"Welcome to the North" - Benvenuti al Nord

3.5 potatoes

Finally, finally, finally saw the remake of "Welcome to the Sticks" (2008) - Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis by my beloved Mr. Dany Boon. Nothing can be funnier than this. But I must say, I enjoyed it pretty much...

This first remake "Welcome to the North" (2012) - Benvenuti al Nord was created in Italian by Italian director Luca Miniero and was produced by Dany Boon.

The original film was very well respected in this remake, and it was intelligently arranged in the way to follow the culture and its custom well. For example the main character goes to North of France and encounters the sticks with thick accent, but in the Italian remake, the Neapolitan with thick accent goes to North, to Milan, and encounters the different culture and so on. All the necessities from the original film was well marinated into the remake.
I thought it was very well done.

Angela Finocchiaro's double cast in the film was hilarious!

Highly recommended. BUT make sure to watch the original first!!
By the way, finally the American remake will be released in 2013. FYI.

"Welcome to the Sticks"

Synopsis (ENG): Alberto e Mattia live marital crisis. Silvia doesn't like Milan because of its pollution and she accuses Alberto to be an egoist. In the meantime, Mattia lives with his wife Maria and his son Edinson into his mother's house. Despite himself, he goes to work in Milan. The impact of the Neapolitan on this city is terrible but slowly, the prejudices begin to disappear. (Los Angeles Italia Film Festival)

Synopsis (IT): In Benvenuti al Nord, Alberto e Mattia, sono in crisi con le rispettive mogli. Silvia detesta Milano a causa delle polveri sottili e dell'ozono troposferico e accusa Alberto di pensare solo al lavoro e poco a lei. Intanto Mattia, il solito irresponsabile, vive con la moglie Maria e il figlio Edinson a casa della madre, lavora poco e proprio non riesce a pronunciare la parola "mutuo". Mattia suo malgrado finirà a lavorare a Milano, incastrato dall'ingenuità dei suoi amici che lo affidano alle cure di Alberto. L'impatto del napoletano con la città sarà terribile: partito con un giubbotto fendinebbia il povero Mattia finirà col rovinare la sua vita e quella dell'amico Alberto. Ma, piano piano, i pregiudizi inizieranno a sciogliersi... (Comingsoon.it)


Official Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQKJvLexYEE


USA: Not Available JUST Yet

"3"

3 Potatoes

Finally saw Tom Tykwer's latest film "3" (2010) - Drei on DVD.
Fun editing style, great music as usual and very Tykwer-esque.
You have to be very concentrated watching this film, no distraction otherwise you can get lost very easily. In fact, I rewound it a few times!

I enjoyed the story, interesting subject, but the end.... meh for me.

But I must say the actress Sophie Rois's acting was brilliant.


Synopsis (ENG): Berliners Hanna and Simon, a couple in their 40s, have grown comfortable in their marriage. Independently, each meets and romances Adam, a handsome younger man. When Hanna becomes pregnant, all three must face what they've tried to ignore. (Netflix)


Synopsis (GER): 20 Jahre sind Kunsttechniker Simon und TV-Moderatorin Hanna nun zusammen – eine lange Zeit, in der sich das eigentlich wunderbar harmonierende Berliner Pärchen doch ein wenig entfremdet hat. Was haben die beiden nicht alles schon durchgestanden? Kinderwünsche, Inneneinrichtung, Seitensprünge, Fehlgeburten; was soll da noch groß kommen? Und dann ist da plötzlich Adam Born, ein erfolgreicher Stammzellenforscher. Nacheinander laufen Simon und Hanna dem bisexuellen Charismatiker über den Weg und lassen sich beide mit ihm ein. Das geht eine Zeit lang gut und tatsächlich rückt das Paar über den Umweg ihrer streng geheimen Affären wieder näher zusammen. Zumindest, bis Hanna schwanger wird... (FILMSTARTS.de)


Official US Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5vCJDwgyGI


USA: DVD Available & Streaming Available on iTune

"La Bûche"

4 Potatoes

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies. "La Bûche" (1999) by Danièle Thompson who is a great comedy writer for many recent French cinemas. This film is her directorial debut. Mixed with the typical family drama around the holiday season and a touch of humor. This movie was also the time I thought Charlotte Gainsbourg became a better actress. I really enjoyed watching this movie.

