Movie Review Archive - V

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Va Savoir (PG13)
This French screwball comedy really takes it's time. A touring theater group sets up shop in Paris and the director and leading lady (who are romantically involved) get acquainted and reacquainted with the many of the locals. Veteran French director Jacques Rivette lets this film meander and tease. The result is a leisurely paced piece in which after much ado, the principle characters end up more or less where they started. This movie will definitely not satisfy mainstream American tastes. Clocking in at a whopping two hours and thirty minutes, I appreciated Va Savior but it definitely didn't knock me out. Escargot anyone? In French with subtitles.

Vanilla Sky (R)
Tom Cruise stars as millionaire playboy David Aames, who's life is forever changed by an unstable sex partner/friend (Cameron Diaz) who mistakes sex for intimacy and lust for love. Director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous) brings a film to the screen that is complex, intriguing and challenging. Like Mulholland Drive, Vanilla Sky presents several versions of what may or may not be real. Unlike Mullholland Drive though, this film is very much self-explanatory. A full week elapsed between the time Sky was released and I had a chance to see it. During that week, I spoke to many people who had already seen this film and every single one of them told me that they didn't understand it. Without giving away anything, I will say that this movie is FULLY EXPLAINED in a rooftop scene overlooking Manhattan during the final 15 minutes. I really enjoyed Vanilla Sky. I'm recommending it, however, you must PAY CLOSE ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY AT THE END! Also starring Penelope Cruz and Kurt Russell. Is it just me or does this movie have a preponderance of Camerons and Cruises? 121 minutes.

A Very Long Engagement (R)
As World War One rages throughout France, a young woman (Audrey Tautou) searches for her fiancé who is presumed dead. Beautiful and brutal. This is a very long film and in French with subtitles. If you are willing to put in the time and effort you will be richly rewarded. 134 minutes.

View From The Top (PG-13)
A small-town woman (Gwyneth Paltrow) with asparagus of a better life decides that becoming a flight attendant is her ticket out. This wonderfully silly film also feature the weird and wacky Mike Myers (Austin Powers) as her cross-eyed instructor and the brassy (brassy means that you annoy people) Candice Bergen as her mentor. Also starring Mark Ruffalo and Christina Applegate (you go now). 87 minutes.