All right. I think I am done with the blog. I just don't really feel like doing it anymore. Not that anyone really reads this prattle anyway. So, good luck and as Bugs Bunny would say, "Bon Voi agee!"

This will be the last French film I will do for a while.

Delicatessen
Release Date: 1991
Rated: R (There is violence, sexual situations, and language... Excuse my French)

Plot: In a post apocalyptic France meat is hard to come by. One building has a plan though. Put an add in a city newspaper for a position of maintenance for the building. Once he arrives, have him do some work, and then chop him up and feed on him for a few weeks. Can't get more European than that can we? This sounds like it should have been a German film. Score = 10

Acting: Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Karin Viard, Ticky Holgado, Anne-Marie Pisani, and Rufus. As I have said before, I love when a filmmaker uses a lot of the same talent in different movies. If anyone has been reading these last few reviews, they can surely see that Jeunet uses Pinon, Dreyfus, and Rufus a great deal, and for good reason. Pinon and Dreyfus are especially good. This whole cast makes this movie quite enjoyable. Score = 10

Score/Soundtrack: This soundtrack is ok. Not nearly as good as Amelie's though. Jeunet does use sound really well in his films though, and this movie has a great scene utilizing the sounds of "lovemaking." Sound vulgar, and I guess really it is, but it is also quite funny. Score = 6

Catch Phrase: My favorite scene is the one described above, but anytime the little boys get in on the action, the results are usually quite entertaining. Again, due to the language barrier on my part, I am giving Delicatessen a somewhat respectable score. I feel almost certain that it would have a higher score if I knew French though. Score = 6

Mystique: Jeunet is a genius. I love the way his movies feel. They are dark, humorous, and at the same time somewhat hopeful. He cleverly uses what could be props to illustrate the casts in not only this movie, but also in Amelie. I love it. Score = 10

Total: 42 or 84% This film got hosed due to language. It would probably be a 94% if it were in English originally, or if I could comprehend French.

Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain or Amelie
Release Date: 2001
Rated: Rated R for sexual content and nudity

Plot: A strange young women is looking for romance, and goes about it in interesting ways. Jeunet and his scripts are amazingly unique. Score = 10

Acting: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Serge Merlin, Jamel Debbouze, Clotilde Mollet, Claire Maurier, Isabelle Nanty, and Dominique Pinon. There are others, but I doubt anyone in the U.S. would know em. Dominique Pinon is the best, and Audrey Tautou ain't too shabby either. Score = 10.

Score/Soundtrack: This soundtrack isn't as good as He Loves Me... as it isn't integrated into the story, but it certainly helps keep the mood throughout the film. Score = 8

Catch Phrase: I think my favorite scene is the one when Amelie unplugs the antenna while her jerk neighbor is watching a big soccer game. That is pretty funny, but alas I again have no real catch phrase line. I really hate penalizing these French films for that reason, so I have been compromising a bit in still giving them a 6. Score = 6

Mystique: Tautou certainly has a charm about her, and Jeunet's films are always entertaining. At least so far as I have seen. If you like either, then check it out. Of course, if you don't watch foreign films you're probably not familiar with either. Amelie wouldn't be a bad choice for your first foray into French films. This movie was nominated for several Oscars, but as we all know that doesn't necessarily mean the film is any good. In this case, it is. Score = 9

Total: 43/50 or 86% At first I thought, now wait that doesn't seem right. I liked Amelie more than He Loves Me..., but upon further review, I think I actually like He Loves Me... more than Amelie now. Both good films though. You should check em out.

À la folie... pas du tout or He Loves Me... He loves Me Not
Release Date: 2002
Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements and some obsessive behavior

Plot: This movie has some surprise story elements, so I don't want to give away anything if you actually plan on seeing it in the future which I would recommend. Suffice it to say that a young woman falls in love with a man, and struggles with his constant changing of attitudes towards her. This doesn't sound like much, but the aforementioned plot twist and the method in which it is shown merits a high score. Score = 10

Acting: Audrey Tautou, Samuel Le Bihan, Isabelle Carré, Clément Sibony, Sophie Guillemin, Eric Savin, Michèle Garay, and Elodie Navarre. It is likely that the only face or name of this cast thatrecognizableable to American audiences is that of Audrey Tautou who received much attention for her role in Amelie. She plays a different type of character in this film, but there are parallels. The rest of the cast was pretty solid. I have no complaints, and Le Bihan was actually quite good. Just think of all the fine actors world wide that we have no inkling of here in the States. Kind of a shame really. Score = 10

Score/Soundtrack: They use the Nat King Cole song "L.O.V.E." with great effect in the movie. In fact, it helps push the plot evolution along. I love when music and story are intermixed and woven together with skill, and this is a prime example of it. Score = 10

Catch Phrase: "I have no one." Again, an important line used in regards to the plot, but on it's own not too impressive. Taking a catch phrase from a foreign film is a tad harder due to translation changes, and because we don't have the added bonus of actually hearing the line. That reminds me. If you are going to watch foreign films, PLEASE watch them with the original audio tracks, and use subtitles. They are a little annoying at first, but you quickly adapt to them. If you don't, then you lose a great deal of the movie's character, and get no idea of the acting ability of the cast as much is shown in voice. Score = 6

Mystique: For the first 30 minutes or so of this movie, I thought, "Yeah, ok, this is kind of boring," but the movie did a nice job of stopping, and showing the previous events from another person's perspectives, and really helped the viewer see what was really happening. It was a brilliant idea to show the flaws in human perception, and was done in a way which lent itself well to cinema. Score = 10

Total: 46/50 or 92% I really like this movie more and more as I think about it. It also doesn't hurt that there are several attractive women in the cast, and they all keep their clothes on. Leaves more to the imagination that way. Hehe.

