Reviews

No doubt this is a relatively minor film. But it's touching, endearing, quirky and often funny. Loved the way the storyline develops, specially as regards Agathe, the recently widowed film director.

Very simple, very lovely. Thanks to MUBI for the opportunity to see this film and the excellent work of its director

This is a very simple and engaging french film. A very shy young pianist moves to her own apartment that's separated by a paper thin wall from another one (in another building) inhabited by a hermit (almost) game designer.

The plot is thin, but the acting's great and you really become interested in the characters. Also quite a wry comment on how our very "open" society in effect isolates people by the overuse of gadgets (read smartphones).

Anyhow, the main characters find that to have an essential connection one doesn't need to be in front of another person.

Secondary actors are also great and there are many funny and endearing moments.

Really should be seen...

This review might be a bit biased, since I've followed this film through its filming process, also there's a small interview in it that I participate.

That being said, I can now delve into the film. Patagonia in southern Chile is truly a wonderful place. One of the few places worldwide that can be truly labeled "pristine". The people who live there are very independent and truly love their land. I've been there several times (in relation to the Hidroaysén project, actually working against it). And have come to truly appreciate these peoples. The region has even adopted as a motto: "Aysén, Reserva de Vida" (Aysén, a reserve for life). These people already managed to stop a large project that would have put aluminum smelters in the Aysén fiord, so this project was also opposed by a very high percentage of the community.

The idea of the project was to, ostensibly, provide renewable and clean energy for Chile. However in Chile most of the increase of electrical demand comes from the mining sector, so it truly doesn't make sense to destroy the Baker and Pascua Rivers to provide electrical energy to the mines up north. Specially since in the same places there's the highest solar energy resource worldwide.

That being said, the film interviews a lot of people, both proponents and opponents of the project. But the most poignant interviews are the ones with the people that actually live there.

The pace is rather slow, the vistas truly breathtaking. The filmmakers have really stressed the huge contradiction that to have "progress" one must destroy a wonderful resource and biosphere reserve.

Fortunately the project has been stopped (not definitely killed, but stopped). Mostly because it's a crazy project, way too expensive and because that today there are much better options to provide the electricity that we truly need. In fact already we have well over 25% of our total electricity from renewables and only in the last couple of years well over 2500 MW of wind and solar has been put online.

If the dams had been built, the first one would have come online well after 2024.

So the film is really worth seeing. A bit slow perhaps, but with great value.

Specially because you'll come in contact with people who have a different mindset and truly believe that development doesn't imply tearing up your home...

I saw this film in a cinema, in the early sixties. It impacted me a lot because of the plot and the atmosphere. Truly loved it at the time and saw it at least three times.

Why? It's a story about teens and love. And naturally, being a teen at the time, it struck a strong cord. Since I wrote an essay at the time, I will have to dig it up, look at it around 50 years later and see if what I wrote at the time is still applicable.

I remember many scenes, the beautiful Catherine Spaak and also remember that this was one of my favorite films of the sixties.

So if you like sixties film that take place among enchanted islands on the Italian coast, you'll like: La Calda Vita...

I recently saw this film on an airplane. The small screen is not the best environment to see a film, however I *did* enjoy the film.

The best part is the atmosphere that builds up on this somewhat arcane subject (birding). The acting's good, but not great.

Even though he's quite *unlikable*, probably Owen Wilson's character is the best one in the film. While his life falls around him, he slogs on to *keep* his title of World's Best Birder.

This somewhat arcane distinction is probably of great value to him because in "real life" he's not very satisfied with his accomplishments...

Other characters are OK and the locations are very good...

So if you're in a situation where entertainment is seeked, you will probably enjoy the film...

I'm a great fan of Woody Allen. That being said, I recognize that his filmmaking is irregular. Some films are very satisfying, will others seem like simple cinematic exercises ("Small Time Crooks", has a scene almost literally copied from an early 1960's movie with Marcello Mastroianni).

If for some people Allen seems a bit too bland, movies like "Match Point" show that he has a surprising and almost nasty streak.

I first started reading of this film while it was still in the final phases of production. Then was very surprised by the great reception it had in this years Cannes film festival. So I really, really wanted to see it: on the one hand, I love Paris, and also (mostly) love Allen's films, so it seemed promising.

My first screening was on a flight from Madrid to Santiago a couple of months ago. Even on the tiny plane screen, I loved the atmosphere, Owen Wilson's acting and the whole premise of the film.

As soon as I got home, we went with my wife and *really* enjoyed the film on the widescreen.

Why?

Because this film is mostly about an atmosphere and feelings. The idea of perfection, the idea of the artist and the reality that perfection can't truly be achieved...

And Paris is that: a city of ideas, atmosphere and feelings. A city that has been a Mecca for artists for over 200 years. A city to walk around in and discover the most amazing places (and people).

For Woody Allen, a complete New Yorker, the idea of Paris (and Europe) is certainly that: an ideal.

That being said, the acting's great. Minor members of the cast really stand out (the detective with the distinctly "Bogart", film noir air) and the major members shine.

It's great to see Owen Wilson in the role of Allen's alter-ego. Very vulnerable.

And the actor's that portray the artist in the 20's and 30's are incredible: Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein and so many others...

So if you're a fan of Woody Allen, and of Paris, don't miss this film.

And if you're *not* a Woody Allen fan, also try to see it, because it'll show you aspects of humanity that shouldn't be filmed.

I guess the only people who shouldn't see the movie are those that actively dislike *both* Woody Allen *and* Paris.

And certainly there aren't many of those...

We caught "Pipe Dream" on the Cable last night. I must say it was entertaining, well written and extremely well acted.

