Run Lola Run

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/20/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Tom Tykwer, Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) tells the story of a woman who needs to retrieve 100,000 Deutsche Mark in 20 minutes to save the life of her boyfriend. Told in three different versions in a running time of 76-minutes, the film explores the different versions of how a woman could retrieve all of that money to save her life and the possibilities of how she could succeed or fail. Starring Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, and Joachim Krol. Lola Rennt is an exciting, energetic, and entertaining film from Tom Tykwer.

When an exchange suddenly goes wrong, a dealer named Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) calls his girlfriend Lola (Franka Potente) about what's happening to him. His boss Ronnie plans to kill him if he doesn't give him 100,000 Deutsche Mark as Lola, who doesn't have her moped has to save him in 20 minutes at 12 PM. If she doesn't arrive in time with the money, Manni plans to rob a supermarket nearby. Lola makes her first run as she goes to her father (Hebert Knaup) where she encounters a woman with a baby, a biker, a homeless man (Joachim Krol), and others. When she arrives into her father's bank, she learns that he is leaving her and her mother for another woman as she is refused the money. She continues her run to save Manni as she reluctantly helps him leading to bad consequences.

In the second version of her run, Lola runs down the stairs of her apartment building but is tripped by a young man with a dog as it slows her down a bit while she goes to the bank. Immediately, she learns of her father's affair, has an emotional confrontation and gets the 100,000 Deutsche Marks but the end result becomes different. For the third and final version of her run, Lola runs into her father's co-worker Meyer (Ludger Pistor) whom she helped avoid an accident while seeing her father leave with Meyer much later on. While she ends up running to a casino to make a huge gamble, Manni finds the homeless man with a bike as the two try to pay off Manni's debt one way or another as time begins to run out.

The film is about chances and how things play. Yet, in between each run are two scenes of Lola and Manni professing their love and mortality shot through a red filter. While the film's plot is simple, Tom Tykwer brings different perspectives to the possibilities of what Lola could be doing and how to approach it. The stories and set-ups Tykwer presents are in tune to the film's kinetic energy and style with three different endings. Though the idea of which ending to be preferred is kind of a disservice to some audiences who prefer to stick to one idea. Tykwer at least gives the idea of different realities through the three stories. The first is more suspenseful in the form of a thriller and the second is more dramatic. The third is a mix of both but seems to be more real than the previous stories. Its ending in comparison to the other two is a bit weak despite its resolution.

Tykwer's direction is top-notch as he delves into various styles of filmmaking whether it's 2-D, hand-drawn animation for the film's opening credits and running down the stairs sequences; grainy hand-held work for a few of the film's dramatic scenes; or stylized action sequences that involve tracking shots to capture the film's energy. For each run, there's always something present that Lola runs into whether's it's a lady, the homeless man, a guy with a stolen bike, or a bank teller. For three of those characters, Tykwer reveals what will happen to them and such in the three different runs. One of the themes Tykwer delves into is fate, what is expected from these characters and such as it's clear that one of Tykwer's profound influences is the late Krzysztof Kieslowski who delves into the theme of fate. Though the film isn't perfect, Tykwer still creates a solid film that is energetic and profoundly entertaining.

Cinematographer Frank Griebe does a fantastic job with the film's diverse camera work from the colorful, tracking shots all shot on location in Berlin to the grainy cinematography in a few of the film's dramatic scenes. Griebe's camera work is wonderful in its emphasis on style, particularly on the in-between scenes for the runs with its red filter. Editor Mathilde Bonnefoy does a spectacular job with the film's energetic pacing with jump-cuts, split-side shots, and transitions to create a stylistic yet rhythmic tone for the film. Bonnefoy's editing is one of the film's most memorable technical highlights.

Production designer Alexander Manasse and art director Attila Saygel do a great job in the look of the film's bank and casino sequences to add to its unique style while costume designer Monika Jacobs does a great job with the look of Lola, particularly her loose gray wife-beater shirt, her light-green pants, and the hypnotic red hair designed by Christa Krista. Sound designer Dirk Jacob with editors Markus Munz and Kai Storck do an excellent job with sound work of car noises, photo snaps, gunshots, and such to help create an atmosphere for the film and the scenes that goes on. Animation designer Gil Alkabetz does a wonderful job with the film's 2-D hand-drawn animation style to help give the film its unique look.

