George Benlian on movies, books and few other things

Summer hours by Olivier Assayas

 

The French director Olivier Assayas is known for his rigorous and intelligent style of filmmaking. He may not be everyone's cup of tea and i have disliked some of his movies specially his earlier ones.

"Summer hours" - in french "L'heure d'ete" is his latest production released in France one year ago. An intimate family portrait if treated with sensitivity  and in-depth can produce an enriching cinematic experience. Yasujiro Ozu mastered this theme and it is not surprising to note Assayas being the most Asian influenced of French directors. He is subtle in his treatment of a story and can sometimes be too ambiguous.

Fortunately "Summer hours" is more viewer-friendly than some of his earlier works. A film about the passing of times may not attract much attention and i know some viewers expressed disappointment as to the lack of expected action present in majority of movies. This is a different kind of cinema; a delicate way of telling the story of three siblings facing the death of their mother and the sensitive decisions they have to make with the question of inheritence. Several scenes about valuable objects and paintings are filmed as a documentary to provide a realistic approach. I checked the internet and didn't find any famous french painter named Paul Berthier. 

Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling and Jeremie Renier are playing the siblings. Living abroad has become a life choice for two of the three siblings. This typical middle class french family will soon have heir in America and China. This film could have been called "Changing times". I liked the idea of starting and ending the movie with the young generation of teenagers and childrens. It is a distinctive allusion of the continuation of life despite certain alterations that come naturally.     

In-I - An exploration of movements with Juliette Binoche and Akram Khan

Juliette Binoche is a gifted artist. If she is a well known actress having collaborated with various important film directors for the last twenty five years, she is also leaving her marks recently as a writer, painter and an enigmatic dancer.

She is currently performing at the Sydney Opera House in a dancing experiment with Akram Khan; a choregrapher keen of exploring a new form of dancing full of eclectic moments. A sensual encounter between a man and a woman. A love story that will contain elements of routine habits, a risk of lassitude and fortunately a rediscovery of each other. Watching "In-I" will leave the impression of a dream. Lot's of movements of bodies, a true communion of spirits and maybe an enriching experience of the soul, this is a great one hour to spend in the company of two great performers issued from two different backgrounds.

After the performance, a Q&A took place between the two artists and ABC journalist, Caroline Baum. This was a worthy initiative as the conversation between them allowed the public to enter into the world of their creative work. The concept took existence thanks to the mutual desire of two talented and intelligent artists having one thing in common; the passion of art and the willingness to explore. The result is in front of our eyes and is shared by audiences all over the world. Although very little words are said, it is interesting to note from both protagonists about the different responses and reactions they have witnessed during this adventure from audiences of different cultures.

Binoche is the quintessential European actress who has an impressive presence in the world of the cinema and continues to inspire talented directors from France, the States, Argentina and even Iran. You could see how much importance she gives on expressing herself through creativity in different art forms whether this takes place as a poem, a painting, a performance and even a dancing experiment. She did reveal her next adventure will be film making; a venture that is highly anticipated from an individual of her calibre.

Le voyage du ballon rouge by Hsiao-hsien Hou

A Taiwanese director making a French movie is not a common practice. Hsiao-Hsien Hou career spans twenty eight years with movies that have won prestigious awards in international film festivals.

Flight of the red balloon, (Le voyage du ballon rouge) is not for people who like lots of action in a movie. In contrary, patience is almost an obligation in order to appreciate this slow yet deep movie. A homage to a short French classic from 1950's; Le ballon rouge directed by Albert Lamorisse, Hsiao-Hsien Hou and Francois Margolin his co-writer have kept the story line way too simple. A single mother who works as a marionettist is too busy to spend time with her son who is looked after by a Chinese girl who has studied cinema and directed a movie. Obviously this doesn't provide enough material for a full length movie. There are occasional intrusions by the neighbour who is also a tenant to our heroine and who has stopped paying rent for sometime. And then we have a scene with a blind piano tuner, two removalists, a lawyer friend who helps making pancake and of course the red balloon, an important character, the homage to Lamorisse and a metaphorical friend to the lonely child.

In Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu, Parents were ignored by their children. Here, it could have been the opposite case except the mother is so honest and true in what she does that we cannot consider her as selfish. She loves her son very much but she is busy with works and other little things.

It is difficult to explain why i like this movie. I checked few sites and read similar comments by other fans. No action nor romance, nothing tantalizing nevertheless at the end, we are satisfied having seen a movie that is rather unique with the City of Lights filmed by a Taiwanese with lots of love and nostalgia.

Juliette Binoche is a great actrice. As a busy single mother in the movie she is impressive on how her image of an actrice is forgotten and replaced by a modern mum with her qualities and weaknesses. Bit like Ozu, Hou has no judgemental interests over his heroes. He leaves his audience to make it's own comments while he continues to use the magic of cinema in his humble way.

Watch this movie when you are well awake!!!