Oliver Schmitz -
- this was the most touching. A mugged Nigerian Man, dying in the middle of the arrondissement. Sweet-talking the woman who never knew that his affection exists. Tragic. Sad,
13. Pigalle - written and directed by Richard LaGravenese
- two strangers meet at a sex club… the events then show that it was actually more than what we expected. It's about rekindling love that didnt actually lose warmth.
14. Quartier de la Madeleine - written and directed by Vincenzo Natali
- it was never intended to be scary… Elijah was such a cutie in here … it was a crowd favorite!
15. Père-Lachaise - written and directed by Wes Craven
- it was cheesy … but it looks OK! Really good transition for Craven. Didnt know that he knows how to make something without any morbidity.
16. Faubourg Saint-Denis - written and directed by Tom Tykwer
- Wow! Imagine hundreds or even thousands of shots, just to complete a 5 minute feature! Outstanding! Tykwer has his signature on this segment. Portman's character sometimes screams for no reason just like the character in Tykwer's film "Run Lola Run;. The shots were also "Very Tykwery". Its about a blind man who found love in an aspiring actress . Their love was slowly fading away but the segment with a huge relief.
17. Quartier Latin - written by Gena Rowlands, directed by Gérard Depardieu and Frédéric Auburtin
- Witty! I wasnt expecting to sob, but I was teary-eyd during their conversation! It was a conversation between old flames … sappy, funny, witty and bitchy exchange of words.
18. 14e arrondissement - written and directed by Alexander Payne
- No other contribution should be given the right to be this Film's finale other than this. It started out funny, but you would then feel the character's loneliness and then hit you with a realization at the end ….. mapapakanta ka ng Greatest love of all ni Whitney Houston…. heheheh
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