Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: Paris, Je t'Aime (2006) - Short film anthology playground set in Paris

9/16/2023

Paris, Je t'Aime (2006) - Short film anthology playground set in Paris

♥♥♥

An intimate back alley moment makes up this sensually blue poster for 21 directors' Paris, Je t'Aime

The film presents 18 short films set in the City of Lights, Paris: Of romance in spite of cultural differences, random violence, the heart of the city, mimes who meet in prison, - and much more.

Paris, Je t'Aime is written by Nadine Eïd (Eki (2022, TV-series)), Paul Mayeda Berges (Bride & Prejudice (2004)), Gena Rowlands (The Skeleton Key (2005, actress)), Gabrielle Keng (Disorder (1986, costume assistant), Rain Li (Habit (2021, cinematographer)) and its 21 co-writer/directors, based on an idea by Tristan Carné (La Chanson de l'Année (2019-22)). The co-writer/directors are: Gus Van Sant (Elephant (2003)), Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run/Lola Rennt (1998)), Daniela Thomas (Vazante (2017)), Nobuhiro Suwa (H Story (2001)), Oliver Schmitz (Amokspiel (2018, TV movie)), Walter Salles (On the Road (2012)), Bruno Podalydès (Chocolat (2016)), Alexander Payne (Sideways (2009)), Vincenzo Natali (Westworld (2016-18)), Richard LaGravenese (P.S. I Love You (2007)), Christopher Doyle (Warsaw Dark (2008)), Gérard Depardieu (The Bridge/Un Pont Entre Deux Rives (1999)), Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity (2013)), Wes Craven (Scream (1996)), Isabel Coixet (Elisa & Marcela/Elisa y Marcela (2019, VoD)), Ethan and Joel Coen (A Serious Man (2009)), Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist/L'Illusionniste (2010)), Gurinder Chadha (Beecham House (2019, TV-series)), Frédéric Auburtin (Volpone (2003, TV movie)) and Olivier Assayas (Irma Vep (2022, miniseries)). The original French title (also used in English-speaking countries) translates to, 'Paris I love you'.

As a film this is something of a mishmash, and several of the segments lack clarity, - for instance Depardieu's otherwise sparklingly cast story, which actors Rowlads, Ben Gazzara (The Shore (2006)) and Depardieu himself nevertheless fail to bring to life.

But there are also fine moments: The mime story by Chomet is delightful, and the idea to base a story around mimes is spot-on for a Paris anthology. Tykwer's story (about a blind man) is technically astute; Payne's segment, starring the peerless Margot Martindale (August: Osage County (2013)), is the best in the film. Most curious is the completely unmotivated vampire story starring Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)) by Natali.

The executive producers have obviously given the directors a wide degree of creative freedom, which brings both good and bad things forth here. Lovers of the city of Paris and short films should find ample reasons to appreciate Paris, Je t'Aime.

New York, I Love You (2008) - Some wonderful moments elevate uneven anthology

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 13 mil. $

Box office: 17.4 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.33 times its cost)

[Paris, Je t'Aime premiered 18 May (Cannes Film Festival, Un Certain Regard section) and runs 120 minutes. Shooting took place in Paris from November 2005 - ?. Two stories were shot but cut out of the finished film. These were directed by Christoffer Boe and Raphaël Nadjari. The film opened #50 to a 39k $ first weekend in 2 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #13 and in 200 theaters (different weeks), grossing 4.8 mil. $ (27.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were France with 2.8 mil. $ (16.1 %) and Germany with 1.3 mil. $ (7.5 %). The film inspired similarly titled anthologies for New York (2008), Rio (2014) and Berlin (2019). Paris, Je t'Aime is certified fresh at 86 % with a 7.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Paris, Je t'Aime?

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William Friedkin has died

Born in Chicago, Friedkin accrued TV credits prior to his advance to the big screen as the director of Good TImes (1967), The Birthday Party (1968), The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and The Boys in the Band (1970) before his major breakthrough, The French Connection (1971), for which he won his only Oscar. He followed it up with the even bigger smash, The Exorcist (1973), arguably the best horror film of all time, for which he was Oscar-nominated. Later credits include Sorcerer (1977), Cruising (1980), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Rampage (1987), Rules of Engagement (2000), Killer Joe (2011) and The Devil and Father Amorth (2017, documentary). Friedkin passed away at age 87. R.I.P.

Louise Fletcher has passed away

Born in Alabama to deaf parents, Fletcher got her first credits in late-1950s TV-series.She took a 10 year-long sabbatical to devote her time to motherhood after the release of A Gathering of Eagles, but then came back and soon saw her career's most important part, as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), for which she won her sole Oscar. Later credits include Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Lucky Star (1980), Brainstorm (1983), Two Moon Junction (1988), Cruel Intentions (1999), A Perfect Man (2013) and many more. Fletcher passed away at age 88. R.I.P.