The music by Tom Tykwer plus Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek is wonderfully hypnotic in its German-techno music with thumping beats, lots of energy, and noises to capture each run that goes on. With additional contributions from Franka Potente who contributes a few vocals on the track while the soundtrack includes a song from Dinah Washington. Though some might not be a fan of techno or electronic music, it works for the film's sense of rhythm and energy.

The casting by An Dorthe Braker is superbly assembled with performances from Heino Ferch as Ronnie, Ute Lubosch as the mother Lola bumps into during her run, Monica Bleibtreu as the blind woman whose card Manni borrows, Klaus Muller as the bank croupier, Sebastian Schipper as the guy with the stolen bike, and Armin Rohde as the bank security guard. Other small but memorable performance include Ludger Pistor as Meyer, Nina Petri as Lola's father's mistress, Joachim Krol as the homeless man who took Manni's bag of money, and Herbert Knaup as Lola's uncaring father. Moritz Bleibtreu is excellent as Manni, the drug dealer who gets himself into big trouble as he seeks help from Lola while becoming desperate for some other way to pay his boss.

Finally, there's Franka Potente in her breakthrough performance as Lola. Potente's energetic, powerful, and hypnotic performance is definitely one of the most memorable performances of the 1990s. Not just for her look but her determination as she tries to save her boyfriend’s life while dealing with her father's extramarital affairs and the angst that she has as her scream is very deafening. It's a powerful performance from the German actress who became a star after this film.

Lola Rennt is an excellent and energetic film from Tom Tykwer. Though it's not perfect, it's pulsating music, sharp camera work, superb editing, set-ups, and Franka Potente's performance still makes it one of the most memorable films of the 1990s. Those new to Tykwer will no doubt find this as a great place to start as is a great introduction to the new era of German cinema. Anyone else who has heard about this film but haven't seen this should pick this up, even in its short 76-minute running time. In the end, for a film with a lot of energy and style, Lola Rennt is the film to see.

© thevoid99 2014

Cloud Atlas

Based on the novel by David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas is the story about human beings being connected to one another in various places in time from the past to the future as they all deal with their role in humanity. Written for the screen and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, the film is an epic story that bends all sorts of genres. With an all-star cast playing multiple roles that includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Doona Bae, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, James D’Arcy, David Gyasi, Zhou Xun, David Gyasi, and Keith David. Cloud Atlas is a captivating yet exhilarating film from Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis.

In the 1850s, a young notary named Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) travels to the Pacific Islands to discover a plantation run by Reverend Gilles Horrox (Hugh Grant) as it consists of slaves. Upon his return home to San Francisco, Ewing discovers a young slave named Autua (David Gyasi) who stows away on the ship as the ailing Ewing recalls his experience in a journal. In 1930s Belgium, a young musician named Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) writes many letters to his lover Rufus Sixsmith (James D’Arcy) where he works as an amanuensis for the aging composer Vyvyan Ayrs (Jim Broadbent) where they collaborate on a musical piece together. In the 1970s, a San Franciscan journalist named Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) meets the aging Sixsmith where she discovers a chilling mystery about an oil magnate Lloyd Hooks(Hugh Grant) trying to manipulate the energy crisis as a hitman named Bill Smoke (Hugo Weaving) is after her.

In 2012 London, book publisher Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) is in big trouble over mounting debts to gangsters as he turns to his older brother Denholme (Hugh Grant) for help. Instead, Denholme tricks Timothy to live in a retirement home where Timothy has to deal with the cruel nurse Noakes (Hugo Weaving) as he fights for freedom. In the futuristic South Korea, a genetically-created clone named Sonmi-451 learns about her dystopian world as she meets a young rebel named Hae-Joo Chang (Jim Sturgess) where they decide to create rebellion. In a more distant future, a tribesman named Zachry takes a technologically-advanced woman named Meronym (Halle Berry) to an old palace to find meaning in their world so they can save humanity from an evil tribe and other dark forces.

The film is essentially a multi-layered, inter-weaving collection of stories of people making decisions that would change their own fates as well as the fate of others through six different periods of time. Through the recollection of one individual’s story, one character would discover that person’s story that would inspire something of their own that would eventually inspire another and so on. In these moments where they would discover these stories or pieces of work by a certain person, it would allow a character from different stories to be motivated to do something as it would eventually give them a chance to do something that would help humanity.

