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The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939)
Notes: I have to admit that Iā€™m not really familiar with Kenji Mizoguchiā€™s work but it is really neat to finally discover this great Japanese master. Anyway, I was rather impressed by how modern this tale actually turned out to be. Indeed, it was basically a story dealing with stardom, art, and love but it could just as well have taken place nowadays. Seriously, I could really picture a modern version dealing with the son of some popstar. Anyway, the main character was such a lonely guy who always lived in the shadows of his illustrious father and, basically, during this whole life, no one really ā€˜spokeā€™ with him. Instead, they him kept giving some empty and fake compliments and itā€™s so interesting because you can be pretty sure thatā€™s how things still go nowadays with most celebrities. Of course, it might seem dubious that he would fall in love with the very first girl that finally tells him something real but I think itā€™s actually understandable. Indeed, for someone like him, to finally have an actual conversation with another human-being must have been quite intoxicating, even irresistible. On the other hand, you might wonder what Otoku really did get from this relationship but there is no denying that both characters somehow felt a deep connection for each other. I also loved the idea that an actor is like any other artist, in order to become great, they probably should have to face many obstacles because, eventually, how could you portray an emotion that you have never experienced?
2 years, 9 months ago
The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939)
Notes: I have to admit that Iā€™m not really familiar with Kenji Mizoguchiā€™s work but it is really neat to finally discover this great Japanese master. Anyway, I was rather impressed by how modern this tale actually turned out to be. Indeed, it was basically a story dealing with stardom, art, and love but it could just as well have taken place nowadays. Seriously, I could really picture a modern version dealing with the son of some popstar. Anyway, the main character was such a lonely guy who always lived in the shadows of his illustrious father and, basically, during his whole life, no one really ā€˜spokeā€™ with him. Instead, they him kept giving some empty and fake compliments and itā€™s so interesting because you can be pretty sure thatā€™s how things still go nowadays with most celebrities. Of course, it might seem dubious that he would fall in love with the very first girl that finally tells him something real but I think itā€™s actually understandable. Indeed, for someone like him, to finally have an actual conversation with another human-being must have been quite intoxicating, even irresistible. On the other hand, you might wonder what Otoku really did get from this relationship but there is no denying that both characters somehow felt a deep connection for each other. I also loved the idea that an actor is like any other artist, in order to become great, they probably should have to face many obstacles because, eventually, how could you portray an emotion that you have never experienced?
2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe posted a video
2 years, 9 months ago
Tallulah
My Best Friend Anne Frank
How to Be a Latin Lover

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe added 1 item to My Queue list
Happy Birthday

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe commented on a list
The 90's, Best Decade For Movies? (58 person items)

"wow... nice try, but the 70's remains unbeatable.... and that's only for the movies produced in Hollywood. If you would look at the foreign production, it would could even be a completely different de"


2 years, 9 months ago
Annette
Adaptation. (2002)
La La Land
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
The Aviator

2 years, 9 months ago
El Topo (1970)
Network
12 Angry Men
Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Almost Famous

2 years, 9 months ago
No Time to Die

2 years, 9 months ago
Sons of the Desert
Notes: Even though I was rather oblivious about Buster Keatonā€™s work for a very long time, like with Charles Chaplin, I saw many shorts starring Laurel and Hardy when I was a kid and, back then, I thought these guys were just hilarious. However, I think it was at least 25 years ago the last time I saw one of their movies so I was wondering what I would think of them after all these years. Well, first of all, with this title, you might expect the comedic duo to go to some exotic location but you would be disappointed, as they eventually ended up at some convention in Chicago. At the end of the day, it was just about two ordinary guys who had nothing else more exciting to do then fixating on some fraternity. In fact, most of the movie was basically a play taking place at Hardyā€™s place involving usually the two men and sometimes their wives. So, it was nothing really complex or ambitious but it was obviously not the point. Indeed, it was more about the interactions and dialogues between these two guys and, even if it was not as hilarious as what I remembered as a kid, it was still certainly entertaining though. To be honest, in my opinion, Stan Laurel verges sometimes too much towards Chaplin but Oliver Hardy is always there, making sure he snaps out of it, and the combination of them together made them so unique and so successful.
2 years, 9 months ago
Sons of the Desert
Notes: Even though I was rather oblivious about Buster Keatonā€™s work for a very long time, like with Charles Chaplin, I saw many shorts starring Laurel and Hardy when I was a kid and, back then, I thought these guys were just hilarious. However, I think it was at least 25 years ago the last time I saw one of their movies so I was wondering what I would think of them after all these years. Well, first of all, with this title, you might expect the comedic duo to go to some exotic location but you would be disappointed, as they eventually ended up at some convention in Chicago. At the end of the day, it was just about two ordinary guys who had nothing else more exciting to do then fixating on some fraternity. In fact, most of the movie was basically a play taking place at Hardyā€™s place involving usually the two men and sometimes their wives. So, it was nothing really complex or ambitious but it was obviously not the point. Indeed, it was more about the interactions and dialogues between these two guys and, even if it was not as hilarious as what I remembered as a kid, it was still certainly entertaining though. To be honest, in my opinion, Stan Laurel verges sometimes too much towards Chaplin but Oliver Hardy is always there, making sure he snaps out of it, and the combination of them together made them so unique and so successful.
2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe posted a review of Overdrive

