19 January 2020. By Neptune. 1917 **** This film by English director Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”, “Revolutionary Road”, “Skyfall”) is not your usual war film. Not about the Russian Revolution of the same year but about WWI, it is dedicated to his grandfather’s stories of that conflict. Instead of making it ultra realistic as were […]
FILM: VITTORIO DESICA’s Italian classics
10 January 2020. By Neptune. THE VITTORIO DESICA RETROSPECTIVE at the GRUTLI The best thing in town this week, other than the films I have previously reviewed, is the exceptional Italian retrospective continuing at the GRUTLI CINEMAS until 16 January 2020. Some of the highlights of the great years of Italian cinema that remain are: […]
FILM: THE GOOD LIAR ***
3 January 2020. By Neptune. THE GOOD LIAR *** Two superb actors from the grand culture of English drama – Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen – are enough reason to pull you into this intriguing tale of deception. They play two ageing people searching online for the right partner with whom to share their mature […]
FILM: ECHO – vignettes of life up in the cold dark north – 4 stars
27 December 2019. By Neptune. ECHO **** (vo Icelandic) What is it that makes Icelandic films so unique and exceptional? Is it their simplicity about human traits and foibles? Is it their attention to the lesser of us, those who are lonely? Is it their deadpan humor and minute observation of the banalities of life? […]
FILM: MARRIAGE STORY – honest, raw, decent – 4 stars
Neptune’s film picks 20 December 2019. By Neptune. MARRIAGE STORY **** This film will leave you dazed with its honesty, its raw emotions, its decency. It’s really about the trauma of divorce rather than about marriage. And yet it is also about evolving, modern love that maybe expects too much from its partners. For these […]
MUSICAL SPECTACLE – SI MOLIÈRE M’ETAIT CHANTÉ
If you enjoyed the talented and amusing MAITRES CHANTEURS at the Salle Centrale Madeleine in early December (and coming again in late February 2020), you’ll be bowled over by their musical rendition of MOLIERE called SI MOLIÈRE M’ETAIT CHANTÉ on the 18th and 19th of December. A great French classic turned into a musical evening […]
FILM: JUMANJI – THE NEXT LEVEL – a quality ‘popcorn blockbuster’
13 December 2019. By Neptune. JUMANJI – THE NEXT LEVEL *** Here is what can be called a quality ‘popcorn blockbuster’. If you’re looking for a good family outing, this is great fun for kids from 5 to 95, with fast-paced action and story, and clever acting by all involved. This is the fourth installment […]
FILM: THE TWO POPES – ordinary, troubled human beings
6 December 2019. By Neptune. THE TWO POPES **** The first time I heard about this film I thought it was based in the 14th century when there were two popes, in Rome and Avignon. Well it is not. It is about the two last living Popes, Benedict and Francis. Revealing a secret meeting they […]
MUSICAL SPECTACLE – Attention, Maîtres Chanteurs
They are back in town! At the Salle Centrale Madelaine, 4 and 5 December, 2019 and 24, 25 and 26 February, 2020. Dear folks, even if you don’t speak French, run to any of the 5 evenings of this delightful musical – early December and end of February – with the super-talented and charming Raphaëlle […]
FILM: PROXIMA – to be a mother or an astronaut, that is the question
29 November 2019. By Neptune. Here’s an array of varied, entertaining films to fill your week. Do go out and see them! PROXIMA ***1/2 To be a mother or an astronaut, that is the question. The lovely Eva Green plays here an accomplished career woman who is being trained for a lengthy mission, Proxima, to […]