The screenplay by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis is truly dazzling for the way the narrative moves from one story to another in this inter-weaving style where it adds up to the dramatic momentum of the film. Even as they would provide moments that would play up the suspense of another story and so on. It’s part of the schematics that Tykwer and the Wachowskis wanted to create while slowing things down so that characters can find ways to connect with one another to feel something as if there’s a chance to really do something great. Yet, each protagonist in these six different stories would make decisions that could impact something that would become a key moment of their lives and would set the stage for another.

The direction of Tykwer and the Wachowskis is vast in terms of the presentation they wanted to create for this massive film. With Tykwer directing the two segments in the 20th Century and the 2012 segment while the Wachowskis helm the 19th Century story and the ones set in the future. The filmmakers give each story a chance to set out on their own as they each provide broad visuals to establish the world these characters live in. Notably as these segments also have moments of intimacy to help flesh the characters out even more in their development. Since the film is really a genre-bender that features elements of sci-fi, adventure, drama, comedy, romance, and suspense. It is still about people and the adventures they go into and how they deal with these opposing forces.

For the 20th Century and 2012 segments, Tykwer pretty much keep things straightforward in terms of the presentation though he does shoot scenes with elements of style. Even as he find ways to put every actor who plays multiple roles a chance to pop up every now and then. Tykwer also utilizes bits of humor in the stories as well as some truly jaw-dropping moments such as a scene where Frobisher and Sixsmith stand and freeze while china plates drop all over them. In the 19th Century and futuristic segments, the Wachowskis go all out in terms of the ambition where they create massive sceneries for their segments. Notably the future where it is awash with visual effects to showcase a world that is unique but also unsettling.

Particularly as it establishes the sense of chaos and mistakes humans made where it plays into the most furthest futuristic segment forcing one character to do something to bring some semblance of hope. Overall, Tywker and the Wachowskis create a truly grand yet engaging film about human connection and how they impact one another in different periods of time.

Cinematographers Frank Griebe and John Toll do amazing work with the film‘s photography from the naturalistic look of 19th Century and beyond future segments to the more stylish array of lighting schemes in the 20th Century scenes and the dystopian Seoul segment. Editor Alexander Berner does excellent work with the editing to create unique rhythms for the film‘s suspenseful and action moments as well as creating montages for certain scenes as well as intricate transitions to move from one story to another. Production designers Hugh Bateup and Uli Hanisch, along with set decorator Rebecca Alleway and Peter Walpole and supervising art directors Stepan O. Gessler, Kai Koch, and Charlie Revai, do spectacular work with the set pieces from the ship in the 19th Century, the homes in the 20th and 21st Century segment, and the futuristic places in the future-Seoul segment.

Costume designers Kym Barrett and Pierre-Yves Gayraud do wonderful work with the costumes to play up the very different periods of time that occur in each segment including the more stylish clothes in the dystopian Seoul segment. Makeup and hair designers Heike Merker and Daniela Skala do great work with the hair and makeup to have every actor look a different way in the various segments and play different races and nationalities in the course of the film. Visual effects supervisors Dan Glass and Stephane Ceretti do terrific work with the film‘s visual effects for segments involving Frobisher, the dystopian Seoul segment, and the beyond future scenes. Sound designer Markus Stemler and sound editor Alexander Buck do superb work in the sound to capture the different atmosphere of each location and world the characters inhabit.

The film’s music by Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil, and Johnny Klimek is brilliant for its low-key, orchestral-driven score to play out the very different worlds that take place in the film along with some touching piano-driven themes in scenes involving Frobisher and Ayrs. The soundtrack also includes an array of music that plays up in two segments such as the Luisa Rey segment and the Timothy Cavendish segments.

