Michele's Top 5 French Flicks

The other Riders have occassionally posted movie reviews and favorites so I figured I'd take a stab at it. I don't have any current favs, though, so I thought I'd talk about my favorite movie genre, the French flick. I'm a Francophile, so I love anything set in France. Whether historical or contemporary, I do love me some French-spoken dialogue. And the French are absolute genius at costumes. There are movies I see specifically for the costumes. It's called a costume-orgasm, and yes, there are a few on my list. So let's start!

In no particular order:
1) LES PACTE DES LOUPS (The Brotherhood of the Wolf) 2001 - If you love action/adventure, romance, historical settings, horror and funky kung-fu-like fight scenes, you must see this movie. It follows the French werewolf legend of the Beast of Gevaudan, but puts an interesting twist to the beast. Samuel Le Bihan plays the lead, a naturalist/taxidermist who hunts the beast, and Mark Dacascos (currently hosting Iron Chef) plays his American Indian friend (I don't recall the tribe). The fight scenes with Dacascos are awesome, and frequent. Your menfolk will get a kick out of this movie, even if it is sub-titled. My hubby gave it a thumbs up, and he hates subtitles. But that's the beauty of action movies; more action, less dialogue, not so many sub-titles to read. A minor romance carries the plot along, and I'd be remiss not to mention Vincent Cassel's portrayal of the villain. Cassel has the bad boy down pat, and the final fight sequence at the end will have you looking up this amazing actor's backlist of movies. Costumes? Subtle, but exquisite. Monica Bellucci, as a prostitute/spy gets some interesting 18th century dresses (backless, anyone?) If you've never watched a French movie before, I recommend this one, as it appeals on so many levels. This one did very well for US release.

2) FARINELLI (1995) - Okay this one rates very high on the costume orgasm scale. It is about the 18th century castrato, Farinelli, and his rise to fame. Every other scene is a brief stint featuring sexy Stefano Dionisi singing countertenor arias on stage, and the costumes--oh man! Satins and silks and brocades and feathers and swan hats and shoes to make Manolo weep. Castratos were the rock stars of the 18th century, and this movie plays up the fandom, the drugs, even the tag-team sex (discreetly filmed). You know, I don't like opera, but I bought this soundtrack because it is simply a gorgeous listen. The castrato was venerated for his voice, and it is very high for a male. For the soundtrack, and the movie tracks they digitally altered a female soprano's voice. If you're interested in the time period, want to hear some awesome music, or are just in it for the costumes, go for it.

3) DISTRICT B13 (2006) - A contemporary action/adventure with a simple plot and again, more action than dialogue, so don't fear inviting your menfolk to watch this one. My 17-year-old watched it in the theater with me last year and he loved it (and he's another subtitle-phobic; heck he's a teenager. Foreign movies? Not.) The idea is that twenty years in the future Paris has become a virtual war ground with the volatile District B13 walled off because that's where the most violent live. Government plots to blow the entire district away, that is, if they can get away with it. The lead actor reminds me of a French Vin Diesel. He's athletic, humorous and plays the cop role with a wink. He pairs with David Belle, an exile from the district. Belle isn't an actor; he's actually the founder of the extreme running sport, parkour, and they feature a lot of parkour in this movie. Oh, and abs, baby, abs! It's fast-paced, smart, and has a touch of humor, and while the milieu is set around drugs and gangs and cops against criminals, you would think it could get sleazy real fast. But it doesn't. They film stays fast, fun and action-packed. Another must-see if you like action, or even buddy-cop types of movies.

4) LA FEMME NIKITA (1991) - The TV series was based on this movie. The series rocked. But it doesn't compare to the original movie. Anne Parillaud excels as the convicted criminal who is given a new identity and trained as a spy/assassin. This belligerent pixy of a hard-*ss learns manners, defense skills and how to kill without conscience. You'll cheer for her as she's forced to swim or sink. One of my favorite French actors, Jean Hughes-Anglade has a small role. This one has some violence, but if you like strong female roles, it's worth the watch.

5) MOLIERE (2007) - Just saw this one a month ago. It follows 17th century playwrite, Moliere as he begins his career. It is a comedy of errors, and I believe, loosely based on one of Moliere's more famous plays, Tartuffe. It was absolutely hilarious, and if you want a good laugh, watch for it to show up in video stores in a few months. Not so many costumes changes, as this was middle class gentry sorts, but excellent all the same.

Bonus) LA REINE MARGOT (Queen Margot) 1994 - I call this one the Blood, Sex and Vincent Perez movie. A close look at the few days before, during and after the massacre of St. Bartholomew, when the Catholics slaughtered the Hugenots. Assaults, poisonings, beheadings and all-out war ensue. It is a bloody pic. But the costumes rate high on the scale. And the acting. Whew! Amazing. Again, Jean Hughes-Anglade shows up. He plays the immature, and perhaps slightly insane king Charles IX, and man, does he own this movie. As well Virna Lisi, who plays Catherine de Medici, the king's mother, will knock you over. Vincent Perez provides some eye-candy (and a quick glimpse of man-parts; erm, but sorry, the parts are bloody due to, well, er, battle), and Pascal Greggory is another interesting actor who plays Henry III (Anjou) and has an interesting almost incestual relationship with his sister. As you might guess, this is one twisted tale, but it is beautifully filmed and while it'll make you gasp in horror, it'll also have you drooling over the costumes and questioning the power of religion wielded cruelly.

Now, tell me about your favorite foreign movie!