Frédéric Forestier Movies
- 2008
Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's internationally popular cartoon characters Asterix and Obelix take on the world of athletics in this live-action comedy-adventure. It's 50 B.C., and short but wily Asterix (Clovis Cornillac) and his rotund sidekick Obelix (Gerard Depardieu) hit the road for Rome, where they hope to compete in the Olympic Games. Obelix figures he's a sure bet for a weight-lifting medal until he learns his special strength elixir is against the rules, and Asterix is soon distracted by the behind-the-scenes chicanery. Princess Irina (Vanessa Hessler), a beautiful member of the Greek royal family, is being wooed by well-meaning Lovesix (Stephane Rousseau), who is using love poems stolen from Obelix to win her heart, and untrustworthy Brutus (Benoit Poelvoorde), whose father is the Roman emperor Julius Caesar (Alain Delon). Brutus is eager to take over the throne from his father, and keeps trying to kill Caesar off to speed up the process. Asterix Aux Jeux Olympiques (aka Asterix At The Olympic Games) also features cameo appearances from a number of European sports stars, including Zinedine Zidane, Michael Schumacher and Tony Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clovis Cornillac, Gérard Depardieu, (more)
- 2002
French filmmakers Alain Berberian and Frédéric Forestier direct the buddy action comedy Le Boulet (Dead Weight). Tough criminal Moltes (Gérard Lanvin) lands in jail after killing the brother of the Turk (José Garcia). Prison guard Reggio (Benoît Poelvoorde) lets Moltes have a weekly lottery ticket in exchange for his suave relationship advice. When Moltes learns that he has a winning lottery ticket, he breaks out of jail to claim his money. However, Reggio's girlfriend, Pauline (Rossy de Palma), has the ticket with her in Africa. The action involves the odd couple teaming up to find the ticket while being chased by Det. Youssouf (Djimon Hounsou), along with the vengeful Turk and the Giant (Gary Tiplady). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Lanvin, Benoît Poelvoorde, (more)
- 2001
In France, Bernard Tapie has developed a reputation as a man of many talents and varied interests; he's found success as an actor, a singer, a businessman, the host of a TV talk show, an elected official, a competitive sailor, an advisor to French president François Mitterand, and manager of a championship soccer team. Tapie's achievements are all the more remarkable considering his humble, working-class beginnings, but not all of his publicity has been good; while he's earned fortunes, he has also been forced to declare bankruptcy, and after his soccer team won the European Cup, it was discovered that he paid off players from other teams to ensure that they'd lose, which led to a six-month stay in jail. American documentary filmmaker Marina Zenovich became fascinated by Tapie's story, and flew to Paris in order to meet him and make a film about his life. Who Is Bernard Tapie? concerns itself with Tapie's roller-coaster ride in the public eye, as well as his intensely secretive nature regarding his private life; the film also offers an amusing perspective on Zenovich's somewhat obsessive interest in her subject, who isn't so certain he wants to cooperate with her. Who Is Bernard Tapie? was shown in competition at the 2001 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
This well-wrought Canadian direct-to-video actioner (in large part a knock-off of the Die Hard series) stars Dolph Lundgren as a maverick American Air Force pilot who during a flight disobeys orders and drops a large shipment of food for a starving group of Middle Eastern refugees. Too embarrassed by the publicity to discipline him formally, the Air Force gives him a new assignment: he is to carry the President's black bag, a special briefcase loaded with a computer that the Executive in Chief can use to launch a nuclear war. Following a press conference, the former pilot and the president (Roy Scheider) return to their hotel. Later, the floor on which they stay is overrun by terrorists who want to use the black bag to launch an attack on Washington D.C. During the scuffle, the pilot manages to escape, but not before the bag is grabbed by the terrorists. Later the hostage takers demand that the President commit suicide on television. If he refuses, then they will blow up the capitol city. Assisted by the only other man to survive the terrorist's initial attack, the pilot must somehow stop them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dolph Lundgren, Michael Sarrazin, (more)