The casting by Lora Kennedy and Lucinda Syson is incredible for the large ensemble that is created where the actors get to play multiple roles. Notable small performances include Robert Fyfe as the old seadog and Mr. Meeks, Brody Nicholas Lee as Luisa’s neighbor Javier and Zachry’s nephew, Raevan Lee Hanan as Zachry’s child Catkin, and Martin Wuttke as Cavendish’s friend Mr. Boerhavve and a healer in Zachry’s tribe. Other noteworthy small parts include terrific performances from Keith David as Horrox’s servant/a friend of Luisa’s dad/a rebel leader/a futuristic chief, Zhou Xun as Zachry’s wife/a relative of Sixsmith/Sonmi-451’s friend, David Gyasi as the stowaway slave Autua/Luisa’s father/an associate of Meronym, and James D’Arcy as Rufus Sixsmith and a man who interrogates Sonmi-451.

Jim Sturgess is superb as the young notary Adam Ewing as well as in smaller roles as a father of Sixsmith’s relative, Zachry’s brother-in-law, a highlander, and the rebellious Hae-Joo Chang. Ben Whishaw is superb as the melancholic Robert Frobisher as well as other small roles as a seaman, a record shop owner, and Denholme’s wife. Jim Broadbent is great as a sea captain, the very selfish Vyvyan Ayrs, a lab professor, a futuristic leader, a Korean musician, and as the troubled Timothy Cavendish. Susan Sarandon is wonderful as Rev. Horrox’s wife, a tribal witch, and Cavendish’s lost love. Hugh Grant is stellar as Reverend Horrox, a hotel tenant, the slimy oilman Lloyd Hooks, Timothy’s prankster brother, a perverse drug addict, and an evil tribe chief. Hugo Weaving is brilliant as Ewing’s father-in-law, a music conductor, the evil hitman Bill Smoke, a big nurse, a dystopian leader, and a demon who haunts Zachry.

Doona Bae is amazing as the clone Sonmi-451 who becomes part of a rebellion to stop a dystopian Seoul as she also plays other small roles such as Ewing’s wife and a Mexican woman who helps Luisa. Halle Berry is marvelous as the determined journalist Luisa Rey as well as notable small roles as a native woman, Ayrs’ wife, an Indian woman at a party, a Korean doctor, and a woman of the future in Meronym. Tom Hanks is remarkable as the tribe warrior Zachry who deals with demons and his tribe’s future while he also plays small roles as the devious Dr. Goose, a hotel manager, a thuggish writer, and a scientist who falls for Luisa.

Cloud Atlas is a spectacular film from Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis that explores the world of humanity and its many connections. While it’s not an easy film in terms of its ambition and big themes, it is still an engaging one for the way it explores these themes in such grand stories. It’s also a film that has something for everyone and isn’t afraid to take big risks while featuring an amazing collective of actors. In the end, Cloud Atlas is an extraordinary film from Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis.

The Wachowskis Films: (Bound) - (The Matrix) - (The Matrix Reloaded) - (The Matrix Revolution) - Speed Racer

Tom Tykwer Films: (Deadly Maria) - (Winter Sleepers) - Run Lola Run - (The Princess and the Warrior) - (Heaven (2002 film)) - True (2004 short) - (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) - (The International) - (Three (2010 film))

© thevoid99 2012

Paris Je T'aime

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/30/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Paris, one of the greatest cities of the world. Home of the arts, the Cinemateque, the Sorbonne, the Eiffel Tower, the Lourve, and many more landmark sites including the people in all of its glory with its mix of models, actors, musicians, and artists eating on the sidewalk cafes eating crepes, French bread, and drink wine. It's a glorious place that for those who want to go will be dreaming about by even saying they've been there but not physically. Yet, for those who still dream about going to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, how can they understand the experience the city? Well, there's a film made by some of the world's greatest directors as they're joined by some of the world's finest actors in an anthology film entitled Paris, Je T'aime (Paris, I Love You).

Paris, Je T'aime is an anthology film featuring 18 short films about various people in the different sections of the city. Based on an idea by Tristan Carne and conceptualized by Emmanuel Benbihy who along with Frederic Auburtin directed the transition sequences between each short. The film is an exploration of the city through different stories from the perspective of its eclectic group of directors that include Joel & Ethan Coen, Gus Van Sant, Alexander Payne, Tom Tykwer, Olivier Assayas, Wes Craven, Gurinder Chadha, Frederic Auburtin & Gerard Depardieu, Christopher Doyle, Richard LaGravenese, Vincenzo Natali, Alfonso Cuaron, Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas, Oliver Schmitz, Sylvain Chomet, Isabel Coixet, Bruno Podalydes, and Nobuhiro Suwa.

