Anne Marie Pisani Movies
- 2002
Director Sergei Bodrov takes a break from his usual socio-political dramas in Bear's Kiss, a surreal fairy tale following Lola (Rebecca Liljeberg), the 14-year-old daughter of long-time circus employees, and her love affair with a shape-shifting bear who calls himself Misha (Sergei Bodrov Jr.). When her father, Marco (Maurizio Donadoni), is killed in a tragic car accident, the circus caravan travels to Spain, where several gypsy fortune-tellers explain the mysterious art of shape-shifting and the responsibilities it entails. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rebecca Liljeberg, Joachim Krol, (more)
Director Peter Hyams brings the modern choreography talents of famed Hong Kong fight sequence designer Xin Xin Xiong to this action adventure that departs widely from its classic novel source material, focusing exclusively on the D'Artagnan character and either excising other characters completely or relegating them to minor supporting roles. Justin Chambers stars as D'Artagnan, a country-bred lad whose skill with a sword has led to aspirations of becoming a Musketeer, one of the French king's elite guard. Upon arriving in Paris, however, he finds that the Musketeers have been disbanded by order of Cardinal Richelieu (Stephen Rea), who is usurping the king's authority with the help of a lethally gifted henchman, Febre (Tim Roth). Soon, D'Artagnan is embroiled in an effort to prevent a war between his native country and England, meeting up with a beautiful love interest (Mena Suvari) along the way. As he has often done before, director Hyams doubles as his own cinematographer. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Deneuve, Mena Suvari, (more)
- 1998
Canada's favorite cinematic hockey team returns in this slick, fast-paced comedy that features some of Quebec's most popular film and television stars. The film's 1997 predecessor grossed more money than any other French-Canadian film. The sequel begins as Les Boys, a championship amateur Montreal hockey team, flies to France to participate in an international competition in the alpine village of Chamonix. This time, rather than focusing on the team's on-ice hijinks, director Louis Saia spends the first part of the story on the characters as they attempt to cope with the cultural differences between themselves and the native French while also taking time to explore the romances between team lothario Bob and a local girl, and Coach Stan who involves himself with Violette, the owner of a local bistro. The on-ice action picks up when the tournament begins, and Les Boys promptly lose to a rag-tag West African team. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marc Messier, Rémy Girard, (more)
- 1995
- R
Not a strict adaptation of the oft-filmed Victor Hugo classic, director Claude Lelouch's ambitious epic instead focuses on the story of two men, a father and a son, whose life stories bear striking similarities to Hugo's character Jean Valjean. The father is Henri Fortin (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a chauffeur (in 1900) wrongly accused of his employer's murder. Like Valjean, he is subjected to a harsh and unfair prison sentence. While Henri vainly attempts to escape his unjust fate, his family suffers, with his wife forced to raise their young son alone. The film jumps ahead several decades to show the adult life of this son (also Belmondo), a former boxer turned furniture mover who agrees to help smuggle a Jewish lawyer (Michel Boujenah) out of France during the Nazi occupation. Along the way, the lawyer reads to the younger Fortin from Les Misérables, and Fortin begins to imagine himself in the role of Jean Valjean, on the run from the obsessive Inspector Javert. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Boujenah, (more)
- 1994
This African comedy takes a sharp, satiric poke at one of the white colonialist's most sacred cows--the humanitarian work of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. The film was shot beside Ganon's Ogooue River in Lambarene, where the real Schweitzer did most of his work, and the settings are more realistic than romanticized. The story covers the last 25 years in the Great White's African stay, and observes the changing African attitudes towards the good doctor's frequently condescending ministrations. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1993
- R
Entangled, directed by Max Fischer, is a confusing, indifferently acted story of fashion-model Annabelle (Laurence Treil) and the men who fall in love with her. In flashbacks, Annabella meets writer David Merkin (Judd Nelson) who writes a novel which she submits anonymously to a competition. David, jealous of Annabella, and aided by his photographer friend, Max (Roy Dupuis), follows Annabella to the chateau belonging to mysterious Patrick Garavan (Pierce Brosnan) where he observes her being photographed in a menage-a-tois. After an accidental murder, several plot twists and a car-crash, the film reaches a confusing, unsatisfying conclusion. Entangled is adapted from the French novel Les Veufs, written by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac who wrote many celebrated mystery novels. Here, despite all, the plot drags along, until the improbable, highly confusing conclusion, which director Fischer attempts unsuccessfully to explain using flashbacks and a narrative. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Nelson, Laurence Treil, (more)
- 1993
- R