A bad movie

“To be honest, I wasnā€™t really sure what to expect from this flick but since I have a weak spot for Ana de Armas and since it was available on Netflix, I thought I might as well check it out. Well, Iā€™m afraid it turned out to be even worse than my lowest expectations. Basically, I never really ca” read more

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe added 1 item to My Queue list
Dead of Night (1946)

2 years, 9 months ago
Overdrive
Notes: I never really cared for the ā€˜The Fast and The Furiousā€™ but do you know what is actually worse than the long-running action franchise? A cheap European knock-off like this one. Seriously, they even took the least interesting actor ever involved in Vin Dieselā€™s franchise and turned him into the lead. Concerning Ana de Armas, as usual, she was very lovely but, to be honest, she also gave here such a weak performance. Seriously, itā€™s difficult to believe that, the very same year, she would give her breakthrough performance in ā€˜Blade Runner 2049ā€™. Itā€™s not that the rest of the cast was better, itā€™s just that I didn't expect her to sink so low. Or maybe I did overestimate her. By the way, what I donā€™t get is that, even though it was a French production, there was no consistency regarding how the French characters were talking to each other. Indeed, sometimes, they would speak French for a while, then suddenly they would speak English with each other. Sure, it might be a minor detail but I always find this rather annoying. Of course, when youā€™re watching an action flick and youā€™re starting to pay attention to what language the characters are talking to each other, the makers probably did mess something up. Finally, I understand that they wanted to deviate somehow from ā€˜The Fast and The Furiousā€™ by focusing on some vintage cars but developing a high-octane action flick around some 50 year old cars might not be the greatest idea in the world after all.
2 years, 9 months ago
Overdrive
 Overdrive 4/10
2 years, 9 months ago
Next Summer

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe added 1 item to My Queue list
Slumdog Millionaire

2 years, 9 months ago

A classic

“Since this movie was included in the ā€˜1001 Movies You Must See Before You Dieā€™ list, I was quite eager to check it out. On top of that, even though I was rather oblivious about Buster Keatonā€™s work for a very long time, like with Charles Chaplin, I saw many shorts starring Laurel and Hardy whe” read more

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe posted a video
2 years, 9 months ago
King of Thieves

