DECEMBER06

Volver (2006)

Written and directed by: Pedro Almodóvar

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave, Antonio De La Torre, Maria Isabel Diaz and Neus Sanz.

“Hay mas cosas que yo deberia saber, y que no se? Mogollon.”

Volver (to return) is Pedro Almodóvar’s latest work of Spanish genius, a film that takes all of his previous themes and characters and creates a brand new stew of mystery, murder, deceit, humor and just the right touch of “El Deseo S.A.”

One of his most entertaining films to date, Volver is the story of Raimunda, played brilliantly by Penélope Cruz, and the secrets and lies that surround her and her family. Raimunda decides to move away from her home town of La Mancha after a tragic fire takes the lives of both her parents. La Mancha represents the symbolic struggles faced by the women in Almodóvar’s story, a town infamous for its wind, fire, insanity and superstition.

Raimunda settles in the city of Madrid and marries Paco (Antonio De La Torre), a man that is equally as miserable as he is drunk. After a couple of years, Raimunda, her teenage daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) and her sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) return to La Mancha to find strange things happening at aunt Paula’s (Chus Lampreave) house. Agustina (Blanca Portillo) is aunt Paula’s next-door neighbor and close family friend. She has been taking care of their sick aunt and spends most of her time trying to make sense of her mother’s disappearance and dealing with a sister that chooses to trade family for the glitz and glamour of television. Battling with feelings of guilt sparked by the recent turn of events, Raimunda is forced to make new choices that will make her an accomplice to murder, help her to become financially independent, face the ghosts in her past and present, and the ultimate goal in Almodóvar’s script, to bring the family back together again. A success both in the genre of humor and suspense, Volver is the film that Hitchcock would have made if he had moved to Spain instead of the U.S.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

DECEMBER06

La Puta Y la Ballena (2004)

Directed by: Luiz Puenzo

Written By: Ángeles González Sinde, Lucía Puenzo, Luis Puenzo.

Starring: Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Pep Munné, Merçè Llorens, Martín Caloni, Miguel Ángel Solá, Nicolás Tognola, Belén Blanco, Lydia Lamaison, Óscar Guzmán, Pompeyo Audivert.

Now, I know that I’ve said it many times before, but for all of you that missed it here it is: The best movies on HBO always play after 1:00 AM, so this is just another one of those times when I’m glad to have HBO, even if it means that I will be losing some sleep.

With that in mind, let me tell you why I liked the film La Puta y la Ballena (The Whore and the Whale). Two separate stories that share one place in common, la Patagonia Argentina. The film reminds me a lot of Y Tu Mama Tambien, since the lead actresses in both movies face a losing battle with cancer. This of course becomes the life altering trigger that pushes our protagonist Vera (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) on a journey of self discovery, taking her to a foreign land in search of a mystery that, once solved, will help her to define who she is.

The most appealing things about the film are the superb acting and the beautiful locations. A joint production between Argentina and Spain, La Puta Y la Ballena not only gives us a taste of two time periods and how they interact, but it also shows us how we are connected to our past regardless of where we live.

After discovering a journal full of nude pictures and love letters belonging to an Argentine that lost his life in the Spanish Civil War, Spanish writer Jordi (Pep Munné) persuades Vera, also a writer, to travel to Argentina and try to piece together what happened to the author of the letters and his lover. At the same time the director begins to unravel the story behind our mystery lovers, traveling back in time to Emilio (Leonardo Sbaraglia) and Lola (Merçè Llorens), lovers whose passionate affair ends tragically in a brothel near the Argentine coast.

It’s during this time spent in Argentina that Vera has confirmation of something that she had feared for some time: she has breast cancer and has to be operated immediately. Choosing to stay and have the operation in Argentina, Vera wakes up from her surgery only to discover that the patient in the next bed, Matilde, played in present day by Lydia Lamaison, had been one of the key players in the love affair between Emilio and Lola. This discovery will take Vera to the far end of La Patagonia, a place known only for the whales that live there. Using the significance of a whale that beached itself in both time periods, both Vera and Lola discover that it’s not a coincidence that they find themselves trying to save the whale and themselves. Although the fate of both women is similar, one chooses to learn from the other, giving her one more chance at life. A film that delights in fate, seduction and tango, La Puta Y la Ballena is a lesson in understanding the paths we choose and the things that are beyond our control.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

NOVEMBER06

All the Presidents Men (1976)

Directed by: Alan J. Pakula

Written by: William Goldman

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden, Jason Robards, Jane Alexander, Meredith Baxter, Ned Beatty and Hall Holbrook.

