In the House

 My Rating:

IMDb Users:

(2012)

Language: French

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: François Ozon

Writers: Juan Mayorga, François Ozon

Producers: Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer, Claudie Ossard

Synopsis: A sixteen-year-old boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. Faced with this gifted and unusual pupil, the teacher rediscovers his enthusiasm for his work, but the boy's intrusion will unleash a series of uncontrollable events. -- (Written by Cohen Media)

Cast:

• Fabrice Luchini
• Kristin Scott Thomas
• Vincent Schmitt

IMDb - In the House

Haute Cuisine

 My Rating:

IMDb Users:

(2012)

Language: French

Genre: Biography

Director: Christian Vincent

Writers: Etienne Comar, Christian Vincent, Daniéle Mazet-Delpeuch

Producers: Etienne Comar, Philippe Rousselet

Synopsis: Hortense Laborie (Catherine Frot), a renowned chef from Perigord, is astonished when the President of the Republic (Jean d'Ormesson) appoints her his personal cook, responsible for creating all his meals at the Elysée Palace. Despite jealous resentment from the other kitchen staff, Hortense quickly establishes herself, thanks to her indomitable spirit. The authenticity of her cooking soon seduces the President, but the corridors of power are littered with traps... -- (The Weinstein Company)

Cast:

• Catherine Frot
• Arthur Dupont
• Jean d'Ormesson

IMDb - Haute Cuisine

Monsieur Lazhar

 My Rating:

IMDb Users:

(2011)

Language: French

Genre: Drama

Director: Philippe Falardeau

Writers: Philippe Falardeau, Evelyne de la Chene

Producers: Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Claude Paiement

Synopsis: In Montreal, an elementary school teacher dies abruptly. Having learned of the incident in the newspaper, Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), a 55-year-old Algerian immigrant, goes to the school to offer his services as a substitute teacher. Quickly hired to replace the deceased, he finds himself in an establishment in crisis, while going through his own personal tragedy. -- (Written by Music Box)

Cast:

• Mohamed Fellag
• Sophie Nélisse

IMDb - Monsieur Lazhar

Rust and Bone

 My Rating:

IMDb Users:

(2012)

Language: French

Genre: Drama/Romance

Director: Jacques Audiard

Writers: Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Craig Davidson

Producers: Jacques Audiard, Martine Cassinelli, Pascal Caucheteux, Antonin Dedet, Alix Raynaud, Grégoire Sorlat

  

Nominee

Synopsis: Put in charge of his young son, Alain leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Alain's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident. -- (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Marion Cotillard
• Matthias Schoenaerts

IMDb - Rust and Bone

Three Colors: Red

 My Rating:

IMDb Users:

(1994)

Language: French

Genre: Drama

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Writers: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz

Producers: Yvon Crenn, Marin Karmitz

Synopsis: A beautiful model named Valentine crosses paths with a retired judge, whose dog she runs over with her car. The lonely judge, she discovers, amuses himself by eavesdropping on all of his neighbors' phone conversations. Near Valentine's apartment lives a young man who aspires to be a judge and loves a woman who will betray him. From these characters' proximity comes spiritual kinship and mutual redemption. -- (Written by Miramax Films)

Cast:

• Iréne Jacob
• Jean-Louis Trintignant

IMDb - Three Colors: Red

Polisse

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2011)

Language: French

Genre: Drama

Director: Maïwenn

Writers: Maïwenn, Emmanuelle Bercot

Producers: Alain Attal, Arnaud Bertrand, Dominique Boutonnat, Rémi Burah, Hubert Caillard, Véronique Cuilhe, Stéphane Célérier, Valérie Garcia, Alain Kappauf

Synopsis: Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for 13 César Awards, Polisse follows the daily lives of a tight-knit team of men and women working in the Child Protection Unit of the Parisian police. Basing her richly textured script on real child investigation cases, writer-director actor Maïwenn has gathered an accomplished ensemble cast of French actors who convey the emotional strain of the unit's work with gritty realism. They not only deal with the stress of their jobs but the inevitable fall-out in their personal lives-breakdowns, divorce and adulterous relations within the force. In between, there are frequent flashes of humor as the team attempts to diffuse daily realities. As the cases,confessions and interrogations pile up, the squad members have only each other as support as they face an uphill battle against both criminals and bureaucracy. -- (Written by IFC Films)