2 years, 9 months ago
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Notes: To be honest, I was at first actually worried during the first scenes. Indeed, the whole thing looked way too cheesy for me, especially Errol Flynn with his tights, pointy hat and haircut which all looked quite ridiculous. However, from the moment Robin Hood went to Nottingham Castle on his own with just a bow and some arrows to provoke his enemies right on the spot, I was actually sold. Indeed, not only the action scene that followed was quite thrilling, but the boldness and recklessness of the character was just neat. Eventually, while watching this movie, it became pretty obvious that the main issue with the more recent versions is that they usually chose a grim and serious approach but it is completely misunderstanding the material. Indeed, the story is actually fairly ridiculous and, in this case, they turned it into a fun and light entertaining tale which was a perfect fit. In fact, I was also surprised by how much Disneyā€™s animated version turned out to be pretty much a copycat of this movie. Seriously, they basically turned the characters into some animals and added a few songs but the mood and the plot were otherwise pretty much identical. This movie was also the obvious precursor of all the super-heroes movies which would rule the box-office more than 80 years later and it is rather surprising that it took the movie studios so long to figure out the commercial potential of the genre
2 years, 9 months ago
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Notes: To be honest, I was at first actually worried during the first scenes. Indeed, the whole thing looked way too cheesy for me, especially Errol Flynn with his tights, pointy hat and haircut which all looked quite ridiculous. However, from the moment Robin Hood went to Nottingham Castle on his own with just a bow and some arrows to provoke his enemies right on the spot, I was actually sold. Indeed, not only the action scene that followed was quite thrilling, but the boldness and recklessness of the character was just neat. Eventually, while watching this movie, it became pretty obvious that the main issue with the more recent versions is that they usually chose a grim and serious approach but it is completely misunderstanding the material. Indeed, the story is actually fairly ridiculous and, in this case, they turned it into a fun and light entertaining tale which was a perfect fit. In fact, I was also surprised by how much Disneyā€™s animated version turned out to be pretty much a copycat of this movie. Seriously, they basically turned the characters into some animals and added a few songs but the mood and the plot were otherwise pretty much identical. This movie was also the obvious precursor of all the super-heroes movies which would rule the box-office more than 80 years later and it is rather surprising that it took the movie studios so long to figure out the commercial potential of the genre.
2 years, 9 months ago
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

2 years, 9 months ago

A classic

“I have to admit that I wasnā€™t really eager to watch yet another version of this timeless tale but since this movie is considered as the best version ever made, I had to watch it at some point. To be honest, I was at first actually worried during the first scenes. Indeed, the whole thing looked way” read more

2 years, 9 months ago
To Live and Die in L.A.
Memories of Murder
In Bruges
Shoplifters
Halloween

2 years, 9 months ago
Dune
Notes: Well, maybe I wasnā€™t in the right mood but I actually really struggled to get into the damned thing after all. Itā€™s not that I donā€™t have any affinity with the material. Indeed, I did read the book (which I really loved) and I watched David Lynchā€™s version (which I didnā€™t hate) but it was at least 20 years ago which was actually pretty cool since I didnā€™t remember everything in details. I donā€™t know, I have always been rooting for Denis Villeneuve but it seems that his SF flicks are getting not only bigger but also more pretentious each time around and I hope he will finally go for some other genre when he is done with ā€™Duneā€™. I mean, the whole thing was visually really neat, I wouldnā€™t expect less from this director, it is still a fascinating world and there were tons of charismatic and interesting characters and, yet, the damned thing never really grabbed me. Eventually, you might wonder if such a straightforward adaptation of Frank Herbertā€™s classic book was the best approach and, maybe, Alejandro Jodorowsky with his completely bonkers project was actually right. Of course, you might argue that I shouldnā€™t muse over a movie which was never made but it seems that turning this story into another SF blockbuster extravaganza only amplified the weaknesses of this story.
2 years, 9 months ago
Dune
Notes: Well, maybe I wasnā€™t in the right mood but I actually really struggled to get into the damned thing after all. Itā€™s not that I donā€™t have any affinity with the material. Indeed, I did read the book (which I really loved) and I watched David Lynchā€™s version (which I didnā€™t hate) but it was at least 20 years ago which was actually pretty cool since I didnā€™t remember everything in details. I donā€™t know, I have always been rooting for Denis Villeneuve but it seems that his SF flicks are getting not only bigger but also more pretentious each time around and I hope he will finally go for some other genre when he is done with ā€™Duneā€™. I mean, the whole thing was visually really neat, I wouldnā€™t expect less from this director, it is still a fascinating world and there were tons of charismatic and interesting characters and, yet, the damned thing never really grabbed me. Eventually, you might wonder if such a straightforward adaptation of Frank Herbertā€™s classic book was the best approach and, maybe, Alejandro Jodorowsky with his completely bonkers project was actually right. Of course, you might argue that I shouldnā€™t muse over a movie which was never made but it seems that turning this story into another SF blockbuster extravaganza only amplified the weaknesses of this story.
2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe posted a review of Dune

A good movie

“Since it was probably the most ambitious movie released in 2021, of course, I was really eager to check it out. Well, to be honest, maybe I wasnā€™t in the right mood but I actually really struggled to get into the damned thing after all. Itā€™s not that I donā€™t have any affinity with the material” read more

2 years, 9 months ago
johanlefourbe added 1 item to My Queue list
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

2 years, 9 months ago