So I get this DVD from Netflix and what do you know? It looks like its been through hell. Fortunately the technology gods intervened once again and the DVD managed to play through all the dirt and scratches to give us what could very well be the final viewing of the movie on that disc.

The original tag line for this great film read: “At times it looked like it might cost them their jobs, their reputations, and maybe even their lives.” My version of the tagline would read something like this: “Suspense, corruption, power, secrets and a whole lot of deep throat.” Now, before you get the wrong idea and accuse me of partaking in a little ‘adult entertainment,’ may I remind you that these are the very words that describe a certain elite group that for centuries has used truth and freedom to push its own private agenda?

The film is All the Presidents Men. The director, Alan J. Pakula. Based on the book by the same name, written by Washington Post journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the story chronicles the award winning reporting that exposed the corruption of the Nixon administration after the Watergate break-in. Right from the start the director shows us the reality and the seriousness of things to come, using the typewriter and amplifying the key strokes to show us the significance of the film's theme of words as weapons. The entire 138 minutes of the film will keep you in suspense, taking you on an eye-opening journey into the corruption that fills our government.

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, as Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, respectively, give superb performances, helping to create a Hollywood-like plot out of real events. The character of “Deep Throat” played by Hal Holbrook is Woodward’s inside source; it was thanks to his information that Nixon’s corrupt administration was finally brought to light. For 30 years his identity remained a secret until May 31, 2005 when the FBI’s former #2 man Mark Felt confirmed that he was indeed the notorious informant. (Two interesting facts on the film: the security guard that discovered the break-in at Watergate, Frank Wills, plays himself in the movie. The other fact has to do with the Oscar for Best Picture. Ironically Rocky beat All the Presidents Men that year, go figure.)

It’s amazing to see how little has changed since word of this scandal made headlines. It seems like much of the same tactics are at play with the current administration. This movie serves as a reminder that we should keep an eye on our government because as unbelievable as the facts of the Watergate scandal were, we could be finding ourselves on the verge of something greater.  

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

NOVEMBER06

“The Mist” by Stephen King

“Suddenly a shrieking noise began in the distance. It quickly built up in volume and resolved itself into the crazy warble of a police siren. A horn blared at the intersection and there was a shriek of brakes and burning rubber. I couldn’t see—the angle was all wrong—but the siren reached its loudest as it approached the market and then began to fade as the police car went past. A few people broke out of line to look, but not many. They had waited too long to chance losing their places. Norton went; his stuff was tucked into my cart. After a few moments he came back and got into line again. “Local fuzz,” he said. Then the town fire whistle began to wail, slowly cranking up to a shriek of its own, falling off, then rising again. Billy grabbed my hand—clutched it. “What is it, Daddy?” he asked, and then immediately: “Is Mommy all right?” “Must be a fire on Kansas Road,” Norton said. “Those damned live wires from the storm. The fire trucks will go through in a minute.” That gave my disquiet something to crystallize on. There were live lines down in our yard. Bud Brown said something to the checker he was supervising; she had been craning around to see what was happening. She flushed and began to run her calculator again. I didn’t want to be in this line. All of a sudden I very badly didn’t want to be in it. But it was moving again, and it seemed foolish to leave now. We had gotten down by the cartons of cigarettes. Someone pushed through the IN door, some teenager. I think it was the kid we almost hit coming in, the one on the Yamaha with no helmet. “The fog!” he yelled. “Y’oughta see the fog! It’s rolling right up Kansas Road!”

An excerpt from “The Mist” by Stephen King

Contrary to popular belief, yes, I can read. Even though it may take some time for me to pick up a book, I do delight in the ecstasy of the written word once in a while. There is no greater feeling than discovering something new for the very first time, and then again and again and again. I finished “The Mist” last night and after having a very short fling with the characters I can honestly say ‘Wow! I did not expect that.’ The ending is like experiencing a great roller coaster that finishes on the top of the mountain rather than the safe place where you first got on the ride. Like I was telling the friend that recommended the book to me (Thanks again, Ricky), it’s not the creatures that get me hard, although they are nice, but the fucking feeling of total chaos, which I would actually call “reality.”