Claude Berri's angry, ambitious epic, based on the 19th-century novel by Emile Zola, re-creates, as does the novel, the gut-wrenching poverty and the intense day-by-day struggles of striking French coal-miners in 1884 at the Voreux mines of France. The film centers upon the bitter toils of Maheu (Gerard Depardieu) and his family -- consisting of his iron-willed wife (Miou-Miou) and their daughter Catherine (Judith Henry), who also works in the mines. When a new miner, Etienne Lantier (Renaud), comes to Voreux to seek work, he is befriended by Maheu, who takes him on his mining crew and allows him to stay at his home. Etienne is also an organizer for a new miner's union and, as conditions in the Voreux mines worsen, Etienne convinces Maheu to organize a miner's strike. Meanwhile, Etienne is attracted to Catherine, and Catherine to him, but she doesn't act upon her feelings, taking up, instead, with Chaval (Jean-Roger Milo), a local ne'er do well. As conditions in the mines become more desperate and unsafe, and the owners propose to cut wages, Maheu at last stages a massive strike of the miners. When that happens, the owners send in armed soldiers to defend the mines. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, (more)
- 1992
In this comedy, veterinarian Henri Sauveur (Jean Rochefort) maintains his dignity and calm in the face of an incredible number of irritating or even genuinely upsetting encounters with inveterate pains-in-the-neck. He suffers from the rudeness (and worse) of Parisian drivers, his relatives, and friends and clients. All the same, he manages to convey an admirable appearance of insouciance and a devil-may-care attitude. That is, until he meets the redoubtable Louise Sherry (Miou-Miou). He is so smitten with her charms that his artfully maintained defenses crumble pitifully, and he is reduced to confiding his troubles to a bemused but sympathetic female chimpanzee. This fast-paced comedy features some of France's best-loved actors and comedians, including Claude Brasseur, Jean Yanne, and Jacques Villeret) in walk-on performances. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Rochefort, Miou-Miou, (more)
- 1992
- R
Virginie is the daughter of the local bar owner and has ambitions to become a writer. She is an upbeat and inquisitive girl. In her mountain town just after World War II, the two local children at the top of the economic ladder are the grown, orphaned siblings Anne and Jacques, both of whom are in love with the vivacious Virginie. However, Anne gets to her first, and the two of them share a deep romantic bond which Virginie writes about in her diary. Jacques can tell that his beloved is in love with someone else, and he is deeply jealous. One day he steals her diary and finds many entries in it about a mysterious person named "Paul." To Virginie's dismay, her enraged male suitor reads intimate passages from her diary to the villagers passing through the town square after church. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Élodie Bouchez, Benoît Magimel, (more)
In this French adventure, two Parisian street kids embark upon a strange journey to Grenoble in the back of a delivery truck. One of the lads is an adolescent Spanish graffiti artist while the other is an 11-year-old black rapper. Once there, the young boy is delighted to see his first snowfall. The two steal a car and discover an old man sleeping in the back. The boys then discover, that he is not a man at all, but an enigmatic forest spirit who teaches them important lessons about nature and life. This was the last film of classic French actor Yves Montand, who died of heart failure (as did his character in the film) during the shooting in 1991. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yves Montand, Olivier Martinez, (more)
A post-apocalyptic future becomes the setting for pitch black humor in this visually intricate French comedy. The action takes place within a single apartment complex, which is owned by the same man that operates the downstairs butcher shop. It's a particularly popular place to live, thanks to the butcher's uncanny ability to find excellent cuts of meat despite the horrible living conditions outside. The newest building superintendent, a former circus clown, thinks he has found an ideal living situation. All that changes, however, when he discovers the true source of the butcher's meat, and that he may be the next main course. This dark tale is played out in a brilliantly designed, glorious surreal alternate world reminiscent of the works of director Terry Gilliam, who co-presented the film's American release. Like Gilliam, co-directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro hail from an animation background, and have a fondness for extravagant visuals, absurdist plot twists, and a sense of humor that combines sharp satire with broad slapstick and gross-out imagery. This mixture may displease the weak of stomach, but those attuned to the film's sensibility will be delighted by the obvious technical virtuosity and wicked sense of humor. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, (more)
- 1990
- PG
An American comic (Patsy Kensit) is trying to make it in the comedy dens of Paris, but her soon-to-expire visa forces her to visit a marriage broker. He fixes her up with a songwriter (Stephane Freiss), but French immigration remains suspicious even after the marriage. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Erotic, funny, and very French, this film relies heavily on the critically-acclaimed performance of Jean Rochefort. As a child, Antoine (Rochefort) was obsessed with the ample beautician who cut his hair, and since then, his single ambition in life has been to marry a hairdresser. As an adult, Antoine meets a woman (Anna Galiena) who seems to be the perfect incarnation of his childhood fantasies. He promptly marries her, then spends most of his daylight hours sitting in her shop, watching her every move. They are so crazy in love that some days they close up early to be alone. As time passes the shop becomes their entire world. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Rochefort, Anna Galiena, (more)