La Cité des enfants perdus or The City of Lost Children
Release Date: 1995
Rated: R for disturbing and grotesque images of violence and menace and nudity

Plot: A psycho genius kidnaps small children in a tripped out world in an effort to help him dream. One of the children is a small boy that was cared for by a very strong, but not so intelligent man, who stops at nothing to try and rescue him. Meanwhile he finds an orphan girl who helps him in his crusade. Certainly different. Score = 10

Acting: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet, Dominique Pinon, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Geneviève Brunet, Odile Mallet, Mireille Mossé, Serge Merlin, Rufus, and Joseph Lucien. Judith Vittet steals the show. She was only 8 or 9 during the shooting of this film. Ron Perlman is also good. That man must never sleep, because he is in a ton of stuff. Dominique Pinon and Jean-Claude Dreyfus are also good. Actually, Pinon is awesome. It would be sweet if he could cross over into American cinema. Score = 10

Score/Soundtrack: The trippy soundtrack really adds to the demented world that Jean-Pierre Jeunet has created in this movie. This movie is strange to say the least, but the music helps it feel more real. Score = 9

Catch Phrase: Well, it is in French translationion is subject to alteration of course. One of the best scenes is when one character, Uncle Irwin, decieves Krunk into thinking that a one of Krunk's tears could be analyzed to help him find a way to dream, but he then just crushes his hopes. It's a good put down. There are tons of witty lines, but they lose a great deal out of context. Score = 6

Mystique: Well, it is a French film, and a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film at that. The man is a genius though from what I have seen so far. I have only seen Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children so far, but I am impressed. I like directors who use a lot of the same actors in all of their films. It helps add a comaraderie that you just don't get in patched together casts. This movie is a tripped up futuristic or fantasy world. Everything is grimy and disgusting, and yet at the same time oddly beautiful. They made a video game based upon this movie which is apparently a pretty solid game. I am always impressed with movies that have skilled young actors in it, and Vittet is right up there. It is a shame that she hasn't done much since. If you like French films, or like expanding your cinematic palette, or if you liked sci-fi-esque themes, then certainly check this film out. Not everyone will like it, but if you liked The Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore, you might like this Jeunet's style as well. Score = 9

Total: 44/50 or 88% Jeunet is fast becoming one of my favorite filmmakers.

The Legend of Bagger Vance
Release Date: 2000
Rated: PG-13 for some sexual content

Plot: A young woman inherits a failing golf course during the Depression, and in an effort to raise enough money to keep it, she decides to hold a playoff between the two best golfers in the United States. The powers that be in the town of Savannah, GA, also think that a local player should play to represent the area. A former boyfriend of the woman, and a local golfing legend is chosen to play, but in order for him to compete he must first regain his swing. Score = 9

Acting: Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Bruce McGill, Joel Gretsch, J. Michael Moncrief, and Jack Lemmon. The supporting cast is quite good. I really think the young boy, Moncrief, did an admirable job. I am not a huge fan of Theron or of Smith, and their respective performances in this movie did nothing to improve upon that situation. Matt Damon, however, continues to put forth good performances. Score = 9

Score/Soundtrack: An adequate soundtrack at best. It uses a little bit of Duke Ellington, and similar styles to try and capture the feel of the late twenties and early thirties, but really the soundtrack lacks much involvement in the film. Score = 4

Catch Phrase: Ahh crap, I forgot the line I was going to use. Something like, "Everyone has a natural swing within," or something like that. I like the tagline of the movie better though, "Some Things Can't Be Learned. They Must Be Remembered." I find that to be an interesting idea, and so I will substitute it in place of an actual line. Score = 9

Mystique: My main complaint of this movie is that Will Smith was just kind of there, and didn't really do much. Admittedly, I think most of that was by nature of the script and possibly directorial discretion, but he came off as annoying to me more than anything. Matt Damon's performance was much better, and Theron was ok I guess, but nothing inspiring. So, if you like Damon, or you like to look at Theron, or if you like golf, then you might give this movie a try. It is PG-13, and really not too bad a movie. I think one in which the whole family could watch without too much concern on the parent's part. All in all, a good film, and perhaps the best golfing movie yet. Nah, Happy Gilmore still owns! Score = 9

Total: 40/50 or 80% That score may be a tad low, but not quite an 'A' movie either.

I will try and be more regular with my posts now. That should last for a few days consecutively anyway.

No Good Deed
Release Date: 2002
Rated: R for violence, language and sexuality

Plot: A grand theft auto cop gets involved in a bank robbing scheme that quickly escalates to homicidal levels. Score = 7

Acting: Samuel L. Jackson, Milla Jovovich, Stellan Skarsgård, Doug Hutchison, Grace Zabriskie, Joss Ackland, and Jonathan Higgins. A mediocre cast at best. This film would have been greatly improved if the main villain, Skarsgård, would have been someone better suited for the part. I just wasn't feeling Skarsgård. Jovovich, Jackson, Zabriskie, and Ackland all did ok, but no one turned in an Oscar performance. Score = 7

Score/Soundtrack: Nothing but the standard back drop themes for an action/drama. Score = 2

Catch Phrase: I know that Jackson had a couple of nice lines, but I can't remember em. I also remember that they weren't that great, just kind of nice. Score = 4

Mystique: Samuel L. Jackson was wasted on this film. It was fairly predictable, but I really didn't find myself trying to figure much out. I think that was due to a combination of force fed foreshadowing, weak acting, and an run of the mill script. A better villain, and an engaging soundtrack could have overcome the shortcomings of the script, but alas neither was properly implemented. If you are bored and this film is on FX or something, go ahead and watch away. I wouldn't recommend renting it though. Score = 6

Total: 26/50 or 52% Not the worst movie I have ever seen, but not real good either. It was ok.