Film Review: As Bestas (The Beasts)

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Saturday, 29 July 2023 21:42

Written by Gilbert Seah

AS BESTAS (THE BEASTS) (Spain/France 2022) Top 10 *****
Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen

Antonio (Denis Ménochet) and Olga (Marina Foïs) are a French couple who love the rural life, settled some time ago in a village in the interior of Galicia in Spain. They lead a quiet life ther , seeking closeness with nature, (Antonio says he loves the land and refuses to sign his land away to a turbine company) although their coexistence with the locals is not as idyllic as they would like.  A conflict about the modern windmills with their neighbours, the Anta brothers (Luis Zahera, Diego Anido), will cause tension to grow in the village until it reaches a point of no return.

The main problem between the couple and the brothers is the sale of the land to a turbine company.  The sale can only take place if votes go in the favour of selling the land.  The brothers want out of farming while the French couple refuse to sign.  The brothers use underhanded tactics to scare the couple, a few very nasty ones.

The script covers all the corners of the conflict.

One is a civilized discussion of conflict solving,  Antonio initiates a talk at the local bar, buying the brothers drinks.  The audience sees both sides of the story.  Antonio also tries to convince the brothers that the money obtained from the sale of the land is not enough for a settlement anywhere else.  The old adage goes that one cannot argue with idiots.  And the Anta brothers are clear idiots who are not only stupid but have no education nor common sense.  One of the brother’s slowness is attributed by the other brother from falling off a horse when younger.

The other discussion is between husband and wife, Antonio and Olga.  At night in bed, they discuss their options.  The wife offers valuable points in her arguments.  “We did not come here to fight.  The brothers will never change.  They are uncontrollable.”  But Antonio makes the valid point that they are out of options.  And money.  They have used their savings and need one good harvest at least if they decide to see their land.

Antonio has also made a complaint with the local police who do nothing to elevate the situation or help the couple.  All they say is: “We will talk to them.”

THE BEASTS is a gruelling edge of the seat thriller with things escalating from bad to worse to unbearable for the poor French couple.  Director Sorogoyen stages very intense confrontation set pieces with rising tensions and danger  The intensity of the situation is meticulously built up to a climax that will knock the audience off their seats.

THE BEASTS is not as  pleasant as JEAN DE FLORETTE neighbour farmer against neighbour farmer drama or even as pleasant as slasher/horror flick Sam Peckinpah’s THE STRAW DOGS.  The more harrowing fact is that the film is based on a true story, documented in Santoalla (2016) and re-written with fictional characters, with incidents feeling horribly raw and authentic.  The want for land brings out the worst in human beings.

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Film Review: LADYBUG AND CATNOIR (France 2023) *** Directed by Jeremy Zag Opening in theatres this week for a limited release following its streaming on Netflix, this animation from France is no Pixar or Disney blockbuster but a much smaller budget litt

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Friday, 21 July 2023 07:19

Written by Gilbert Seah

LADYBUG AND CATNOIR (France 2023) ***
Directed by Jeremy Zag

Opening in theatres this week for a limited release following its streaming on Netflix, this animation from France is no Pixar or Disney blockbuster but a much smaller budget little entry that has its charm and enjoyment.

The film contains the fairy tale elements of magic, a reluctant hero in this case a female one to be current with the times, a nasty villain and a little romance.  The film begins with a sage named Wong Foo, introducing himself and then what the feature’s story is about  “Do you believe in magic?” he asks.  The miraculous, he describes, is a series of gems granted to the greatest heroes  for the conquest of evil.  To stop the evil, Wong Foo foresees that two heroes must arise - Ladybug and Catnoir, the title of the film.  The film that introduced the audience to a girl going to school, feeling sad that she has got no friends.  But she sings a happy song, nevertheless.  The clumsy girl walks to school, the scenery depicting Paris in the morning.

This exciting Miraculous (the original title of the movie) origin story follows shy Parisian teenager Marinette (Cristina Vee Valenzuela) as she starts the year in a new high school.  On her way home, Marinette saves a mystical old man, the Wong Foo at the film’s start who gives her the Miraculous gem, transforming her into the superhero Ladybug, bestowed with powers of creation.  At school, Marinette has fallen for Adrien (Bryce Papenbrook), the sheltered son of millionaire fashion designer Gabriel Agreste (Keith Silverstein). Meanwhile, Adrien has been transformed by another Miraculous gem into the superhero Cat Noir - and begins to fall for Ladybug, his opposite. Unaware of each other's true identities, the duo team up to battle the supervillain Hawk Moth, who in reality is none other than Adrien's father, seeking control of the Miraculous gems to bring his wife back to life. With Hawk Moth sowing chaos and destruction across Paris, Ladybug and Cat Noir's talents are put to the test in fierce battles with his minions.

Yet still greater tests lie ahead. Can Marinette, as Ladybug, find the courage to believe in herself?   Her  mother has told her, yes a little corny here, to believe in her heart.  Will this star-crossed hero and sidekick become something more to each other when their masks come off?  No genius to guess the right answer.