- 1989
In this frothy comedy, Lucie (Patricia Dinve) never knew her father, but she somehow finds out he has recently died and is to be buried on a certain day at a certain cemetary. In a belated attempt to connect with her roots, she rushes to the cemetary and joins a funeral gathering. She gets to know the people at the ceremony and is soon embroiled in an art smuggling scheme and has some (probably incestuous) romantic feelings for a young man she believes may be her brother. Eventually she finds out that she went to the wrong part of the cemetary and that these people are not her kin. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Magali Noël
- 1989
- R
One of the first films by Polish director Agnieszka Holland to gain international acclaim, this drama is a joint French-American production based loosely on the real-life story of the dissident Polish priest Jerzy Popieluszko. In the early 1980s, as the democracy and labor movement known as Solidarity was challenging Soviet authority in Poland, an outspoken priest, Father Alek (Christopher Lambert), defies martial law and continues to rally followers around the cause of Solidarity. The Soviet-controlled Polish government enlists a police official, Stefan (Ed Harris), to stop the priest. Stefan, a devoted party follower, finds that the only way he can silence Father Alek is to have him killed. Along the way, however, the priest has a profound influence on Stefan. Among those in minor roles are Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Pete Postlethwaite, and Tim Roth. Holland would go on to direct The Secret Garden and Washington Square. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lambert, Ed Harris, (more)
- 1989
This is a highly adapted cinematic rendition of the great Russian opera Boris Godunov (1874), originally composed by Modest Mussorgsky (and later modified by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Dmitri Shostakovich and others). The opera is based on a play by the great Russian dramatist Alexander Pushkin. It tells a story of tragic proportions about a 16th century Czar of Russia. With so many culture heroes involved in one monolithic musical masterpiece (it is quite long), it is little wonder that any attempt to adapt it to the screen or change the focus of the original is likely to provoke howls of outrage from devotees of the original opera. That is precisely what happened with this well-intentioned international production. In addition to cutting over an hour out of the original production, it spends a great deal of time on the bedroom exploits of the various characters in the story. There is also some anachronistic material included that is intended to heighten the political commentary that is already present in the original opera. In the story, which is too long and involved to do more than summarize here, the tumultuous reign of the capable but ruthless Russian Czar Boris Godunov is narrated from the time he accepts the crown to his death. The Czar's brief reign (1598-1605) is characterized by intrigues, plots, betrayals, attempted coups, murders, and nearly every kind of calamity that can befall a leader. His only comfort is that he can bequeath his unruly empire to his son on his deathbed. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruggero Raimondi, Kenneth Riegel, (more)
The troubled life of French sculptor Camille Claudel and her long relationship with legendary sculptor Auguste Rodin are portrayed in this passionate biographical drama, featuring an acclaimed performance by Isabelle Adjani. Beginning in the 1880s with a young Claudel's first meeting with Rodin, the film traces the development of their intense romantic bond. The growth of this relationship coincides with the rise of Claudel's career, helping her overcome prejudices against female artists. However, their romance soon sours, due to the increasing pressures of Rodin's fame and his love for another woman. These difficulties combine with her increasing doubts about the value of her work to drive Claudel into an emotional tumult that threatens to become insanity. First-time director Bruno Nuytten had previously served as a cinematographer, and he brings this experience to bear in his loving presentation of Claudel's sculpture and the lavish period setting. The dramatic approach is in tune with the impressive visuals, which present Claudel's life as a grandiose melodrama, a transformation that irritated some critics. However, few questioned the film's value as a dramatic showcase for Adjani, whose fervent portrayal was rewarded with an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The American release version was cut to 159 minutes. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, (more)
- 1987
A fading television personality and radio quiz-show host is shielded by his right-hand man from learning his show has been cancelled in this situation comedy. Rivetot (Gerard Jugnot) is the loyal longtime assistant to Mortez (Jean Rochefort) who believes the news of the show's demise will be fatal to his boss. He tries to keep the news from Mortez as long as possible as the show travels from town to town. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Rochefort, Gérard Jugnot, (more)
