Pax73

Francois Pignon,an humble accountant who works in a condom factory,finds out that the management is about to fired him.To avoid it a neighbor suggests him to pretend to be gay,and it works,the company will be afraid to be sued for sexual discrimination ,and decide to not fire Francois,but it will unchain a lot of embarrassing and unforeseeable situations for the poor employee. After "Le diner de cons" Francis Veber shoots another amusing and intelligent comedy,in this case it's not a parody of the gay world but rather of the "politically correct" that rules in our society ,either in the work relationships or in the personal ones.The result is surely remarkable,even thanks to a brilliant cast,Daniel Auteil as always offers a great performance,in this case he's perfectly comfortable playing the role of the shy accountant ,that only when considered gay is going to find his dignity of man.The rest of the crew is good too,and above all there is Gerard Depardieu in the role of the racist human resources exec. ..Highly recommended

Claude Chabrol, surely one of the best French directors of all time ,returns after a period maybe not too brilliant with this beautiful movie and prove that good films can be made even without special effects..The plot is simple:when the young Jeanne finds out that she could have been exchanged for an error from her cradle with another newborn (son of a famous piano player ) she decides to contact this family without really thinking that this can be the truth .After told this to the presumed father and the rest of the family even the son the piano player starts having more than one doubt about his origins,and all this will lead to discover an horrible murder committed many years before by the second wife of the musician against his wife. But all the story is just a pretext to put in evidence the misdeeds and the hypocrisy of the french upper class members (ok in the film they are from Switzerland..but is the same) nevertheless Chabrol belongs to this class,that's why he knows so well the subject ,so all the blemishes are noticed and shown to the audience without pity;things like a sense of coldness among the family members hidden by a false happiness.. because this is what the good society wants,the miss of real feelings,the unbearable `bon ton' of the mother and so on .The cast is brilliant,but a step on everybody there's a wonderful Isabelle Huppert , always comfortable in all this disagreeable (and difficult) roles ..she's disgustingly good ,you'll hate her!

Phil Connors,a sarcastic weather man disappointed from his boring life the 2nd of February of every year goes to a lost little city in Pennsilvanya to shoot a reportage about an old local tradition "The Groundhog day",where a nice big rat,like Phil calls it,seems able to preview the last of the winter and the came of the spring..but this time something of really strange happens,Phil ,for a joke of the destiny (or who knows what else..)is obliged to live the same day for hundred of times ,so every day ,for his desperation,he's woke up at 6:00 am by the same song at the radio and meets always the same people who obviously don't realize what is going on and can't understand his drama. I think this one the best comedy of the 90s not only for the Brilliant performance of Bill Murray (absolutely perfect in this role)but in particular for the deeper meaning of the story. In fact Phil's life is a disaster he's selfish,presumptuous, cinic and only when he changes his nature,stopping to use this absurd situation for his goals ,things will be better for him and the 2nd of February finally will be the 3rd!.So knowing perfectly the things of the day he's forced to live ever he starts helping people : save a child who's falling form a tree,save a man hit by an heart attack and so on in this way he also conquest the woman of his dreams (Andy McDowell).So this film is a metaphor.Each of us after all live always the same day (wake at the same time,make the same job,see the same people)without realizing it,maybe we should make like Phil and try to change ,even just a bit,to be better person and to feel better ,is it so difficult ?..

This film left me a sense of empty,the impression is of a big occasion waste.In fact the first half of the picture is really brilliant and thrilling ,the story seems very well thought and the places where the plot is developed are suggestive..but after 1 hour of watching ,the picture starts being a little boring and the good ideas shown during the first half aren't well developed,so the final ,really too easy,can delude the audience!,the plot has too many holes and the talent of the actors (Reno and Cassel ,really very good) isn't enough to save the movie from being banal.With an initial plot like this Hitchcock or Polanski would have realized a masterpiece.. but after the success of "La Haine" Kassowitz ,who has anyway an undeniable talent, doesn't seem (yet) able to realize a film that can finally give him an international credibility.

I think the ones who didn't like this film don't have any imagination or expected too much from it.It's my opinion that TBWP is absolutely the most original horror film of last 20 years.Released with few dollars and many ideas this movie is able to give you a sense of fear from first frame to the last,but only if you accept to be caught into the wood with the three poor students,in this case it's impossible to not be involved in their nightmare.The amazing idea of the movie is to erase every cliche'of horror films,avoiding to show monsters,or "gore" scenes,and the fear comes out from this ..Actually you never see what is really happening but you know that is the most horrible thing possible and the desperate screams of the girl are not easy to forget .This film is the fear of the dark,the fear of the darkest corner of our room into the night,it touches us deeply inside our most ancient fears..fear to be alone and helpless even in the society of mobiles and internet..,fear of the horrible witch that our grandmothers told to scare us And who cares if the whole story is invented ? it works! a scary movie must be scaring and this movie reach this target..after seen it I think you won't go for a picnic in the wood for a long time..

I think this comedy express well the British humor,it's soft,lovely and never rude.Jeff Goldblum ,is Dexter King,an American actor who survives with many problems in London playing in minor roles ,his life is everything but brilliant until he meets a nurse and falls in love with her..Goldblum is really good in this role and can express really well his comic side and once again shows to be a complete actor able to play different roles. Some scenes of the movie are very nice like when he's fired by the unbearable star of the theatre (Rowan Atkinson before being Mr.Bean) or when he asks about his look to a blind man.Emma Thompson is also good but nothing new..we're used to seeing her always perfect ! Even the rest of the cast is good,from the weird Dexter's landlady to the wise blind man..maybe it's not a film you'll never forget but some fun is sure!

I've seen this movie when I was 16 but even now I'm 27 it continues to scare me ! the scene when the girl possessed by the evil ghost goes on typing I LIVE,I LIVE,I LIVE..is maybe one of the scariest I've ever seen.Carpenter directed this low budget movie after the flop of "Big trouble in little China" and released a great scary movie,absolutely not superficial,in fact if we forgive him for some "gore" scenes at the end of the movie,I have to say that his idea to show God and the devil like two faces of the same medal is at same time good and terrible..a film you'll love or hate but surely it won't be indifferent,it could damage your dogmas! .What can I say? another great film by the director of "Halloween" and "Fog".