Jean Cazes Movies

In writer/director/composer/cinematographer Siegfried's handheld whirlwind of a movie Sansa, the title character is an ethnically ambiguous street hustler played by Roschdy Zem. Sansa travels the globe, hawking and bartering on the street, selling tourists sketches of themselves and consistently running afoul of police, airport security, and military personnel, all the while keeping a sharp eye out for beautiful women. When Sansa sees an attractive woman, he has a tendency to follow her wherever he goes, and as he travels from country to country, covering France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Russia, India, Japan, Egypt, Portugal, and Ghana, this pattern pretty much stays the same. At some point during a particularly heated pursuit, he inadvertently steps onto the stage where a ballet is being rehearsed. The elderly orchestra conductor, an internationally renowned musician named Click (Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis), chides him for interrupting the rehearsal, but later invites him to a café. The two strike up an unlikely friendship, based in part on their shared admiration for beautiful young women. Thereafter, Sansa seems to run into Click wherever he goes. In Italy, Sansa chats up Valentina (Valentina Cervi) until her boyfriend shows up and chases him off. In Spain, he interrupts a woman's (Emma Suarez) boardroom business presentation to sweet-talk her. In Japan, he meets an old friend, June (Ayako Fujitani), who laments his inevitable departure. In Russia, he gets caught in a crossfire between soldiers and Chechen rebels. Sansa was shown by the Film Society of Lincoln Center as part of its 2004 Rendez-Vous With French Cinema series. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Conner MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) returns in this, the third film in the Highlander series. MacLeod is an "Immortal," a 16th century Scottish soldier who has been both blessed and cursed with the gift of eternal life. After the death of his beloved wife (a common occurrence for him, but one he's never gotten used to), MacLeod travels to Japan during the feudal era where he encounters a fellow immortal, the wizard and swordsman Nakano (Mako). Nakano and MacLeod become friends, and the Scott learns many valuable lessons from the wise magician; however, when Nakamo's arch enemy Kane (Mario Van Peebles) -- an immortal who has pledged himself to evil -- finds the sorcerer's hideaway, he promptly chops off the magician's head. The attack causes Nakamo's cave to collapse with Kane trapped inside, and McLeod narrowly escapes. Moving into the 20th century, MacLeod is in New York City where he's become romantically involved with Alex Johnson (Deborah Unger), an archeologist who is planning a dig in Japan; however, the site she's excavating just so happens to be the cave where Kane remains trapped inside. Once the villain is freed, he sets out to find MacLeod and determine once and for all who is to be the final immortal. Highlander: The Final Dimension was trimmed of two sex scenes for its American theatrical release, though they were restored when the film was brought out on home video. Despite the suggestion of the title "The Final Dimension," a fourth Highlander film was released in 2000. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Hollywood wannabes struggle to succeed while striving for relationships that are doomed to fail in this gloomy comedy-drama from writer-director Alexandre Rockwell. Rosie Perez stars as Mercedes, a transplanted New Yorker now living in East L.A. and taxi dancing at a seedy Hollywood strip joint. Mercedes has dreams of achieving stardom as an actress, but her lack of talent means that her goal will probably always elude her. Her travels take her into contact with several eccentric characters including a sage transvestite (Steve Buscemi), a showbiz insider (Sam Fuller), a savvy bartender (Quentin Tarantino), and her useless agent George (Stanley Tucci). Although he won't leave his wife, Mercedes worships her boyfriend Harry Harrelson (Harvey Keitel), once a prominent actor on a TV western whose glory days are long past. In the meantime, Ernesto (Michael DeLorenzo), a faithful customer and gravedigger, falls helplessly in love with Mercedes, but his passion is unrequited, even though he tattoos Mercedes' name across his chest. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Insurance investigator Ronald Fox Terrier (Michel Serrault) looks into a questionable claim of disability feigned by Papu (Jean Poiret) in this situation comedy. When both men are dunked into the waters at a holy shrine, the faking Papu finds himself unable to get out of his wheelchair, while Ronald's mute voice is miraculously restored. Terrier has an affair with the vamp Sabine (Jeanne Moreau) before returning home to his emotionally detached wife (Sylvie Joly). ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi