"Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis"

4.5 Potatoes

Finally the film "Welcome to the Sticks" (2008) - Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis by Danny Boon is going to be released here in the US. It will be available on iTune. Not in theaters but at least people can see it. It is just amazingly ridiculously funny. Do not worry, the subtitle is pretty well done, so either you are French speaker or not, you can fully enjoy this crazy paced film.

Experience Danny Boon, he is very talented and funny comedian-actor-filmmaker. The remake of this film will be released in the US someday, it is still in the works. At the COLCOA 2011, Mr.Boon said "I saw the first draft of script. In France then they will write the second draft. But here they fired the writer!" and he continued saying the project is going through a difficult moment with the Hollywood way of doing business...

The Original version is Super Highly recommended!

Official Site (FR): http://www.chtinn.com/

Synopsis: Although living a comfortable life in Salon-de-Provence, a charming town in the South of France, Julie has been feeling depressed for a while. To please her, Philippe Abrams, a post office administrator, her husband, tries to obtain a transfer to a seaside town, on the French Riviera, at any cost. The trouble is that he is caught red-handed while trying to scam an inspector. Philippe is immediately banished to the distant unheard of town of Bergues, in the Far North of France. Leaving his child and wife behind, the crucified man leaves for his frightening destination, a dreadfully cold place inhabited by hard-drinking, unemployed rednecks, speaking an incomprehensible dialect called Ch'ti. Philippe soon realizes that all these ideas were nothing but prejudices and that Bergues is not synonymous with hell... (IMDb)


USA: Available on iTune on September 15th, 2011

Quote of the Day - French

"La pluie tombe comme nous tombons amoureux : en déjouant les prévisions." - Martin Page

"Point Blank"

I am so glad to hear that the new French movie "Point Blank" (2010) - À Bout Portant by Fred Cavayé is going to be released in Los Angeles and New York this month.

It is an action thriller movie starring Gilles Lellouche who is now a rising main role actor who has been in fact in the movie industry for a long time and was known for the best co-star often supporting the main character in the movie. Other cast include Gérard Lanvin and Roshdy Zem.


Synopsis: Samuel Pierret (Gilles Lellouche) is a nurse who saves the wrong guy -- a thief (Roschdy Zem) whose henchmen take Samuel's pregnant wife (Elena Anaya) hostage to force him to spring their boss from the hospital. A race through the subways and streets of Paris ensues, and the body count rises. Can Samuel evade the cops and the criminal underground and deliver his beloved to safety? (IMDb)

Synopsis (FR): Tout va pour le mieux pour Samuel et Nadia : lui est bientôt infirmier et elle, attend son premier enfant. Mais tout bascule lorsque Nadia se fait kidnapper sous l'oeil impuissant de Samuel. A son réveil, son portable retentit : il a trois heures pour sortir de l'hôpital dans lequel il travaille un homme sous surveillance policière. Le destin de Samuel est désormais lié à celui de Sartet, une figure du banditisme activement recherchée par tous les services de police. S'il veut revoir sa femme vivante, Samuel doit faire vite.. (AlloCiné)


Official Site: http://www.pointblankmovie.com/

USA: In Theaters in L.A. and New York,  July 29, 2011

Quote of the Day - English

A beautiful quote...

"Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver the other gold."
- Anonymous




Thank you Stephanie for sharing this with me!

"The Chameleon"

2 Potatoes

The based on the biography by the famous French child impostor Frédéric Bourdin, "The Chameleon" (2010) by Jean-Paul Salomé is finally released in Los Angeles.

The story is truly interesting though the movie itself was weak. I thought they could have done better, more intense and more detailed. Ellen Barkin's performance was amazing though. She really changed her appearance.

Too bad, I could only give you 2 potatoes Marc-André Grondin!

Frédéric Bourdin News: Missing Nicholas Barclay

Synopsis: The amazing true story of Frédéric Bourdin, who after having plundered all the centers for runaway minors and deliquents in Europe, even thought he has come of age, now passes himself off as Nicholas Barclay, a 13-year-old American who had vanished three years ago. To his astonishment, Nicholas's family welcomes him like their son, leaving Interpol and the FBI aghast. It is the beginning of a race against time for the investigators, family and Bourdin. But who is manipulating whom? And who is Frederic Bourdin in reality? (IMDb)


USA: In Theater Now

"The Beginners"

3 Potatoes

I just saw the movie "The Beginners" (2010) by Mike Mills this afternoon. It was very different from what I expected from the theater preview/trailer. I had an impression that this movie would be more comical and Hollywood-ish film. But I was completely wrong.

The way this film was created is very interesting, it gives you a moment to digest at a few separated points through out the movie. I kind of liked it. It shows you how to adapt yourself to life or to certain situation and deal with it, at the end it is not necessary a bad thing.

The only problem for me was the girl friend, she didn't reveal herself too much in the movie that I personally didn't see the strong connection between the main character and her.

After all, I still recommend anyone to see this movie.


USA: In Theater Now