Featuring an all-star cast that include Fanny Ardant, Natalie Portman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gerard Depardieu, Nick Nolte, Ludivine Sagnier, Barbet Schroder, Bob Hoskins, Steve Buscemi, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Gaspard Ulliel, Rufus Sewell, Emily Mortimer, Li Xin, Sergio Castellitto, Gena Rowlands, Miranda Richardson, Ben Gazarra, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, and many more. Paris, Je T'aime is a fascinating, enchanting film that will make anyone fall in love with Paris that they want to take a trip to one of the greatest cities in the world.

Montmarte (written & directed by Bruno Podalydes) is the story of a man (Bruno Podalydes) trying to find a parking space through the crowded sidewalk in the city as he finds one where he listens to classical music. Refusing to leave his space, he watches everything around where he then finds a woman (Florence Muller) fainting on his car as he tries to take care of her and then puts her in the back of his car as he tries to comfort her. Quais de Seine (directed by Gurinder Chadha & written by Chadha & Paul Mayeda Berges) is about a young man (Cyril Decours) who is hanging out with a couple of friends taunting women on the Seine River as he catches the eye of a beautiful, Muslim woman (Leila Bekhti) whom he befriends as she leaves for prayer at a nearby mosque as he waits for her. In Le Marais (written & directed by Gus Van Sant), a male customer named Gaspard (Gaspard Ulliel) is with Marianne Faithfull as he finds himself attracted to a young man (Elias McConnell) as he talks to him about soulmates despite the fact that this young man barely understands him.

In Tuileres (written & directed by Joel & Ethan Coen), a tourist (Steve Buscemi) is waiting in the Tuileres station, he reads a book about Paris where he breaks an unspoken rule about eye contact where he catches the eye of a young woman (Julie Bataille) only to anger her boyfriend (Axel Keiner) where he finds himself in trouble while getting hit with spitballs from a child. Loin du 16e (written & directed by Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas) tells the story of a young woman (Catalina Sandino Moreno) who leaves her baby behind at a daycare as she sings him a lullaby. After leaving her child, she takes a long journey from one side of the city to another as she works as a nanny for a rich woman to take care of her baby. Porte de Choisy (directed by Christopher Doyle & written by Doyle, Gabrielle Keng, & Kathy Li) involves a beauty products salesman (Barbet Schroder) whose meeting with a salon owner (Li Xin) nearly proves to be disastrous until the look he gives her proves to be a hit with her customers.

Bastille (written & directed by Isabelle Coixet) tells the story of a man (Sergio Castellitto) who decides to leave his wife (Miranda Richardson) for a younger woman (Leonor Watling) until his wife tells him some news that makes him rethink his decision as it's told in a third-person narration. Place des Victoires (written & directed by Nobuhiro Suwa) features a woman (Juliette Binoche) still coping with the death of her young son (Martin Combes) as her grief is suddenly comforted by a mysterious yet magical cowboy (Willem Dafoe). Tour Eiffel (written & directed by Sylvain Chomet) is told by a little boy (Dylan Gomong) of how his mime parents (Paul Putner & Yolande Moreau) meet and fell in love. Parc Monceau (written & directed by Alfonso Cuaron) is about an old man (Nick Nolte) who decides to meet a young woman (Ludivine Sagnier) based on an arrangement for a man named Gaspard as they talk about their own troubles in one continuous shot.

Quartier de Enfants Rouge (written & directed by Olivier Assayas) features an American actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who befriends a dealer (Lionel Dray) as she procures some strong hashish she needed before going to work on a costume drama. Place des Fetes (written & directed by Oliver Schmitz) features a wounded man (Seydou Boro) who is trying to talk to a woman (Aissa Maiga) whom he had met and fallen for some time ago as he tried to find her and ask her for a cup of coffee. Pigalle (written & directed by Richard LaGravenese) features an aging couple (Bob Hoskins & Fanny Ardant) trying to reinvigorate their marriage and love life as they contend with aging and their upcoming doom. In Quartier de la Madeleine (written & directed by Vincenzo Natali), a backpacking tourist (Elijah Wood) is walking late at night when he catches a vampiress (Olga Kurylenko) biting someone as she catches him as he falls in love with her.

