MA VIE EN L'AIR

Vincent Elbaz, Marion Cotillard, Gilles Lellouche

13th French Film Festival
Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

Yann is tall, fair and handsome. He never runs out of women to date. His only problem is he has a fear of flying. Never mind the fact that he was born during a flight which entitles him free flights for his entire lifetime. How ironic that his job as an aviation safety expert demands that he sits in the cockpit of a plane and assess the capability of pilots during emergency scenarios. Fair enough it is just a job and he doesn't actually fly during those flight simulator moments. But he has developed a tendency to have relationships with women who suddenly relocate to other locations. Obviously due to his 'condition' those relationship are doomed from the start. Thus is the main premise of this French comedy.

A unique story line with enough sense to turn a seemingly hopeless situation into a film worth watching. The characters essay their roles with ease. They all blend well together as an ensemble. There are funny, hilarious moments as well as poignant dramatic scenes. It doesn't aim to make light of a valid condition nor does it treat this condition lightly.

It has the right amount of good comedic situations with dramatic scenes. The cast is well developed with believable characteristics. The setting is appropriate. There is a narration which ably guides the viewers to invest in the characters. The dialogue is entirely in comprehensive French with English subtitles. I like to note I say comprehensive since there are some French movies which tend to use a more profound version of the language. A bit difficult to explain unless you speak the language yourself. Eventually or should I say for once, there are no baffling twists and disjointed side plots, the ending is a bit predictable but nonetheless a good one too!

SEX AND THE CITY

SEX AND THE CITY
Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, Jennifer Hudson

"Get Carried Away"

Cinema 11, SM Megamall

Yes the girls are back and they are still at it! You know the whole bitching and whining about their inconsequential lives complete with their materialistic and hedonistic lifestyle of designer labels galore. I must admit I wasn't really a big fan of the show. I mean sure I'd watch it from time to time but I won't really follow to the book the so called wisdom which Carrie Bradshaw dispensed through her articles on the show. Having said that, I thought I could breeze through this life without watching this movie. But somehow some voice inside my head told me I would miss out if I didn't go watch it. Miss out on what? I have no idea but eventually I finally made the time to go check it out.

Was it as good as the TV show?
I'd say it was a nice continuation of the show in concise form.

Was I disappointed by its length?
A bit. I felt the part after Carrie was jilted dragged on for hours.

What really ruined it for me?
The fact that Samantha broke up with Smith! That really floored me. But then you can't really have everything in life, can you? For Samantha she felt like she had lost her identity and her true self by being in a relationship with a much younger man. Oh well to each his own, I guess.

Was I distraught when Mr Big developed cold feet and left Carrie at the altar?
Well it was expected since obviously he showed signs of being an indecisive and weak person just a few days before the wedding. I understand his sentiments though. All he wanted was a small wedding but the guest list ballooned to 200 guests. Plus he just never seemed to be the marrying kind.

Was I glad that Miranda finally realized how Steve was such a good guy?
Oh yes I was. At least she swallowed her pride and busted her huge ego to reconcile with dear old Steve, my favorite character on the show. Despite him having such a short yet relevant part.

Was I still as indifferent towards Charlotte's cushy life?
You bet I was. I was never too keen on her character.

Finally was it worth turning the famous TV show into a full length movie?
I'd say sure it was. Finally we have closure vis a vis Carrie and Mr Big's romance. I also like the part where they get married in a very simple ceremony sans the huge guest list and the hideous designer wedding gown. Now that totally rocks!

CHANGEMENT D'ADDRESSE

Emmanuel Mouret, Frederique Bel, Fanny Valette

13th French Film Festival
Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

I guess the good old plot of boy meets girl, boy gets girl, girl meets another boy, (another) boy gets girl, (first) boy ends up with best (girl) friend works in any language. It sure does in this French film entitled "Change of Address".

The film starts off pretty laid back and takes a while to get going plot wise. There are some twists and turns which don't make sense but then remember this is a French film so I guess that is to be expected.

The main characters have their endearing qualities which draws the audience into their plight. Their way of thinking outside the box might work for some audience but maybe for a majority of us, we will be left questioning the motives of certain characters. So while it was a bit frustrating to understand them, it was also refreshing trying to comprehend their reactions to circumstances. Not that I want to give the impression that you need to put your thinking caps on when you see this film, no way. It is really quite a simple movie which basically revolves around 3 main characters. It is quite easy to figure out. It is only when you question their actions where you tend to go off the wire, so to speak.

So I suggest you merely watch it without analyzing it too much. After all, it is still a simple story with complex yet interesting characters set in France. The entire dialogue is in French with English subtitles. A bit amateurish in its film making technique because if you pay close attention there are certain scenes where you will notice the microphone hovering over the cast. Just enjoy the film for being 'different' from the standard Hollywood flick.

MiniMovie Channel

Mini Movie Channel

MiniMovie Channel is an interactive web portal which showcases good quality short films for enthusiastic comedy fans. It features several professionally created short comedy films which are either under licensed from top talents or interesting original productions.

It is located in Beverly Hills with offices in Luxembourg, Paris and Moscow. It is the brainchild of award-winning television and film producer Dmitri Lesnevsky.

MiniMovie searches for the best short film comedies from around the globe and delivers them via an easy-to-use interface on their innovative website. It aims to connects filmmakers of substance with a world-wide audience. In the process, they build a community of avid short film enthusiasts. They collaborate unique, high-quality experiences from selecting shorts films with engaging storytelling and good production values. They also offer exposure for short films through their partnerships with major festivals and premier universities. Good quality comedy is the main essence of MiniMovie.

You are invited to share your love of funny films and film making with with MiniMovie.


For more information, watch this short video about the site.