valkyrie31 Reviews

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

A wonderful movie

[9/10 · 8 February 2005]

I went to see this film tonight. I hoped I'd like it, but had no idea if I would or not. So dutifully paid my 10 euros or whatever it was and settled into my seat with an open mind.

Well, I loved it. It is beautifully shot, in black and white, like a Jean Cocteau film. Such a simple concept. I found it really visually rewarding. Great actors etc. Highly recommended!

It is slow in places (I mean it IS just people having coffee and cigarettes...) so if you prefer action movies with blood and gore, DON'T GO!! If, on the other hand, you like intelligent, funny, beautiful films, then off you scuttle to the cinema.

8 Women (2002)

A very French film ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

[27 October 2004]

I felt like watching a French film so got this on DVD, without realising it was a musical. I'm not a great musical fan so was a bit disappointed when I finally noticed on the back cover it was one, but thought I'd give it a go anyway.

This is a visually sumptuous film, the colour, lighting and costumes hyper-realistic and beautiful. Most of the action takes place in one central space. I enjoyed the classic plot twists and the interaction between the women.

The singing parts were a bit bizarre, but some of the songs were actually rather good.

However, I was a bit disappointed by the denouement - the simplistic 'tragic' end (the final twist in the tale, etc etc) didn't measure up to the rest of the film.

This is really a typical French movie with typical French movie themes - to wit, incest, 'girl-on-girl' action and the belief that love can never be positive or constructive but must always be tragic and destructive.

Overall, not bad, if you can forgive the obvious flaws.

Nousukausi (2003)

watchable and enjoyable *** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***

[27 October 2004]

Maybe you have to live in Finland to truly get it, but I thought this film was funny and entertaining. Despite a couple of plot holes the premise was great (rich yuppies paying good money for an 'extreme' experience of living on the dole!) and played on the stereotypical idea of the trustworthy (and hence trusting) Finn who is honest to a fault being prey to more corrupt characters.

The sex scene might have been "gratuitous", but it was also funny and Kari-Pekka Toivonen is just plain lovely in it. And it was a point well made about how easy it is to behave in a different way when you find yourself in a different setting.

All in all this was an entertaining and rather gentle film. Enjoy!