Cast:

• Maïwenn
• Joey Starr
• Marina Foïs
• Karin Viard
• Nicolas Duvauchelle
• Riccardo Scamarcio
• Emmanuelle Bercot

IMDb - Polisse

Love Crime

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French/English

Genre: Thriller

Director: Alain Corneau

Writers: Alain Corneau, Natalie Carter

Producers: Saïd Ben Saïd, Alexander Emmert

Synopsis: The final film from director Alain Corneau, Love Crime pits the fiery talents of Ludivine Sagnier and Oscar-nominee Kristin Scott Thomas against each other in a deliciously twisted tale of office politics that turn, literally, cut-throat. When Christine, a powerful executive (Scott Thomas), brings on a naive young ingenue, Isabelle (Sagnier), as her assistant, she delights in toying with her naivete and teaching her hard lessons in a ruthless professional philosophy. But when the protege's ideas become tempting enough for Christine to pass one as her own, she underestimates Isabelle's ambition and cunning- and the ground is set for all out war. In this devilish, propulsive thriller, Corneau sets up the scenery expertly and his actors devour it. -- (Written by IFC Films)

Cast:

• Ludivine Sagnier
• Kristin Scott Thomas

IMDb - Love Crime

The Women on the 6th Floor

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French/Spanish

Genre: Comedy

Director: Philippe Le Guay

Writers: Philippe Le Guay, Jérôme Tonnerre

Producers: Etienne Comar, Philippe Rousselet

Synopsis: Paris, 1960. Jean-Louis (Fabrice Luchini, Potiche) lives a bourgeois existence absorbed in his work, cohabitating peacefully with his neurotic socialite wife Suzanne (Sandrine Kiberlain, Mademoiselle Chambon) while their children are away at boarding school. The couple's world is turned upside-down when they hire a Spanish maid Maria (Natalia Verbeke). Through Maria, Jean-Louis is introduced to an alternative reality just a few floors up on the building's sixth floor, the servants' quarters. He befriends a group of sassy Spanish maids (Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Berta Ojea, Nuria Sole, Concha Calan), refugees of the Franco regime, who teach him there's more to life than stocks and bonds. The women's influence on the house brings change... muy rápido! Official Selection of Berlinale. -- (Written by Strand)

Cast:

• Fabrice Luchini
• Sandrine Kiberlain
• Natalia Verbeke
• Carmen Maura
• Lola Dueñas
• Audrey Fleurot

IMDb - The Women on the 6th Floor

Le Havre

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2011)

Language: French

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Aki Kaurismäki

Writer: Aki Kaurismäki

Producers: Karl Baumgartner, Reinhard Brundig, Hanna Hemilä, Aki Kaurismäki, Stéphane Parthenay, Fabienne Vonier

Synopsis: In this warmhearted portrait of the French harbor city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) into the path of Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoeshiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carné, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight. -- (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• André Wilms
• Kati Outinen
• Blondin Miguel
• Jean-Pierre Darroussin
• Elina Salo
• Evelyne Didi

IMDb - Le Havre

Beautiful Lies

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Pierre Salvadori

Writer: Pierre Salvadori, Benoît Graffin

Producers: Phillippe Martin

Synopsis: An anonymous love letter leads to a slew of misunderstandings in this lighthearted comedy starring Audrey Tautou (Amelie). When Emilie opens a heartfelt love letter from a secret admirer, her first instinct is to throw it in the trash. The skeptical salon owner has a change of heart, however, when she realizes what such a sentiment would mean to her lonely, despondent mother Maddie (Nathalie Baye). On a whim, Emilie forwards the letter, and goes on with her day. But later, when Maddie happens across Jean (Sami Bouajila) - a smitten Arab handyman and the original author of the amorous note - the mother and daughter find themselves in a heated competition for the same man. (Written by Jason Buchanan)

Cast:

• Audrey Tautou
• Nathalie Baye
• Sami Bouajila

IMDb - Beautiful Lies

Heartbeats

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French

Genre: Drama

Director: Xavier Dolan

Writer: Xavier Dolan

Producers: Xavier Dolan, Carole Mondello, Daniel Morin

Synopsis: The story of three close friends who are involved in a love-triangle. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Xavier Dolan
• Monia Chokri
• Niels Schneider