Highly recommended.


Synopsis (FR): Noël, cette fête à la fois délicieuse et pernicieuse, sonne l'heure de vérité pour trois soeurs, Louba la chanteuse, Sonia la bourgeoise, Milla la rebelle. Pour leurs parents aussi, Stanislas, violoniste tzigane à la retraite et Yvette, veuve toute récente de son deuxieme mari. (AlloCiné)


Synopsis: "After the December 21st funeral of Yvette's (Francoise Fabian) second husband, she is consoled by the three daughters from her first marriage to Stanislas (Claude Rich), a Russian-Jewish violinist. The oldest, Lorba (Sabine Azema), lives with her father and makes a living by singing ballads in a Russian cabaret, Sonia (Emmanuelle Beart) is a fastidious middle-class housewife, and Yvette's youngest, Milla (Charlotte Gainsbourg), is a go-getting businesswoman. As Christmas celebrations gather steam, Louba learns that at age 42, she is unexpectedly pregnant by Gilbert, her married lover of 12 years. Meanwhile, Sonia develops a habit of taking five-finger discounts while shopping, and Milla takes up with a mysterious drifter who lives as a boarder in Stanislas' house."  - Jonathan Crow, Rovi (Rotten Tomatoes)



USA: DVD Available

"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

"The Trip" #2

4 Potatoes

I just saw the UK movie "The Trip" (2011) by Michael Winterbottom. It was so funny and simple yet clever. I didn't even realize the movie was almost 110 mins long. The road trip to north and food critiques were very amusing to my eyes. Highly recommended.


Synopsis: Steve Coogan has been asked by The Observer to tour the country's finest restaurants, but after his girlfriend backs out on him he must take his best friend and source of eternal aggravation, Rob Brydon. (IMDb)


Official Site & Trailer: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-trip


USA: In Theater Now

"The Trip"

Here is one movie I really want to see this week. "The Trip" (2010) by Michael Winterbottom.


Just by watching the trailer itself was already funny to me. British countryside, gourmet food and British humor, what more can I ask for!


I am just in the perfect mood for this.
Stay tuned for more comment :)


Synopsis: When Steve Coogan is asked by The Observer to tour the country's finest restaurants, he envisions it as the perfect getaway with his beautiful girlfriend. But, when she backs out on him, he has no one to accompany him but his best friend and source of eternal aggravation, Rob Brydon. As the brilliant comic duo, freestyling with flair, drive each other mad with constant competition and showdowns of competing impressions (including dueling Michael Caines, Sean Connerys and Al Pacinos), the ultimate odd couple realize in the end a rich amount about not only good food, but the nature of fame, relationships and their own lives. (IFC.com)

Official Site & Trailer: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-trip


USA: In Theater Now
USA: VOD on June 22, 2011

"Abel"

4.5 Potatoes

The film "Abel" (2010) by Diego Luna was one of the best films I saw at
the AFI last year. It was also the Official selection for the Cannes 2010.

The little boy who played the character Abel was an amazing actor. Thanks to the great director Diego Luna who knew exactly how to direct children. His Q&A was fun, he became his own moderator and his son was running around in the theater. He was a child soap opera actor in Mexico and after achieving many successful movie careers internationally, he is now an actor, a producer and a director. He is truly the success story in the entertainment business.

I heard this film was released in the US in March this year, I am surprised that it was a small release for such a great film. Such a shame.

Synopsis: About a peculiar young boy who, as he blurs reality and fantasy, takes over the responsibilities of a family man in his father's absence. (IMDb)

Official Site (Mexico): http://www.abel-lapelicula.com/



US DVD Release: Coming Soon