Pere-Lachaise (written & directed by Wes Craven) features a soon-to-be-married couple (Rufus Sewell & Emily Mortimer) visiting famous grave sites as the woman is upset by her lover's lack of humor while they catch the grave of Oscar Wilde where during a tense moment, the man finds inspiration from the ghost of Oscar Wilde (Alexander Payne). Faubourg Saint-Denis (written & directed by Tom Tykwer) tells the story of a blind man (Melchior Beslon) who receives a call from his actress-girlfriend (Natalie Portman) about a break-up as he recalls the memories of their love life and their decline. Quartier Latin (directed by Gerard Depardieu & Frederic Auburtin & written by Gena Rowlands) tells the story of an old couple (Gena Rowlands & Ben Gazarra) set to divorce as they talk about their life for one last drink on the day before they officially separate. In 14e Arrondissement (written & directed by Alexander Payne), an American tourist (Margo Martindale) takes a trip to Paris and in rough French, where she goes through the sites of the city and wonders about the city and herself.

Essentially, the film is about Paris and the stories of love surrounding the place through its characters and interactions with the city or something. In many ways, it's a joyous collection of shorts from some of the world's greatest directors in this cinematic tour guide in the City of Lights. For some directors like Alexander Payne, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, and the Coen Brothers, it's an opportunity to take a story each told in five minutes and use it to emphasize their themes and such. Payne's story of an American tourist telling her story in rough French emphasizes the director's mix of melancholia and humor as it's told wonderfully. The Coen Brothers segment with regular Steve Buscemi is a funny take on the don'ts at a subway. Gus Van Sant's segment will remind audiences of his early work like Mala Noche and My Own Private Idaho revels in the director's themes of gay love and disappointments. Then there's Gurinder Chadha's poignant tale of a young man falling for a young Muslim woman as he is captivated by her beauty. That short is another emphasis on Chadha's worldly view on Muslims and their mystical beauty.

The shorts of these directors along with the shorts of Sylvain Chomet, Wes Craven, Tom Tykwer, Nobuhiro Suwa, and Vincenzo Natali are the real highlights among the 18 shorts shown on film. Chomet, who is known as an animated film director, brings a delightful story told through mimes as it's truly one of the most entertaining. Tom Tykwer's short about a declining relationship told from one's memory is engrossed in the German auteur's unique style of fast-forward editing, sharp camera work, and electronic music as it emphasizes some of the film's emotional moments. Wes Craven's short is a surprise of sorts from the director who is known for horror and thrillers as he brings a wonderful take on romantic comedy with help from Alexander Payne as Oscar Wilde. Nobuhiro Suwa's emotional story of loss reminds audiences of Juliette Binoche's work from Krzystof Kieslowski's Trois Couleurs: Bleu with a wonderful appearance from Willem Dafoe as a cowboy in a strange, fantasy sequence.

While a lot of the shorts are mostly told in a dramatic fashion, Vincenzo Natali's short features no dialogue and is a mix of horror, comedy, silent-film, and romance as it's one of the film's finest shorts with wonderful performances from Elijah Wood and Olga Kurylenko. Other shorts that are memorable include Olivier Assayas' short with Maggie Gyllenhaal that features a grainy-like camera work to emphasize her character's hazy state of mind through hashish. Renowned Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle explores his familiar world with Asians in a wonderful short with Barbet Schroder and Li Xin that is filled of humor and references to French actresses. Bruno Podalydes' short was a great opener to the film as it emphasizes the accidental meetings between man and woman. Isabel Coixet's short was also strong that showed a man's choice between one woman and another forces him to question his loyalties.

The Richard LaGravenese short with Fanny Ardant and Bob Hoskins is one filled with lots of humor that featured the French actress and British actor playing off each other through great comedic timing. Gerard Depardieu & Frederic Auburtin's short that featured Depardieu as a restaurant owner is a joy to watch that is also in a style reminiscent of John Cassavetes with a script by Gena Rowlands as she and Cassavetes associate Ben Gazarra do amazing work with Rowlands displaying herself gracefully in the short. Another strong short is Oliver Schmitz short featuring African actors in a story of love and desperation proving the film's diversity. Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas' short tells a great story with a wonderfully understated performance from Catalina Sandino Moreno though it's one story that is depressing.

