20 January 2023.
By Neptune
BABYLON ***1/2
Here is an unabashed homage to the magic and enchantment of cinema by Damien Chazelle, the writer/director who made that other love letter to filmdom, LALALAND, which was a romantic though tragic take on the effects of Tinseltown on its characters set in a musical. Babylon takes a deeper look at the rot beneath all the glitter of stardom. One part of the film shows the depraved, outrageous excesses of fame, power and money, while the other continues to believe in the wonder and escapism of films.
This is a work not easily forgotten, neither its highs nor its lows. You’ll either love its passion for cinema or hate its exaggerated depiction of the bacchanal scenes during 1920s Hollywood in which the film is set. It certainly shows the underbelly of the glamour, along with all the grinding work that went into silent films as they morphed into “talkies”.
Most of all, it has the outlandish characters who are in, and behind, these movies. There is Brad Pitt who perfectly embodies the debonair matinee idol of the 1920s, Margot Robbie who is the unstable and talented wannabe, and a magnetic newcomer, Diego Calva, who rises from a producer’s lackey to become a producer himself. The film follows their ups and downs during the evolution of cinema, and it’s a wild and woolly ride. It’s also a lengthy one, a bit more than three hours, but time passes quickly when you’re being debauched and delighted…
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CHARLOTTE RAMPLING in Geneva!
SHAKESPEARE/BACH
An exceptional evening of poetry and music
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING recites Shakespeare to the music of Bach and Monteverdi at the BFM ! February 2nd at 20h. Put it already in your agendas!
The great English actress Charlotte Rampling with her deep, distinctive voice has had a long and illustrious career. Now, in the autumn of her years, she will be presenting the sonnets of her immemorial compatriot Shakespeare set to the music of Bach and Monteverdi played by the cellist Sonia Wieder-Atherton, a prominent student of Mstislav Rostropovich. Make sure you do not miss this unique presentation combining the arts of literature, music and cinema.
This both modern and baroque creation was originally presented last March at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris.
(In English with subtitles.)
Our Le News readers will receive a 10% discount on tickets if they mention code: NS10 online at Charlotte Rampling.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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