The animated feature is from France’s Zag Studies with the director serving as co-writer and songwriter for the film.  A neat little French entry, no competition to Pixar and Disney but has its French charm which is hard not to like.

Trailer: 

Film Review: LADYBUG AND CATNOIR (France 2023) *** Directed by Jeremy Zag

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Friday, 21 July 2023 07:19

Written by Gilbert Seah

LADYBUG AND CATNOIR (France 2023) ***
Directed by Jeremy Zag

Opening in theatres this week for a limited release following its streaming on Netflix, this animation from France is no Pixar or Disney blockbuster but a much smaller budget little entry that has its charm and enjoyment.

The film contains the fairy tale elements of magic, a reluctant hero in this case a female one to be current with the times, a nasty villain and a little romance.  The film begins with a sage named Wong Foo, introducing himself and then what the feature’s story is about  “Do you believe in magic?” he asks.  The miraculous, he describes, is a series of gems granted to the greatest heroes  for the conquest of evil.  To stop the evil, Wong Foo foresees that two heroes must arise - Ladybug and Catnoir, the title of the film.  The film that introduced the audience to a girl going to school, feeling sad that she has got no friends.  But she sings a happy song, nevertheless.  The clumsy girl walks to school, the scenery depicting Paris in the morning.

This exciting Miraculous (the original title of the movie) origin story follows shy Parisian teenager Marinette (Cristina Vee Valenzuela) as she starts the year in a new high school.  On her way home, Marinette saves a mystical old man, the Wong Foo at the film’s start who gives her the Miraculous gem, transforming her into the superhero Ladybug, bestowed with powers of creation.  At school, Marinette has fallen for Adrien (Bryce Papenbrook), the sheltered son of millionaire fashion designer Gabriel Agreste (Keith Silverstein). Meanwhile, Adrien has been transformed by another Miraculous gem into the superhero Cat Noir - and begins to fall for Ladybug, his opposite. Unaware of each other's true identities, the duo team up to battle the supervillain Hawk Moth, who in reality is none other than Adrien's father, seeking control of the Miraculous gems to bring his wife back to life. With Hawk Moth sowing chaos and destruction across Paris, Ladybug and Cat Noir's talents are put to the test in fierce battles with his minions.

Yet still greater tests lie ahead. Can Marinette, as Ladybug, find the courage to believe in herself?   Her  mother has told her, yes a little corny here, to believe in her heart.  Will this star-crossed hero and sidekick become something more to each other when their masks come off?  No genius to guess the right answer.

The animated feature is from France’s Zag Studies with the director serving as co-writer and songwriter for the film.  A neat little French entry, no competition to Pixar and Disney but has its French charm which is hard not to like.

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Film Review: Cash (Gold Brick)

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Friday, 07 July 2023 12:48

Written by Gilbert Seah

CASH/ GOLD BRICK (France 2023) ***
Directed by Jérémie Rozan

Men are Born free and equal by law.  Then humans wrote them over.  These are the words splashed on the screen at the start of the comedy caper CASH/GOLD BRICK when the audience is introduced to the wealthiest of families Les Breuils who practically won the whole town of Chartres.  Almost everyone works for the family including the film’s hero and protagonist, Daniel Sauveur (Raphaël Quenard).  How did the Breuils get where they are?  There is nothing to learn, the audience is told.  You either have it or not.

The film is in one single phrase Daniel Sauveur vs. The Breuils.

The setting of CASH/GOLD BRICK is the French city of Chartres.

Chartres, a city in north-central France southwest of Paris, is famed for its massive Cathédrale Notre-Dame. The Gothic cathedral, completed in 1220, features 2 towering spires, flying buttresses, Romanesque sculptures, pavement labyrinth and elaborate rose windows. The interior's blue-tinted stained glass is distinctive, and the nearby Centre International du Vitrail has workshops and exhibits on stained-glass art.  This cathedral is not featured in the film - nor is there any mention of any company called Les Breuils owning the city.  The only perfume and fashion company in the city is a company called Puig, a Spanish company.  But this is a French comedy and not one that should be critiqued for its geographical or historical accuracy.

Daniel ends up getting a job in the warehouse of the Breuil’s.  He finds a way to divert the products into hisahnds for sale and makes a bundle.  Greed is in the air.  Daniel’s embezzlement grows to include a large number of employees including the girl he loves, who has moved to the company fro Paris.

The film is less a comedy than a fable of the oppressed fighting against the wealthy.  The film is a crowd pleaser as no one loves a better story than one seeing an underdog making good.  The story gets  a bit complicated at points and is hard to follow, but writer/director Rozantries his best to make history credible.

CASH/GOLD BRICK is an entertaining fable of underdog against the wealthy.  The only thing to note is that the wealthy is just wealthy but not really evil by any means,  Not really hilarious as a comedy but the film succeeds in credible and detailed storytelling.  Definitely worth a watch.

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