The funny part is that the whole movie *also* has an "indie" aura that's supposed to be in the film thats being filmed.

Very good acting. The only actor that doesn't really "fit" is the plumber. He has a cultural level WAY above I would guess 95% of NY Plumbers. But besides that, all the rest is very good.

Even though it's not a *great* movie, it surely is way above 70% of what's being made today.

I would expect more fine screenplays from the same author...

Nice and entertaining...

I first saw Allegro non Troppo around 1985 in a VHS copy. I truly loved the film, since it was so different from standard Disney fare. Even the B&W interludes seemed wacky and added to the overall viewing pleasure.

Specially great clips were the Sibelius Valse Triste and the Firebird Suite.

Well, I recently bought the DVD version from this movie (after joining a list in Amazon, so they would edit a DVD version of the film) and I must say that this version is GREAT. Not only is the original film complete and in an excellent version, but there's also 10 additional Bruno Bozzetto shorts plus a documentary about him and his filmmaking.

So I really got a wonderful deal and would truly reccommend this DVD to all animation fans.

9/10!

This is the second Spike Jonze movie I've seen (the first being, naturally: "Being John Malkovich"). A really wonderful and Felliniesque Movie.

In Being John Malkovich the "gate" to Malkovich's head was in the 7 1/2 floor of an office building. A coincidence? Or a deliberate nod to "8 1/2", I tend to think of the latter. Now THIS movie has a much closer relation to Fellini's 8 1/2. In fact, Fellini's movie spends most of the time on a Director not being able to start a movie. In this case It's a screenwriter not being able to adapt a book about flowers to a movie.

But Charlie Kauffmann has a TRULY split personality. So split in fact, that he's actually twins. Nicolas Cage does a wonderful job in both roles.

What's really hilarious (and many viewers haven't got the joke) is that when Charlie Kaufmann 1 takes the screenwriting classes, the whole tone of the film slides from cinematic purity to weekend popcorn muncher. That was really wicked.

A fantastic film. A 9/10. Perhaps even a 9 1/2!

This is an excellent even though underrated film. The period reconstruction of the "Cotton Club" is magnificent. The music and action really blow you.

I first saw this film on VHS tape over 15 years ago. It was also one of my first buys in DVD (a bit dissapointing, because MGM promised extra features that never showed up). The other day I went to see "Chicago" (very good, and enjoyable). People who enjoyed "Chicago" should take a look at the "Cotton Club". Frankly I feel "The Cotton Club" is a better film, even though "Chicago" has some great musical moments.

I had the privilege of seeing this film in a theater. Thus the magnificent panoramas and astounding beauty of the mountains and people can be fully appreciated. The movie is about the essential trek in life: about the passing of the torch from one generation to another. It revolves about the essential aspects of life, and also of its circular nature (the past is always related to the present and future). What is truly awesome is the magnificent level of acting that the Director obtained from true mountain people.

All of the film is awesome, but the journey on the path by the border of the lake is a high point in the film.

Coming from a mountain country myself, and also enjoying trekking, I found many parallels between the quest of these Nepalese and the quality of people I find up in the high Andes. No doubt there's more wisdom as regards life from the people many consider "backward" as opposed to those we feel are "civilized". Not to be missed.

The Latin American dictatorships of the 70's and 80's were characterized by the thousands of cases of "detenidos desaparecidos". These were the people picked up off the streets and which simply "vanished" in the dark corridors of the local Gestapos. During many years these same regimes (all of them backed directly or indirectly by the CIA) denied the cases, even denied the very existence of these people.

But lately (at least in Chile) many of the remains of these persons have been recovered and identified. Fernando was detained a few days after the coup in 1973, he was only 17. In 1998 his remains were found in an illegal grave. The identification process took a long time, but was totally positive.

This film is about the reencounter of Fernando's wife, son and rest of his family both with his remains and the chilling truth of how he was killed.

The scene at the morgue is incredible. Both by the respect shown by the doctors to Fernando, the reencounter of his remains with his family after having dissapeared for over 20 years and how the remains of the body "tell" how he was beaten, tortured and killed.

Fernando now lies in a proper grave at the Santiago Cemetery. His story is a lesson on what never should happen again in our continent.

Silvio Caiozzi made this documentary as the story unfolded. It's a very hard film to see, because it's not been aired on TV in our country. I had the privilege of seeing it in a festival of Chilean Documentaries on DBSS a few weeks ago.

An excellent film

José Donoso is a brooding and dark author. His novels all have an almost Gothic atmosphere. When I first heard of this film, I thought that it would be a difficult task indeed to properly convey these dark, decadent and special feelings. However Silvio Caiozzi's masterful adaptation give an almost perfect tribute to a wonderful book.

This is not only done by excellent direction, but also by wonderful and very even performances of all the cast.

Caiozzi has mantained the argument and spirit of this book written in the 50's, even though he's adapted it to an atmosphere of the 90's.

It's a film to be seen several times, because it's filled with minute details that are relevant to the story, as social criticism and also as to the atmosphere that is an intrinsic part of the film.

By some standards it might be considered a "slow" film, it is, however a great piece of film making.

Silvio Caiozzi has not directed many films (Julio Comienza en Julio, La Luna en El Espejo, Fernando ha Vuelto and now Coronación), but each of them are great examples of his intellect and craft.

This film is based on a very popular radio show in Chile. When I went to see it with my wife we were very surprised with the excellent acting, witty details and the pathos that's also in two of the stories.

This has become *the* most popular movie ever filmed in Chile, with nearly 1.000.000 viewers as of today (this in a country where *very* popular movies gross 200.000 spectators). The reason lies in its excellent acting, direction and screenplay.

I hope Cristian Galaz will repeat this remarkable feat.