Tag Archives: friendship

8,0-8,9, comedy, drama,, female director, romance,

“Adore” by Anne Fontaine (Australia, 2013)

 

Adore

Excellent scenario and some fantastic editing.
Many have called it a bad movie (see the main ratings) because of its scandalous theme – two middle-aged women falling for two young men they know. However, the same critics wouldn’t have blinked if the movie had staged two men falling for their daughter-in-law. Hypocrisy at its best!

Cast: Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel, James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn, Sophie Lowe
Director: Anne Fontaine
Screenplay: Christopher Hampton
Novel: Doris Lessing
Music by Christopher Gordon
Cinematography by Christophe Beaucarne
Film Editing by Luc Barnier, Ceinwen Berry

3,0-5,9, comedy, female director, romance,

“Laggies” by Lynn Shelton (USA, 2014)

Laggies

Summarized: only the perfect (male) match can give sense to a woman’s life. No story to be proud of!
Just like Touchy Feely, a female reacts dramatically when her boyfriend offers her to commit herself more fully to their relationship. Adding to the sequel feeling, both movies stage an adult female, a teenager, and 2 adult males. In both movies, the “mother” is absent.
But instead of defining its personages realistically as they are in Touchy Feely, those in Laggies are inconsistent. A hopefully one-time hiccup in an up-to-now interesting oeuvre.

Cast: Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell, Chloë Grace Moretz, Mark Webber, Ellie Kemper, Jeff Garlin, Kaitlyn Dever
Director: Lynn Shelton
Screenplay: Andrea Seigel
Director of Photography: Benjamin Kasulke
Original Music Composer: Benjamin Gibbard

7,0-7,9, crime, drama,, female director, romance,

“Jasper Jones” by Rachel Perkins (Australia, 2017)

 

Jasper Jones

Interesting representation of teenagers rejecting the crooked ways of the significant adults around them.
NOTICED (SPOILER): One mother betrays her husband. Another one destroys evidence to protect hers. In the end, it leaves two children betrayed by their mothers.
The musical score is too omnipresent. 

Cast: Hugo Weaving, Toni Collette, Angourie Rice
Director: Rachel Perkins
Writers: Shaun Grant, Craig Silvey (story)
Music by Antony Partos
Cinematography by Mark Wareham
Film Editing by Veronika Jenet

7,0-7,9, crime, drama,, female director, romance,

“Breathe” (Mélanie Laurent, France 2014)

Breathe

A friendship between two girls (one introvert, one extrovert) turns to a complete misunderstanding.

Cast: Joséphine Japy, Lou de Laâge, Isabelle Carré, Roxane Duran
Director: Mélanie Laurent
Screenplay: Julien Lambroschini, Mélanie Laurent / Novel: Anne-Sophie Brasme
Director of Photography: Arnaud Potier
Editor: Guerric Catala
Music: Marc Chouarain

7,0-7,9, drama,, female director, romance,

“Before I Fall” (Ry Russo-Young, USA 2017)

Before I Fall

Variation on Groundhog Day. Lots of quality but some weaknesses in the scenario

Cast: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Elena Kampouris, Logan Miller, Cynthy Wu, Medalion Rahimi, Jennifer Beals, Kian Lawley, Liv Hewson
Director: Ry Russo-Young
Writer (novel): Lauren Oliver
Writer: Maria Maggenti
Cinematographer: Michael Fimognari
Editor: Joe Landauer
Composer: Adam Taylor

7,0-7,9, female director, romance,

“Lovesong” (Son Yong Kim, USA 2016)

Lovesong

A finely chiseled description of a friendship between two women. Excellent direction and performances

Cast: Riley Keough, Jena Malone, Brooklyn Decker, Ryan Eggold, Rosanna Arquette
Director: So Yong Kim
Writer: Bradley Rust Gray, So Yong Kim
Cinematographer: Kat Westergaard, Guy Godfree
Editor: So Yong Kim, Bradley Rust Gray
Composer: Jóhann Jóhannsson