Jean-Luc Godard has passed away

Born in Paris, France, Godard lived much of his life in Switzerland. He wrote for French film criticism magazine Cahiers du Cinema and became foundational for the New French Wave that inspired new waves in scores of other countries across the world with his Breathless (1960). Later credits include A Woman Is A Woman (1961), Vivre Sa Vie (1962), Le Petit Soldat (1962), Contempt (1963), Alphaville (1965), Pierrot le Fou (1965), 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her (1967), Weekend (1967), Every Man for Himself (1980), King Lear (1987), Century of Cinema (1995, documentary), Goodbye to Language (2014) and many more. Godard died of assisted suicide at age 91. R.I.P.

Wolfgang Petersen has died

James Caan has died

Caan was born the son of Jewish immigrants from Germany in New York. He got his start on TV in the early 1960s. His credits include El Dorado (1966), The Rain People (1969), Brian's Song (1971, TV movie), The Godfather (1972), - for which he earned his only Oscar nomination, - Slither (1973), The Gambler (1974), Funny Lady (1975), Rollerball (1975), Silent Movie (1976), Hide in Plain Sight (1980), - the only film he also directed, - Thief (1981), Misery (1990), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Bottle Rocket (1996), Eraser (1996), Dogville (2003), Elf (2003), Las Vegas (2003-07), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and many more. Caan passed away at age 82. R.I.P.

Jean-Louis Trintignant has died

Born in Vaucluse, France, Trintignant's theatrical debut as an actor was in If All the Guys in the World... (1955). Later credits include ...And God Created Woman (1956), The Seven Deadly Sins (1961), Inferno (1964), A Man and A Woman (1966), My Love, My Love (1967), A Man to Kill (1967), The Great Silence (1968), Z (1969), The Assassination (1972), Three Colors: Red (1994), Amour (2012), Happy End (2017) and many more. He also wrote and directed two films in the 1970s. Trintignant passed away at age 91. R.I.P.

Ray Liotta has died

Adopted from an orphenage at a young age, Liotta got hooked on acting in high school. He had various TV credits in the late 1970s and early 80s, with his film debut in The Lonely Lady (1983). Later credits include Something Wild (1986), Field of Dreams (1989), Goodfellas (1990), Cop Land (1997), Hannibal (2001), Blow (2001), Narc (2002), John Q (2002), Identity (2003), Observe and Report (2009), Youth in Revolt (2009), The Details (2011), Killing THem Softly (2012), The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), Shades of Blue (2016-18), The Simpsons (2018, TV-series), Marriage Story (2019), The Many Saints of Newark (2021), Black Bird (2022, TV-series) and many more. Liotta passed away at age 67 in his sleep while on production in the Dominican Republic. R.I.P.

Philip Baker Hall has died

Born in Ohio, Hall didn't start acting until he was 30. His long list of credits include Zabriskie Point (1970), Miami Vice (1987, TV-series), Midnight Run (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Cheers (1993, TV-series), Hard Eight (1996), The Rock (1996), Air Force One (1997), Boogie Nights (1997), Seinfeld (1991-98), Rush Hour (1998), The Insider (1999), Magnolia (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Bruce Almighty (2003), Dogville (2003), The Zodiac (2005), Zodiac (2007), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2004-09), Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), Modern Family (2011-12) and many more. Hall passed away at age 90. R.I.P.

William Hurt has passed away

Born in Washington D.C., Hurt's first film role was the lead in Altered States (1980). Later credits include Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), Gorky Park (1983), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), for which he earned his only Oscar as Best Actor; Chilrdren of a Lesser God (1986), for which he was also Oscar-nominated; Broadcast News (1987), for which he was again Oscar-nominated; Smoke (1995), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), A History of Violence (2005), for which he was again Oscar-nominated; The Good Shepherd (2006), Into the Wild (2007), Robin Hood (2010) and many more. Hurt passed away at age 71. R.I.P.

Ivan Reitman has passed away

Born in Chechoslovakia, now Slovakia, Reitman's family fled the Soviet regime to Austria, then Toronto, when he was 4 years old. Reitman broke into movies as a director with Foxy Lady (1971). Later credits include Cannibal Girls (1973), Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Twins (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Junior (1994), Father's Day (1997), Evolution (1998), No Strings Attached (2011), Draft Day (2014) and more. Reitman's son Jason Reitman is also a great filmmaker. Reitman passed away at age 75. R.I.P.

Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (6-24)

9/16/2023

Paris, Je t'Aime (2006) - Short film anthology playground set in Paris

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