Much like 28 Days Later, the story takes all the feeling of safety and security away. There are no commando type heroes that can save you; it’s just survival on a daily basis that keeps you alive. The only regret I have is that, like all great things, it too must come to an end. Regardless of that small detail, I think Stephen King managed to capture something that many have attempted but only a few people have actually achieved. Many have tried to recreate scenarios of chaos and destruction but regardless of the subject matter (zombies, aliens, nuclear holocaust) nearly all have missed the point completely.

It’s not about the size of the monster or the explosion or about how many people it wipes out, it’s about the feeling of hopelessness brought on by a reality that sees no resolution in sight. The element that makes you feel uncomfortable in your own body, an intelligent approach to “how the fuck will you survive when everything else fails.” Very few movies or TV shows have achieved this feeling—28 Days Later, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original and the 1978 remake), “V” the miniseries, Red Dawn, War of the Worlds (the original and the first hour and a half of Steven Spielberg’s remake) are some worth mentioning—and since books are not my forte (something that I’m hoping to change, one book at a time) I will start my book list by adding “The Mist” as one of the stories that got it right. I think this is the type of story that anyone can enjoy, but consider yourself warned: this is not your ordinary doomsday tale, and there is no warm fuzzy feeling at the end of it all. Just a friendly reminder of what your government is planning next fall.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

OCTOBER06

Flyboys (2006)

Directed by: Tony Bill

Written by: Phil Sears, Blake T. Evans and David S. Ward.

Starring: James Franco, Jean Reno, Davis Ellison, Martin Henderson, Jennifer Decker and Lex Shrapnel.

It’s nice when you can travel back in time to a place when life was full of honor, romance and adventure. Now, you might think that I’m a bit crazy but it’s just that I’m in love with the past—after all, love and war go hand in hand just like fear and humor. Which brings me to Flyboys, a nostalgic return to the days of the “Great War,” where millions of people were killed at the expense of a few ambitious (read: psychotic) men.

I’ve always loved the stories of the brave pilots that changed the face of war with their courage and passion. Ever since Howard Hughes’s Hells Angels, aerial dogfights have been a part of cinema history, bringing people to the edge of their seats with their sense of suspense and adventure. Since no studio wanted to back Flyboys, you could say that the film had a rough start; thankfully, a group of filmmakers and investors including producer Dean Devlin and David Ellison, son of Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison, spent more than $60 million of their own money to make and market this film.

Director Tony Bill was the man in charge so to speak, although I can’t really say much for his directing. This is his first movie, and his previous experience has been limited to directing television, which is why I feel that he was brought on the project primarily to be directed, not the other way around. I’m pretty sure that Dean Devlin and the rest of the financiers had final say on the film. Regardless of that minor detail, I think that Flyboys succeeds in its mission: to be a fun, action-packed adventure with a twist of romance.

Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) is the misunderstood bad-boy that’s looking for adventure. By joining the legendary Lafayette escadrille, Rawlings and a group of young Americans become part of history. The films love story revolves around the beautiful Lucienne, played by newcomer Jennifer Decker, and our brave pilot Rawlings. Although romance is not the central focus of the story, their brief love affair adds a nice contrast to the reality of the war. Since the majority of the characters are American, Captain Thenault (played by the brilliant Jean Reno) does a great job in giving authenticity to the movie—plus, nobody plays a better Frenchman than Reno. Reed Cassidy (Martin Henderson) also gives a great performance as the ace pilot, the one person that is feared and respected by all.

The only real criticism I have for the film is the fact that the director is virtually unnoticeable. Maybe if Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Peter Jackson or Steven Spielberg had taken this project under their wings we would be talking about a new aerial combat classic, something in the likes of what Wolfgang Petersen did for the submarine with Das Boot. I do hope that this movie sparks a comeback of the biplane on film though— maybe someday I will get my classic dogfight movie after all.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

OCTOBER06

Manderlay (2005)

Written and Directed by: Lars Von Trier

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Isaach De Bankole, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, Michael Abiteboul, Lauren Bacall, Jean-Marc Barr, Geoffrey Bateman, Jeremy Davies, Chloe Sevigny, Udo Kier, John Hurt (Narrator).

I attended the Miami Film Festival’s closing night ceremony a couple of years ago and the film chosen to close the festival that year was Lars Von Trier’s Dogville. Without much hesitation I can say that by the end of night Dogville became part of my short list of movies to take to a deserted island.

