The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
The staff of an American magazine based in France puts out its last issue, with stories featuring an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.
The staff of an American magazine based in France puts out its last issue, with stories featuring an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.
Benicio del Toro
Moses Rosenthaler
Adrien Brody
Julian Cadazio
Tilda Swinton
J.K.L. Berensen
Léa Seydoux
Simone
Frances McDormand
Lucinda Krementz
Timothée Chalamet
Zeffirelli
Lyna Khoudri
Juliette
Jeffrey Wright
Roebuck Wright
Mathieu Amalric
The Commissaire
The staff of an American magazine based in France puts out its last issue, with stories featuring an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.
Yet again a great piece of art!
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/the-french-dispatch-spoiler-free-review "The French Dispatch possesses all of Wes Anderson's trademark quirks, but this time, even hardcore fans of his unique style will struggle to not feel overwhelmed. Every filmmaking department shines in such an impressive manner that one could call this movie a "technical masterpiece" packed with fantastic performances across the board. Unfortunately, the cliche criticism "style over substance" fits this picture too well. The infinite amount of Anderson-ish quirks transforms the already uninteresting narrative with emotionally hollow characters into an extremely challenging, hard-to-follow story. In four simple words: it's just too much..." Rating: C+
Impeccably well made, supremely enjoyable. This is only the second Wes Anderson film that I've seen (fwiw, first was 'Moonrise Kingdom' which I didn't like all that much *hides*) and now I can better understand the hype that man gets. 'The French Dispatch' is quality, plain and simple. The ensemble cast are a delight, with many a familiar face spread across each segment and each one of them bringing entertaining performances. Frances McDormand would be my standout performer, closely followed by Benicio del Toro. Though, to be honest, all them are terrific - from Owen Wilson to Adrien Brody to Léa Seydoux to Timothée Chalamet to Jeffrey Wright. Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe and Bill Murray star too. Unreal casting, that! Anthology flicks can be hit-and-miss for me personally, though to be fair my predominant previous exposure to them has been via those cheaply made Disney animated sequels from yesteryear so time will tell if that feeling holds. I'm pleased to say here, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed watching one develop. It helps that this release knits the segments together seamlessly, with stunning cinematography, editing et al. Loved the animated part, too.
I suppose like any newspaper or magazine upon which this compendium effort is based, there are some "articles" more interesting than others - and that's what this offers. Three elongated features form the centrepieces of this somewhat surreal comedy. As you might expect from Wes Anderson, these stories are eclectic, and delivered well by a cast that were well up for their tasks. My favourite of the three features Frances McDormand and Timothée Chalamet offering us some sort of Hemmingway-esque parody of revolution fought over a chess board - with quite humorous results. Humour is a strong feature of this film. I would say comedy, not so much. One has to pay attention to what is going on to get the best from the acting, the script and, as importantly, the imagery which effortlessly mixes monochrome and colour, and which is also bright, vivacious, and frequently just as informative as the dialogue. It does run out of steam at times, the themes could have been a little more compact, and the two side-stories - especially the travel report with Owen Wilson at the top of the film didn't work so well for me. I'm not an huge fan of eccentricity - it is all-too-often just hit or miss, but here we have more hits than not, and with a healthy swipe at journalistic values along the way, a bit of romance and some daft antics from a rogue Benicio del Toro, this is certainly worth watching.
Full review: https://www.tinakakadelis.com/beyond-the-cinerama-dome/2021/12/28/the-world-through-pastel-colored-glasses-the-french-dispatch-review Watching a Wes Anderson movie is a feast for the eyes. Few directors have such a distinct visual language. When you are watching a Wes Anderson movie, the audience knows it’s a Wes Anderson movie. _The French Dispatch_ is no different. It is a series of vignettes from the fictional French foreign bureau of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun’s last issue following the death of its editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray). Each scene is an extraordinarily detailed still life painting that welcomes the audience to the dreamy French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. It’s what the world would look like if we were all wearing rose-colored glasses.
This film might be a tie with Grand Budapest Hotel for my favorite Wes Anderson. It's wacky and creative. The pacing is so fast that it will need another watch to really appreciate. I wish I'd seen it on a big screen :-( Did I mention the amazing cast and the super job they did?
Sam Bowden witnesses a rape committed by Max Cady and testifies against him. When released after 8 years in prison, Cady begins stalking Bowden and his family but is always clever enough not to violate the law.
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
Tired of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, itinerant journalist Paul Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local San Juan newspaper run by the downtrodden editor Lotterman. Adopting the rum-soaked lifestyle of the late ‘50s version of Hemingway’s 'The Lost Generation', Paul soon becomes entangled with a very attractive American woman and her fiancée, a businessman involved in shady property development deals. It is within this world that Kemp ultimately discovers his true voice as a writer and integrity as a man.
A group of idealistic but frustrated liberals succumb to the temptation of murdering right-wing pundits for their political beliefs.
An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.
Just retired from the Drug Enforcement Agency, John Hatcher returns to his hometown and quickly discovers that drugs have infiltrated his old neighborhood. Determined to drive the dealers out, Hatcher crosses paths with a ferocious Jamaican drug lord who vows that Hatcher and his family are now marked for death.
New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.
Summer 1998 - the opening stages of Le Tour de France are relocated to Ireland. Belgian rider Dom Chabol (late 30s) has been one of the best “Domestiques” (support riders) on the Tour for the last 20 years. It’s a sacrificial role – setting pace, blocking wind, and providing support to enable the team’s sprinter to victory - winning is not an option. But Dom secretly harbours a desire to wear the yellow jersey - just once before his career is over. At the start of what will likely be his last Tour, Dom is unceremoniously dropped from the Team he has dedicated his life to. His best mate Sonny, the team masseur, fails to reassure him about his future. But a chance liaison with Lynn, a young Irish doctor, softens the blow, and Dom starts to accept - and even enjoy - the idea of civilian life. But as he gears up to go home and to face his estranged sister, a massive doping error knocks another teammate off the Tour and Dom is thrown back in the saddle…
During the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white school teacher's life and values are threatened when he asks questions about the death of a young black boy who died in police custody.
Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.