
A philosophy teacher restless with the need to do something with his life meets a young woman suspected of driving an artist to his death. He finds the very simple Cecilia irritating but develops a sexual rapport with her. Obsessed with the need to own and tormented by her inability to respond to him, he becomes increasingly violent in a quest he can’t name – a quest that slowly begins to undermine his certainties.
Read More »
Tag Archives: french
Les amours imaginaires / Heartbeats (2010) Xavier Dolan, Monia Chokri, Niels Schneider, Drama, Romance

In a story interspersed with interview tales of romantic pitfalls, friendship turns to romantic rivalry for gay man Francis and straight woman Marie when a veritable Adonis named Nicolas enters their lives. Sexual tensions mount as Francis and Marie await Nicolas’ show of preference.
Read More »
Toutes les nuits / Every Night (2001) Eugène Green, Alexis Loret, Adrien Michaux, Christelle Prot, Drama

Re-adapting the themes of first love, the intoxication of desire, and failed ideological revolution (that culminated in the Revolution of 1848) to the May 68 generation through a chronicle of the parallel lives of a pair of childhood friends, the pragmatic Henri (Alexis Loret) and idealistic Jules (Adrien Michaux) as they leave their bucolic, rural hometown to separately pursue their baccalaureate – and real world – educations.
Read More »
Knock (1951) Guy Lefranc, Louis Jouvet, Jean Brochard, Pierre Renoir, Comedy

Saint-Maurice, an ordinary peaceful village, lived healthily so much so that the local doctor’s practice was scant. But that was before Dr. Parpalaid retired and was replaced by a charlatan by the name of Knock. A real genius this one, for he soon managed to persuade everyone that they were ill. And not only didn’t they resent him but they even loved their physician, who made a fortune and brought prosperity to the village by turning it into a big hospital.
Read More »
I Love You (1986) Marco Ferreri, Christopher Lambert, Eddy Mitchell, Flora Barillaro, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

In another indictment of the flaws of our so-called civilization, this satire from the late director Marco Ferreri features Christopher Lambert as Michel, a miserable man who has failed at love and finds solace in a mechanical key holder.
Read More »
La mort d’un tueur (1964) Death of a Killer

When Massa (Robert Hossein) is released from prison, he’s sure that Luciano (Simon Andreu), an old freind, is responsible for his incarceration. Read More »
Marguerite de la nuit / Marguerite of the Night (1955) Claude Autant-Lara, Michèle Morgan, Yves Montand, Jean Debucourt, Drama, Fantasy

An updating of the Faust legend, with a dash of Fritz Lang’s “Der Müde Tod”, to a 1950’s Paris recreated in vividly abstract expressionistic sets.
Read More »
Haut bas fragile / Up, Down, Fragile (1995) Jacques Rivette, Marianne Denicourt, Nathalie Richard, Laurence Côte, Comedy, Musical, Mystery

The film follows the story of three girls in contemporary Paris. One searches for her lost mother since she knows she’s adopted. The other has come out of a coma and needs to have a love relationship aside from his mysterious father. The third one is a crook who redeems herself through love. The action is commented by songs and dance routines.
Read More »
Métamorphoses (2014) Christophe Honoré, Amira Akili, Sébastien Hirel, Mélodie Richard, Fantasy

A girl is approached by a strange boy outside her high school. He asks her to follow him to hear stories where gods fall in love with human beings.
Read More »
Domicile conjugal / Bed and Board (1970) François Truffaut, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claude Jade, Hiroko Berghauer, Comedy, Drama

Some time after “Baisers Volés”, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) and Christine Darbon (Claude Jade) are married and Antoine works dying flowers, and Christine is pregnant and gives private classes of violin. When Christine is near to have a baby, Antoine decides to find a new job, and he succeeds due to a misunderstanding of his employer. In a business meeting, he meets the Japanese Kyoko (Mademoiselle Hiroko) and they have an affair. When Christine accidentally discovers that Antoine has a lover, they separate. But later they miss each other and realize that they do love each other.
Read More »