Charade

When you’re obsessed with something; you’re bound to stir up reminders and in my case; every film I watch, I’m bound to have connections with France! J If you love life; then you’ll love France! J

Oscar nominated 1963 film ‘Charade’ was set in none other than the charming and romantic city of Paris. Written by Peter Stone and directed by Stanley Donen this film not only had lovely cinematic backdrops but also English Cary Grant and Belgium-beauty Audrey Hepburn. Their chemistry was similar to an old married couple – plenty of ‘spit-fire’ and plenty of love! Wonderful story and a scream of a plot unfold in the cleverest of ways. It’s always interesting to see similarities within film styles and influences and being an avid follower of French New-Wave Film; one can clearly see a classic ‘puppet scene’ re-enacted from the French Film ‘ The 400 Blows’ by François Truffaut.

You’ll laugh, you’ll coo and your eyes will grow in thrilling suspense. The audience can assume nothing except the utter danger Mrs. Lambert is in. Is she really, “An agent” or “A Spy”, or simply the unsuspecting newly widow searching for the money her husband had stolen?

“Oh you should see your face!”

“What’s the matter with it?”

“It’s lovely…”

Released on the 5^th of December 1963, only 49 years to the day today; and still possessing award-winning and riveting appeal. J

Hugo

Yes! I had the pleasure of seeing this 2011 Martin Scorsese film in 3D; what a wonderful surprise that a fantastic new friend would scoop me out of my lonely apartment and treat me to such a lovely film! Rêve! A dream indeed, in every sense of the way! Certainly I’d say, in the forerunning of the nominated films for the Academies next year; a confident prediction for even a novice film buff.

Set in the 1930’s in arguably one of the most romantic and beautiful cities and birthplace of Film, Paris; it is the journey of young Hugo. Filled with enchantment, history, mystery, and splendid secrets sprinkled and carefully revealed throughout. It was a film not only for entertainment and awe, but fascination and education, just the same.

Asa Butterfield, the brilliant blue-eyed main character you may remember from Nanny McPhee, or The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, took us on the exciting and unbelievable adventure of Hugo. Captivating at every angle, he brought the main character’s wants and dreams to life. Gifted Chloe Grace Moretz co-starred as Isabelle and both she and Asa not only had the pleasure of learning and working with a grand director like Scorsese but also along with other greats like Sir Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer and Helen McCrory.

Executed in the most ideal way, Scorsese adapted John Logan and Brian Selznick’s story to grandeur heights. It’s a story about the birth of film, of disappointment, of orphans, of fathers and sons and of happy endings that don’t only happen in the movies. Had I watched it alone, I could very well shed a few tears, but I held it together quite well, instead enjoying how the film melted my heart with marvelous metaphors of the moon which I love so much. If you know nothing about Georges Méliès, born in Paris 1861, writer, director and producer of ‘A Trip To The Moon’ among scores of other films; and you say you want to work in the film business, well then, you ought to see this movie!

It’s an exciting voyage explaining simply how things work, though intricate and sometimes convoluted, enormously necessary and purposeful right down to the very core! Encore! La France longtemps de phase!