Everything about the movie was innovative—from the absence of sets and scenery to the dramatic portrayal of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the human element. Recently I came across Manderlay after searching for one of Lars Von Trier’s earlier works, The Kingdom (which will be the topic of discussion for another occasion). Somehow I was completely unaware that Manderlay was the continuation of Dogville; hell, I was unaware that it even existed. As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait to see it, but in the back of my mind I started to wonder how the director could follow up the incredible experience that is Dogville.

Manderlay is the second installment in Lars Von Trier’s trilogy about America. Shot using the same style and techniques as Dogville, Manderlay continues where “Dogville” left off. Grace Margaret Mulligan (now played by Bryce Dallas Howard), her father (now played by Willem Dafoe) and his army of gangsters are in search of a place to lay low. After crossing into the state of Alabama they decide to stop and rest right in front of the Manderlay plantation. Little did they know that what lay behind the gates would cause all of their plans to change.

Much like the situations set by the town of Dogville, Manderlay is filled with people that choose to ignore the outside world. Slavery is the topic that moves Grace this time around—she fights to free and educate a small community of black plantation workers that are unaware that slavery was abolished years back. Knowing that she was going to be unable to resolve this situation by herself she convinces her father to lend her some of his men in order to punish the white plantation owners for the years of slavery inflicted on the residents of Manderlay.

Once again the subject matter will open your eyes, forcing you to ask some hard questions about America’s not so fine legacy. The acting is superb—Bryce Dallas Howard gives the character of Grace an innocence that carries the story forward past the legacy left by her predecessor Nicole Kidman. Wilhelm (Danny Glover) is the most surprising character of the film. His wisdom, his courage and his support help Grace to turn the plantation around. Unfortunately, he is also the only one that knows the truth of what really happened at Manderlay. The ending is an unexpected surprise, not as gratifying as Dogville, but just as powerful. The only thing that this film lacks is the element of surprise; it looks so much like Dogville that this might cause you to feel like you already know what’s about to happen. The film closes with these words: “America had proffered its hand, discreetly perhaps, if anybody refused to see a helping hand he really only had himself to blame.” Currently Lars Von Trier is working on the third installment of his America series entitled Washington. I can’t wait.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

SEPTEMBER06

The Last Picture Show (1971)

Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich

Written by: Larry McMurtry and Peter Bogdanovich

Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Ben Johnson, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Randy Quaid, Clu Galager, Eileen Brennan.

Tony Bennett’s “Cold, Cold Heart” was on everybody’s hit parade; Elizabeth Taylor was getting married; boys wore ducktails; the police action in the far east was Korea, and Anarene, Texas, like other small towns was approaching the end of an era.

“Anarene, Texas, 1951. Nothing much has changed.” With these words, taken from the original 1971 movie trailer, we are introduced to one of American cinema’s best-kept secrets, The Last Picture Show. Director Peter Bogdanovich gives us his ultimate masterpiece (in the words of his good friend Orson Welles: “You Only Need One.”)

The Last Picture Show is a timeless story filled with compassion, sexuality, humor, nostalgia, death and regrets, but the most shocking element of this film comes from its honesty. From its opening sequence in what looks to be a deserted town, life literally comes out of the woodworks, introducing us to characters like Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms), Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges), Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson), Jacey Farrow (Cybill Shepherd), Ruth Popper (Cloris Leachman) and Lois Farrow (Ellen Burstyn).

As seen through the eyes of the young Sonny Crawford the one character that wants to be a good person but continues to struggle with his conscience and the decisions he makes, the story follows the adventures of the misguided youth and the adult role models that influence their lives. The town pool hall and the movie theater, which are owned and operated by local hero Sam the Lion, provide the only source of entertainment for the residents of Anarene. Jacey Farrow plays the role of the town Lolita, following in her mother’s (Lois Farrow) footsteps of sexual discovery at the expense of her temporary boyfriend Duane Jackson and her 24-hour husband.

Ruth Popper is the unhappy housewife that has an affair with a much, much younger man to fill the void left by her closeted husband. The movie’s time line spans one year, from one football season to another, and closes with our main characters returning for one last picture show before the theater closes its doors for good. The Last Picture Show is an honest look into the lives of all of us, set in a place too small for secrets to be hid. Shot in the backdrops of Archer City, Texas, the director chose to use black and white film after Orson Welles suggested that it would add more depth to the look of the story. With 8 Academy Award nominations (and 2 wins), this incredible cast brings to life the characters of Larry McMurtry’s best-selling book of the same name. On a personal note: after watching this film I felt nostalgic for movies that are no longer made—classics that, because of the style and times, will forever remain part of a time period were cinema was still breaking new ground.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

AUGUST06

World Trade Center (2006)

Directed By: Oliver Stone

Written By: Andrea Berloff

Starring: Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Nicolas Cage, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jay Hernandez, Michael Shannon, Stephen Dorff

World Trade Center is an impossible movie to critique, simply because the only real question you can ask is if the director did justice to the events that happened on September 11, 2001. I can honestly say that director Oliver Stone succeeded in his mission. But I guess the most surreal thing for me personally was not just the movie but also the fact that I was watching this movie at the foot of the World Trade Center site, at the theatres in Battery Park. It’s like being a part of something you saw on television, and you know it changed everything but it’s suddenly right there in front of you, and it’s real.

The fact that I’m here in New York and that I’m watching this 50 feet from were it happened is a once in a lifetime experience. It’s like watching Schindler’s List, then walking out of the theater and finding yourself in front of one of the concentration camps featured in the movie. It’s tough, but you know what? It’s an experience that makes life real.

Oliver Stone wanted to focus on the uplifting stories that came from such a hate filled event. Two men, John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Peña) show us how life is worth living, that even at those most desperate final minutes it’s the beautiful things that we hold dear that keep us alive. This is more that just another survival story, this is the story of the event that changed history and how two people were saved by hope and faith. Based on true events, World Trade Center does a good job avoiding everything that we already know about that day; instead it shows us a side which up to now was only known to those men and women that risked their lives to save many. Part of the inspiration for making this movie was the story behind this amazing man, Dave Karnes (Michael Shannon), the ex marine that drove from miles away to try to help in the recovery after the towers collapsed. Answering a call from God, he managed to walk into the disaster area and find the two police officers from under the rubble. Donna McLoughlin (Maria Bello) and Allison Jimeno (Maggie Gyllenhaal) are the wives of our two brave police officers. Their outstanding performances give life to the other unfortunate victims of 9-11—the families. If you feel that it’s to soon to be making movies about the events of that day then maybe you should see this film because this is the movie that will change your mind. The real message shining thru the horror and destruction is that we are all connected, and each person in this world has a purpose and a reason. After taking on such a controversial subject I think that Oliver Stone should be proud to say that he gave us all a reason to carry on.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

AUGUST06

 A Bronx Tale (1993)

Directed By: Robert De Niro

Written By: Chazz Palminteri

Starring: Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Bracato, Francis Capra, Taral Hicks, Katherine Narducci, Clem Caserta

Ever since I can remember, gangster movies have been one of the pillars in male society. For some strange reason I have never shared this interest for all things Italian. The Godfather stands to be the top or one of the top manliest movies out there, and yet, in my book, it’s mentioned very far, far, far down the list. Yeah, the characters have their appeal but there’s only so much that you can talk about in a story about murder—Italian style.

On the whole this genre has always caused me to reluctantly explore any new titles marketed as gangster flicks. With the exception of a few surprising movies (Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America), I cant say that that I find the appeal. But as the gods of cinema rule over our hearts, and with Robert De Niro in the director’s seat, A Bronx Tale has all of the potential of becoming another one on a very short list of gangster movies that I recommend.

This is a Bronx story, one that could happen to any of us—growing up in a community where crime is all around and deciding between the life your father wants you to live and the life the streets will give you. Written by Chazz Palminteri, A Bronx Tale is a story of what can happen when both the good and the bad teach us to be better human beings, in the midst of racism and social change we are all forced to see a reality that can only be altered with love and tolerance. Both Lorenzo (Robert De Niro) and Sunni (Chazz Palminteri) become fathers to young Calogero (Lillo Brancato), each offering a life lesson, one in a bus and the other in a bar. As Calogero grows up (Francis Capra) he sees the causes and effects of the gangster life. After falling in love with a black girl, he is also forced to face his own prejudices. The story is filled with moral lessons brought to life by a great script and superb acting, and a surprise cameo by everybody’s favorite gangster Joe Pesci.

Juan Marcos Percy – Importer/Exporter

JUNE06

The Da Vinci Code

Directed By: Ron Howard

Written By: Akiva Goldsman

Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina.

Is there really a conspiracy inside the Catholic Church to hide the truth from us? Did Leonardo Da Vinci know something we don’t? Is this movie really worth watching? These and some other interesting questions will be challenged in this uncontroversial review of Ron Howard’s new feature film.

Let’s start with our first question: Is there really a conspiracy inside of the Catholic Church? Sure, I can bet there’s hundreds, but are they trying to protect us from some doctrine altering lie passed on from generation to generation as proposed in The Da Vinci Code…I don’t think so. Did Leonardo Da Vinci know something we don’t? Not likely. Yes, he was a genius, and sure, he had ties to many powerful men in the church but just like the famous painting that started this whole controversy, his purpose was never to tell us about some secret love affair but to create something that was relevant at the time he painted it.

Now, on to the last and most trivial question: Is this movie really worth watching? Well, that will fall entirely up to you, but be warned—don’t expect to find a great faith-shaking experience like The Mission or a delicious archeological adventure like Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. What you can expect is a one sided discussion that lasts almost 3 hours. I think the flaws in the movie don’t lie in anything Ron Howard does or in the actor’s interpretation of the characters in the story; instead I blame any negative criticism on the source material.

I’m sure that by now you are asking yourself why I saw the movie. I saw it because I wanted to see what all the hype was about and let’s just say that I enjoyed the movie for all of the reasons that one should not see this movie: I loved everything except the story the movie is based on. That doesn’t leave much to talk about I know, but I did manage to come out of the movie with one very important conclusion; That there is no Da Vinci Code, its just fiction, so if you want to find some real conspiracies then maybe you can start by doing your own research rather than allowing money making theories to fill your head.

- Juan Marcos Percy, Importer/Exporter

MARCH06

Les Amants du Pont-Neuf / The Lovers on the Bridge (1991) *** 

Written and Directed by: Leos Carax (Le-Oscar-a-X) (The Oscar goes to X)

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Klaus-Michael Gruber, Marion Stalens, Chrichan Larsson.

!!!Ah!!! French Cinema: With its wonderful collage of reality, singular stunning imagery, extensive experience in humanity and just the right touch of evil. There is no experience like it in the planet—not for the squeamish, but definitely for the hardcore romantics.

Our film begins with an eye opening view of the wretched and forgotten people of the Paris streets. With great despair and misery we are introduced to one of our leading characters, Alex (Denis Lavant). In his world of sleepless nights and crime filled days there is only room for one great love, a muse to justify his insanity. An old broken down bridge is the stage for all of his adventures and aspirations, living within it his only friend, a bitter old man named Hans (Klaus-Michael Gruber) who supplies Alex with the drug that gives him back his sleep every night.

As if by pure coincidence, two people, a man and a woman, are united by fate with seemingly cruel intentions. Together alone on a bridge in the middle of the busy Paris background, Alex meets Michele Stalens (Juliette Binoche, in what I think to be one of her landmark roles). Binoche portrays a melancholy artist that is quickly losing her sight having recently lost the only thing that really mattered to her: true love. Michele reluctantly opens up to Alex, giving him reason to fall in love, and together they embark on a love affair with uncertain paths.

After discovering Michele’s picture plastered all over the city, Alex learns that Michele has been reported missing by the authorities and that her debilitating condition is correctable only if treated in time. Feeling that this will threaten their perfect life on the bridge he decides to keep it a secret from her. Fortunately she finds out by other means and decides that she must free herself from the man that is keeping her captive. The last 20 minutes reveal the final and most surprising twist of this wonderful story. A film three years in the making, Carax spent a fortune building sets and filming some mind-blowing sequences; unfortunately neither critics nor audiences embraced what was a truly grand vision. The tagline for this movie read “Romance... In a most unlikely place;” with its beauty and rare depiction of the true nature of love, The Lovers on the Bridge definitely delivers.

- Juan Marcos Percy, Importer/Exporter

FEBRUARY06

Lord of War ***

Written and directed by: Andrew Niccol

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Bridget Moynahan, Jared Leto, Shake Tukhmanyan, Jean-Pierre Nshanian, Ian Holm and Ethan Hawke.