With every anthology film, there's some great shorts and some really good ones. Then, there's those that don't do as well. This is in the case of the short by Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, which is surprising considering his reputation for great films. The problem with his short that features Nick Nolte & Ludivine Sagnier is told through one, uncut, unedited, continuous shot. While on a technical level, it's a great idea yet the result is style over substance. The tracking shot is really a distraction as the story of this old man and young woman talking doesn't have a lot of depth. Nolte and Sagnier are fine actors but the material they're working with isn't very good and Cuaron's overwhelming emphasis on technical style over the story definitely causes a problem. It's the one short that doesn't work in some respects.

With some amazing technical work in the editing, different styles of cinematography with contributions from Eric Gautier and Bruno Dubonnel, and the music to convey the romanticism of Paris. The film flows easily as for most of the time, the film is well-paced with very few bumps while the overall aspect is entertaining. Yet, with directors bringing in their own style of storytelling as well as a vision. The result is truly mesmerizing. Even with a diverse cast of actors from legends like Fanny Ardant, Gena Rowlands, and Bob Hoskins to famed character actors like Steve Buscemi and Sergio Castellitto, to young talents like Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, and Gaspard Ulliel.

Paris, Je T'aime is an extraordinary short that is a must have for fans of anthology films. For anyone who loves the work of Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven, the Coen Brothers, Gurinder Chadha, Tom Tykwer, and Alexander Payne will no doubt find shorts worthy of their rich filmography along with surprises from Sylvain Chomet, Nobuhiro Suwa, and Vincenzo Natali. For anyone who dreams of going to the City of Lights will no doubt enjoy this tour of one of the most beloved cities in the world. In the end, for anyone who wants to say they've been to Paris but not physically, Paris, Je T'aime is the film to go see.

Related: New York, I Love You - (Tsibilis, I Love You) - Rio, Eu Te Amo

(C) thevoid99 2011

True

In 2006, a collection of short films called Paris Je t’aime was released that featured 18 short films by some of the world’s most renowned directors. Each short film was shot in Paris in one section of the city with a story about love. Producer Emmanuel Benbihy came up with the idea as he approached several directors to create an idea of the project. Among them was Germany’s Tom Tykwer of Run, Lola, Run fame. Tykwer created a 10 minute short (that was later re-edited for Paris Je t’aime) that would become the basis of what each short film should be about. He would call his full-length 10-minute short called True.

Written and directed by Tom Tykwer, True tells the story of a blind man who learns that his American-actress girlfriend is leaving him as he recalls the events of their relationship. Through a dizzying array of images, the man known as Tomas recalls the moment he meets Francine and how their relationship transpired. Starring Natalie Portman and Melchior Beslon. True is a wonderful yet mystifying short from Tom Tykwer.

Tomas gets a call from Francine as she tells him that it’s over. Tomas then recalls the moment he met Francine when she was rehearsing an audition she has. Tomas believes she was in distress only to learn was acting as a relationship begins. Things go well through a fast period of time until suddenly, things cool which leads to the break-up.

The story and plot of the film is simple about how a couple meets, fall in love, and then part. Yet, Tykwer’s approach to the story is done in a very stylish yet hypnotic presentation. Shot on location at the 10th arrondissement of Paris, the film is a love story that moves through time thanks to some fast-paced yet stylish editing by Mathilde Bonnefoy. Along with Frank Griebe’s cinematography, the film has a look that plays to the wondrous yet youthful world of that district as Tykwer revels into the way young love works. Including scenes where Tomas and Francine are standing still as people move very speedily around them which is very touching. Helping to play to that tone is the music composed by Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, and Reinhold Heil, which is a fast, brimming piece of electronic music that plays to Tomas’ emotions.

True is an amazing mini-masterpiece from Tom Tykwer as it is one of the reasons why Paris Je t’aime is a great concept. Armed with fantastic performances from Natalie Portman and Melchior Beslon, it’s a short that needs to be checked out whether as a stand-alone piece or in its shortened version in Paris Je t’aime. Either way, True is a dazzling short by Tom Tykwer.

Cloud Atlas

© thevoid99 2010