Comme une image - Look at me

Apparently this is 'one of the most sophisticated movies of the year' 2004. Personally I thought 'Lord of the rings: return of the king' was sophisticated and also enjoyable! Admittedly the latter wasn't as real to life as this film, but then I belong to the school, most of the time, that goes to the cinema (or DVD box) for escapism. I don't mean it must not be related to life at all, but to see a fat girl who is unloved or unnoticed by her self-centred Dad go on for so long.....

Perhaps Hitchcock summed it up best: "For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake".

Not a terrible film but I just found myself not caring. Others begged to differ [Reviewed by Nuthatch]

As far as I'm concerned, I have to say that I found it just too close to life to gain any real pleasure from it. It seemed to be largely an attempt to get as much of a slice of real life as possible with very little character development.

True, there is some hope at the end that the women of the film have reached a stronger position and have a better idea of what they want, and I was engaged by the love story of our protagonist, but it generally went on far too long with not much development, constantly reiterating what a self-centred pig the father was and how he generally destroyed those around him. For those who claim that this was 'one of the most sophisticated movies of the year' then I'd have to say they might be right. In 2004 we had such clangers as Troy and Meet the Fockers, but faced with the chance to watch Comme Une Image again, I would have to say that I am quite happy to delve into the sophistication of the computer generated fart gags of Shrek 2 (also released 2004) for the twentieth time instead! [Reveiwed by Stonechat]

I found this film very real and very touching in its portrayal of a young girl who was desperate to be noticed and affirmed by her egotistical father. At times, I almost felt I was watching a documentary rather than a fictional story, so real did the characters seem. There was no great turning point, no earth-shattering crisis - just a quiet development of the central characters as they grow and change. The ending was satisfying in that both the daughter and her teacher seemed to have come to a realisation that the object of their adoration was incapable of giving them what they wanted and so they found the inner strength to move on and give up their impossible fantasies. Everything about the film is understated and yet it manages to convey a powerful message. [Reveiwed by Nightjar]

The Apartment

I studied this film, film studies-wise, a long time ago, and have forgotten all the critical stuff now. But I loved watching it with Stonechat as she kept laughing and thinking she was clever in predicting some of the plot. But little did she know a comedy is not necessarily a bundle of laughs. This is a timeless piece (leaving the office scenario aside - that is anachronistically-wise)

MacLaine and Lemmon are brilliant in this underplayed film. Lemmon does his usual skittish behaviour but, after his triumph in 'Some like it hot' he has really mastered the art of his film character in this film - and deservedly won an Oscar - acting-wise.

Billy Wilder (left) with Jack Lemmon

Billy Wilder directed, produced and/or wrote classics "Some like it hot" (with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis), and "The Seven Year Itch" (with the iconic Marilyn skirt scene). But he also handled serious material, "Sunset Boulavard," "Stalag 17," and one of my favourites "Double Indemnity," Sad to think he attended Lemmon's funeral and a year later was pushing up daisies himself.



Two 'doors' down - death-wise is Jack Lemmon:


And of course Shirley MacLaine is still with us....... weird-wise that is! [Reviewed by Nuthatch]

I really loved this film. I thought that Lemmon was absolutely perfect and so completely likeable, despite seeming at times completely morally bankrupt! I found the premise slightly unbelievable as although we see that Lemmon is motivated into renting out his apartment through the inability to say no and his desire to get on in the company, I wasn't totally convinced that the situation could have really escalated to that point. However, I was very much swept away with the spirit of the film and loved its constant twists and turns. I was also intrigued that it was quite a morally ambiguous film, despite being filmed in 1950s America, and I would be interested to find out how it was generally received at the time of its release. I think it is definitely a film I would revisit in the future and is very deservedly remembered as a classic. [Reviewed by Stonechat]