The top five arms dealers in the world each have a seat in the UN Security Council. If that doesn’t seem like a wakeup call, then maybe its time for you to bring home the Lord of War.

Andrew Niccol is a story teller with a singular purpose—to explore and imagine a future where genetics brings an end to chance, how a show can become the reality TV that documents our lives, and the man without a country, stuck in a Terminal, waits patiently for fate to step in. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) is a man with a particular talent; he makes selling arms to foreign countries look as easy as selling vacuum cleaners door to door.

His story takes off in the early 80s when he sees the opportunity to supply a local demand for guns in Little Odessa, New York. Unhappy with the small time results, Yuri sets his eyes on a new market in the Middle East, securing a middle-man position with the U.S. government. It’s here that Yuri begins to plan a very bright future for himself and his younger brother Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto). Unfortunately, with fast money comes easy vice, and even though Yuri survives the initiation into wealth, his brother Vitaly loses the battle to cocaine. With his brother in rehab Yuri is forced to continue his arms venture alone (the cold war is now over and all of Russia is for sale).

Using his family contacts, Yuri beats out the top arms dealer in the world, Simeon Weisz (Ian Holm), to the all too important Russian military arsenal. Yuri soon finds himself on opposite sides of a war he can’t win, but for now he’s enjoying the spoils of his arms fortune. Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan) is a supermodel that has captivated Yuri all of his life; since money is no longer a problem he uses his new found status to sweep his soon to be supermodel wife off her feet. With a new wife, a baby on the way and an endless supply of money in his pocket, Yuri takes the biggest leap of his life looking to supply weapons for the future wars in Africa. Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke) is the incorruptible U.S. Federal Agent that will follow Yuri’s trail around the globe, waiting for that one mistake that will bring the ‘Lord of War’ into the U.S. prison system.

But in the end Yuri knows there’s no going back home. This new war will destroy any sign of humanity left in him and eventually he will become one of the casualties of a business that’s in the business of killing. He’s just an unfortunate result of supply and demand, a ‘Lord of War’ that works in the shadows of the real Warlords. 

- Juan Marcos Percy, Importer/Exporter

JANUARY06

King Kong (2005)****

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson

Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Andy Serkis, Evan Parke, Jamie Bell, John Summer and Kyle Chandler

“It was beauty that killed the beast…”

I’m sick and tired of hearing the same lame excuse for not making King Kong a part of your movie experience, especially because they were the same reasons I had. Yes I know, the story of King Kong has never really interested you…but you know what? That’s the magic of the movies.

If ever there was an example of sheer greatness, of true vision and a most definite salvation of the action/adventure genre then Peter Jackson’s latest masterpiece is it and deserves your full attention. He has taken a beautiful story and made it amazing. I know what you might be thinking: A beautiful story? Well isn’t love what makes a beautiful story? This unique love story takes us to a world of peril and beauty, clearly illustrating the price we pay when we decide not to follow the age-old adage: some things really are better left just as they are.

In the midst of the great depression, the stunning yet unemployed Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) is cast as the lead actress in Carl Denham’s (Jack Black) new action adventure picture to be set in the Orient, or so he says. Managing to avoid the New York authorities, the director, his cast and crew board the S.S. Venture in search of a lost island. After he is intentionally left onboard, playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) begins to write what is to become a script for an unforgettable motion picture, in the process falling head over heels for his lead actress.

As the cast and crew continue to search for the unknown, Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) fights to save his ship from certain danger. Finally arriving on the shores of the Island, the cast and crew are greeted by not so friendly natives that take Ann hostage to be offered as a sacrifice to the great Kong. From this point on Peter Jackson takes us on a nail biting, non-stop adventure ride to save Ann from an unknown fate with the great ape. At the same time, the rescue party faces prehistoric peril at every turn.

Will Carl the director finish his film? Can Kong be tamed long enough to rescue Ann? The last chapter in this story brings us back to New York, right after Kong has been captured and brought to the stage for everyone to see. This will be the set up for the all too famous last scenes on top of the Empire State building. Their story ends like all tragic love stories must but this time with a larger than screen feel, because Kong was larger than all of us. Peter Jackson creates a whole new way to experience King Kong, infusing it with the emotion, mystery and adventure that he felt as a kid and miraculously, causing us to feel the same, even now, as adults. This is truly movie magic.

- Juan Marcos Percy, Importer/Exporter