Category Archives: movies

the painter and the writer (Film: Cézanne et moi – Danièle Thompson, 2016)

Films about the painters of the artistic revolution in France of the last decades of the 19th century have long become a stand-alone cinematic genre. Impressionists and post-impressionists changed the course of art and reinvented the process of artistic creation. … Continue reading

Posted in art, movies | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

L.A. in flames (film: Hotel Artemis – Jodie Foster, 2018)

There are quite a few reasons why ‘Hotel Artemis‘, the 2018 film by first time director Drew Pearce, would be worth seeing. First of all, the cast, in which Jodie Foster appears for the first time after a five-year break … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

love and wisdom in the city of Safed (film: haSodot – Avi Nesher, 2007)

Israeli director Avi Nesher‘s 2007 film ‘The Secrets‘ (the Hebrew title is ‘HaSodot‘) predates the success of films and TV series whose characters and stories are inspired by ultra-religious Orthodox Jewish communities. It is an environment that has aroused the … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the writer and her ghost (film: D’après une histoire vraie – Roman Polanski, 2017)

I will try the impossible, namely to write about the penultimate film of Roman Polanski, ignoring his controversial personality and biography. In writing the screenplay for ‘Based on a True Story‘ (original title in French is ‘D’apres une histoire vraie‘), … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

from LIFE to National Geographic (film: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Ben Stiller, 2013)

The 2013 edition of ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty‘ starts very well. The titles are clever and original, and the introduction promises a quality comedy (with Ben Stiller the actor skillfully instructed by Ben Stiller the director) and a … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

a stranger in a city in transition (film: ‘Saint Jack’ – Peter Bogdanovich, 1979)

‘Saint Jack’ from 1979 closes the directorial decade of the ’70s of Peter Bogdanovich which had started with the excellent ‘The Last Picture Show ‘. Even if it fails, in my opinion, to reach the stylistic perfection of his earlier … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

history, twice (Film: The Last Picture Show – Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

It’s 2020 now. Peter Bogdanovich‘s film ‘The Last Picture Show‘ was made in 1971. The action of the film takes place in 1951 and 1952. It was, therefore, a historical re-enactment of a period from which almost two decades had … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the new rules of engagement (film: Eye in the Sky – Helen Mirren, 2015)

The main reason I decided to see ‘Eye in the Sky‘ is called Helen Mirren. I am an unconditional admirer of this actress who has never disappointed me, not even in the movies that did not deserve her. The 2015 … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

memories of the lover of a drug lord (film: Loving Pablo – Fernando León de Aranoa, 2017)

I have thefeeling that I have an advantage over many other viewers of ‘Loving Pablo‘, the film co-written and directed in 2017 by the Spanish film-maker Fernando León de Aranoa. I have not seen any other film or series that … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shirley’s charm (Film: Gambit – Shirley MacLaine, 1966)

In the first 20 minutes of ‘Gambit‘ we witness a perfect heist. A charming crook named Harry (Michael Caine) recruits dancer Nicole (Shirley MacLaine) from a Hong Kong cabaret to lure the rich Shahbandar (Herbert Lom) in order to steal … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment