L’ARGENT (1983)

 

Written & Directed By: Robert Bresson

Based on the story “FAUX BILLET” By: Leo Tolstoy

Cinematography: Pasqualino Desantis and Emmanuel Machuel

Editor: Jean-Francois Naudon 

Cast: Christian Patey, Vincent Risterucci, Caroline Lang, Sylvie Vanden Elsen, Michael Briguet, Marc Ernest Fourneau, Jean-Frederic Ducasse 

A counterfeit bill that starts off as a schoolboy prank leads to incarceration and violence.

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Now will admit at first I thought this was going to be a kind of anthology like TWENTY BUCKS (1993) where a counterfeit bill is passed amongst many different people and we see the different experiences an adventures that come with this bill and passing it along if you haven’t seen that film I highly recommend it 

Here I would say that the first third of that of this film plays like that were a fraudulent counterfeit bill is past amongst many other others, though here it seems that after passing through a few people and us seeing their various adventures with the bill it seems to the fate of one particular character throughout 

As because of this bill in a few others that come into his possession that he has no idea our counterfeit it starts a down slide for him of losing his job going to jail his wife, leaving him all because of things that he can’t control and fats of chance

Where he does run into characters who also have experience with this bill, though he doesn’t know that they have as we see some characters further adventures because of the bill, not necessarily with the bill so they all seem to circle back, and it seems throughout while most of the characters are kind of crooked, not surely evil just morally challenged him as the most honest out of them seems to be punished the most

Most of the actors throughout this film are not professionally trained actors, which helps give the film a realism. What also makes the film so memorable is not that so much. It’s a moral film, but it’s a third act which just seems cruel and tragic. 

That goes for realism and reminds us that the world isn’t fair nor is it a fairytale where there are happy endings for everyone.

This is why me of those films that might seem rough but managed convey so much with so little. The map of the human soul and how society can be so cruel to some. When individuals try to cut corners or push the blame onto someone else rather then admit to their own mistakes.

This film is a French film, classic for a reason. It is definitely hard hitting, especially when you don’t expect it to. It has assertive charm and polished to it, but it also stays melancholy and matter fact throughout. Most of the cast are non-professional actors which helps it all feel more real and was Director Robert Bresson’s style. This was also his last film and truly feels like a loss by the end and only adds to the sting of the ending. 

it also seems to move briskly, smooth and gets straight to the point. Though it still leaves you devastated. 

Grade: A-

TOMORROWLAND (2023)

Directed By: Brad Bird 

Written By: Brad Bird And Damon Lindelof 

Story By: Brad Bird, Jeff Jensen and Damon Lindelof 

Cinematography: Claudio Miranda 

Editor: Walter Murch and Craig Wood

Cast: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan Michael Key, Chris Bauer, Judy Greer, Thomas Robinson

Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.

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This is a film sure to make the audience nostalgic At least it did for me. As to family films, but also even just Disney films that had a lot of action and were usually sci-fi, but also had an innocence to them.

It’s ambitious in a rare way that is more earnest and adventure filled. Again an AMBLIN type movie only here we deal with adults a bit more,  it still involves children at heart.

Yes, it’s obviously following in the trend of movies based on rides or Disney attractions, hoping for the same success as PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. Though this one seems a little more thawed out maybe it’s because it’s based on an attraction at the more educational Epcot Center. This film takes place in a kind of land that they were hoping the attraction would be in first place showing cutting edge, scientific inventions and hoping to inspire young minds. Not to mention more family oriented. 

The film feels like a live action cartoon in scope. Not as in looking like animation filled with bad and unrealistic cgi. More just the energy and size of the production.  The energy is fun and infectious for the audience at first. As the film obviously promotes imagination and science. As well as big ideas and being creative. 

It even has legendary editor Walter Murch doing part of the editing. Truly making it kind of old school. 

Wouldn’t expect anything less from Director Brad Bird. Who seems to specialize in these types of science during and action films. From the days when he was making animated films and shorts. Though it has a bit of an JJ Abrams flavor. As it has that mystery box, Mcguffin that opens you up to the rest of the film and its themes. Maybe because it was written by his go to screenwriters Damon Linelof. 

The film is held or centered around a star. Who goes the film it’s own kind of Wizard of oz. As he really is the star of the second half of the movie. As star Brit Robertson passes the baton from the first half but still stays in the running. Only pushed to the background. As she is still the audience surrogate.

The film steals seems to encourage the destiny dead Mom narratives with the encouraging dad father figure or just dad issues even though here her father seems to be a good one. He just doesn’t know what to do with her ambition and still seems oddly out of touch even though he’s in her life.

The film does get a little cutesy, but should kind of have a wide audience other than Disney adults and families. Even if it does tend to get a little plan towards the end yet positive and tries to be enticing. It’s idealistic not excellent, but good enough.

It’s like Epcot center in general, a fun ride yet tries to teach and encourage intelligence.

This film should have had a better box office and be talked about more. Hopefully it find its crowd. 

Grade: B- 

CARS (2006)

Directed By: John Lasseter and Joe Ranft 

Original Story By: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft and Jorgen Klubien 

Written By: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Jorgen Klubien, Dan Fogelman, Kiel Murray and Phil Lorin 

Cinematography: Jean-Claude Kalache 

Editor: Ken Schretzmann 

Cast: (Voices) Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry The Cable Guy, Tony Shaloub, John Ratzenberger, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, George Carlin, Michael Keaton, Paul Dooley, Katherine Helmond, Edie McClurg, Bob Costas, Jeremy Piven

While traveling to California for the dispute of the final race of the Piston Cup against The King and Chick Hicks, the famous Lightning McQueen accidentally damages the road of the small town Radiator Springs and is sentenced to repair it. Lightning McQueen has to work hard and finds friendship and love in the simple locals, changing its values during his stay in the small town and becoming a true winner.

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I can understand the appeal of this Pixar animated film. At its core, it’s pure Americana: a glossy, well-meaning fable about loyalty, humility, and using your fame and talent for something larger than yourself. Those are solid morals, clearly communicated, and for its intended audience they land without much friction.

That said, the film feels like a throwback, almost as if it were designed in the mold of a 1980s family movie. It’s the kind of project that might have felt more innovative if it had arrived during Pixar’s early years. By the time it actually came out, however, it already felt a bit behind the curve. While undeniably a huge hit, its priorities seem tilted more toward younger kids and families, and unsurprisingly for Disney toward merchandising and franchise potential rather than pushing storytelling or filmmaking forward.

There’s nothing here you haven’t seen before. The story is traditional to a fault, the themes are familiar, and the animation, while sleek and polished, feels more simplified and childlike than truly impressive. It lacks the sense of boundary-pushing that once defined Pixar as essential, must-see cinema. Watching it now, it’s still entertaining, but it also feels basic, pleasant in the moment and oddly disposable afterward, even considering it spawned multiple sequels.

I’ll admit I’m not the biggest animation fan, but this film does reinforce an important idea: any story can be told in countless ways, and it doesn’t always need human characters to resonate. Still, this particular execution feels engineered to appeal across as many audience quadrants as possible, which makes its success and its expansion into sequels, spin-offs, and entire sub-franchises feel inevitable. This was clearly the start of a cash cow, one that meant a great deal to many viewers.

For me, though, it ultimately plays like standard blockbuster entertainment: competently made, intermittently heartfelt, and easy to watch, but also hard to fully trust. It delivers warmth and familiarity, yet offers little that lingers once the credits roll.

One just expects more especially for a film that had six screenwriters. 

Grade: B- 

PULSE (1988)

Written & Directed By: Paul Golding 

Cinematography: Peter Lyons Collister 

Editor: Gib Jaffe 

Cast: Joey Lawrence, Cliff De Young, Roxanne Hart, Bill Durham, Dennis Redfield, Matthew Lawrence, Robert Romanus, Myron D. Healy

A visiting son tries to warn his father and stepmother that they are being menaced by a living and intelligent pulse of electricity that moves from house to house and terrorizes the residents therein.

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What is interesting is that This film works sort of like the FINAL DESTINATION movies where there is no real villain. It’s like that happening. It’s just happenstance or recurrent that is focused yet random something you can’t really fight against as it has no face or human form. The people who are affected have very little defense, other than just general survival.

So that we watch the deterioration of a family that is affected by this that was already rather fragile, though at the heart of the film it also shows the strength of the family as they discover the problem and try to come together to survive and hopefully solve or defeat what is attacking them

I would say this film is more an introductory horror film as it’s a little too gruesome for children, but it plays almost like a family film with some heart elements. There is one death in the film, but it’s off screen, though the film is filled with a lot of tension.

Originally this film was meant to be a big summer release of 1988 after the executive in charge was replaced by Don Steele side of the studio. She’s seemingly did not want to really have to deal with his slate films that were left so this was released in certain territories in the Midwest before being buried on cable and then video stores whereas originally the promotion was to be a big summer release for the studio with plenty of money and budget behind. It’s promotion.

So far, this is one of the better  movies I’ve seen that Joey Lawrence has a big Role in and even managed to find a role for his younger brother Matthew, where they don’t play as related.

Well, this film might be a little more tame for a modern audience. This could’ve easily been one of the more scarier ambulance type movies where adults are involved, but it’s mostly the kids were on screen and experiencing things and there is a chance of danger for them as ambulance films play more to the adventure angle.

It does feel a little familiar to poltergeist in some ways, as well as having an older man character again, who feels reminiscent of a character from poltergeist, only dressed in Indiana Jones‘s wardrobe, for whatever reason

Is a film that does show a lot of originality and imagination, even if it doesn’t have a flare for the dramatics, nor is it as show off as it could’ve been it stays grounded, which helps it feel a little more reality based. 

Grade: C+

ELLA MCCAY (2025)

Written & Directed By: James L. Brooks

Cinematography: Robert Elswit

Editor: Tracy Wadmore-Smith 

Cast: Ella Mackey, Woody Harrelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, Julie Kavner, Ayo Edebiri, Kumail Nanijani, Jack Lowden, Spike Fearn, Rebecca Hall, 

An idealistic young woman juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.

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I really wanted to enjoy this film. As I have grown up watching James L. Brooks films or productions, not to mention Emma Mackey in one of her first big screen leading roles after making such an impact on the series SEX EDUCATION

but this was a film that was hard to take.

It might be as it is so idealistic. It would have worked in the 1950’s or before, but in today’s political climate. It comes across as more of a dream. A high concept movie that might have come along or been passable in the 1980’s but feels grating and off rhythm in today’s cinema. 

While it’s nice to watch a film that is idealistic and not so cynical in today’s climate. It can still be interesting, which unfortunately this film isn’t. It lacks an ingredient even though it has plenty of energy .  

The film feels overwritten. As one of the characters says in the movie “You don’t have to articulate everything” one wishes the movie had taken its own advice.  

As the film plays like more of a theatrical piece for the stage, especially with the characters saying their feelings out loud to one another. Theme there are so many plot threads that luckily revolve around the main character. So that they lead into one another. 

It ends up feeling way too scripted an never natural. So that the characters have all these neurosis. Though they never Come across as natural or believable. They are slaves to the directions of the screenplay

One can understand Writer/Director Brooks is doing what he does best and aiming for an old school classic dramatic comedy that is more grounded and adult. Like the One’s he might have grown up with. Which is similar to his last big screen film HOW DO YOU KNOW. Though as that film was star studded but a bomb. This is truly worse than that film. As it is questionable what he saw in this story or film.

The film feels endless and boring after awhile. Where you get to the point where you don’t care what happens, you just want the film to end. 

There Also seems to be some scenes missing as it sets up a romance for two characters. Which is obvious, but we never actually see them pursue it or watch it grow to show their chemistry. It’s implied and then in the end even them being a couple is presented in the same way. Was it controversial as it would be interracial? It’s just strange especially in a film that fees the need to over explain Everything else. That it gets modest there or leaves the audience to figure it out. As maybe the filmmaker feels he has been there way too many times before.

It plays like a romantic comedy but then tries to present itself as a comedic character study?

It’s ultimately like the film isn’t sure in which direction it should be or even wants to go. 

Though luckily it fits into James L. Brooks filmography pedigree. Just not up to the quality of his previous works. 

Grade: D