IMDb - Heartbeats

Anything For Her

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2008)

Language: French

Genre: Drama/Action

Director: Fred Cavayé

Writer: Fred Cavayé, Guillaume Lemans

Producers: Christine De Jekel, Olivier Delbosc, Eric Jehelmann, Marc Missionnier, Fernando Victoria de Lecea

Synopsis: With no legal means left to him, a high school teacher devises a daring plan to rescue his wrongfully imprisoned wife from jail. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Vincent Lindon
• Diane Kruger

IMDb - Anything For Her

Father of My Children

 My Rating:

 IMDb Users:

(2009)

Language: French

Genre: Drama

Director: Mia Hansen-Løve

Writer: Mia Hansen-Løve

Producers: Rémi Burah, Oliver Damian, Philippe Martin, David Thion

Synopsis: A film producer struggles with suicidal despair. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Louis-Do de Lencquesaing
• Chiara Caselli
• Alice de Lencquesaing
• Alice Gautier

IMDb - Father of My Children

The Illusionist (jhunterfilmreview)

 My Score:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Drama

Director: Sylvain Chomet

Writer: Jacques Tati, Sylvain Chomet

Producers: Philippe Carcassonne, Sally Chomet, Jake Eberts, Jinko Gotoh, Bob Last

Synopsis: A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Jean-Claude Donda
• Eilidh Rankin

IMDb - The Illusionist

jhunterfilmreview: A truly deserving contender in the 'Best Animated Feature Film' category, at this years Oscars, was L'illusionniste, or The Illusionist. This animated comedy-drama was directed by French born and Oscar nominee Sylvain Chomet. Known for his 2003 animated masterpiece The Triplets of Belleville, and his segment Tour Eiffel in the 2006 drama Paris, Je T'aime - a collection of short films all based on the city of Paris. Although the screenplay was written and developed by Chomet and Henri Marquet, this traditionally stunning animation is based on a 1956 un-produced script written by French mime, director and actor Jacques Tati. Throughout the entire film, there is extremely little dialogue, as its majority is a sorrowful and melancholy look at a lost world - the world of magicians. The minimal dialogue between The Illusionist and Alice features the voices of Jean-Claude Donda and Eilidh Rankin, both whom voice these characters sufficiently. The traditional 2D animation is so breathtakingly beautiful, that i hardly noticed the lack of dialogue at all. Definitely a refreshing break from Pixars constant 3D animation. Not that i have anything against Pixar, or their films. Overall i found this film sweet, funny, nostalgic and ultimately heartbreaking…

...I give this film 7 stars.

The Age of Reason

 My Score:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French/English

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Yann Samuell

Writer: Yann Samuell

Synopsis: Margaret leads her high powered job with an iron hand. On her 40th birthday, a retired
lawyer starts delivering her a series of packages containing letters written by a
little girl: this little girl was Margaret. She wrote the letters when she was 7 years old,
the age of reason. Although reluctant at first to read the letters and stir up these
deeply buried memories, Margaret ends up getting hooked....and suddenly everything
she was ever certain about gets turned upside down. (Written by Anonymous)

Cast:

• Sophie Marceau
• Marton Csokas
• Michel Duchaussoy

 

IMDb - The Age of Reason 

Incendies

 My Score:

 IMDb Users:

(2010)

Language: French/Arabic

Genre: Drama

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Writer: Valerie Beaugrand-Champagne, Wajdi Mouawad, Denis Villeneuve

 

Nominee

Synopsis: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Incendies tells the story of twins Jeanne and Simon, who learn for the first time upon the reading of their mother's will that they have a brother, and the father they thought dead is in fact alive. Shifting back and forth in time, Incendies follows two parallel journeys, expertly interwoven: the twins' journey to their mother's Middle Eastern homeland, and their mother's journey twenty years earlier to find the baby boy she was forced to give up. (Written by Anonymous)

Cast:

• Lubna Azabal
• Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin
• Maxim Gaudette
• Rémy Girard

 

IMDb - Incendies