FadedBlue_net

Title: Queen to Play (Joueuse)
Director: Coraline Bottaro
Year: 2009
Genre: Drama
Format Reviewed: Film (@CIFF 34)

As the first film I saw at 2010’s Cleveland International Film Festival, this was a great one to get me into the mood of appreciating film.  Joueuse, like many French movies (and especially the ones that become visible to the American audience), is very charming, rounded with mixed emotions, and enjoyable.  But even beyond a pleasant feeling, Joueuse goes beyond the everyday-life-drama to contain a subtle inspirational undertone.

The first part of the film follows the everyday mundane existence of this middle-aged, married mother.  As implied, she (and her daughter) become unsatisfied with their low-class lifestyle.  This all changes when she learns of her passion to play chess, inspired by another couple that she may or may not be jealous of.  While adopting a coach through a kind of hard-to-catch relationship with a doctor (professor?), she is pushed both to pursue and avoid her passion from opposing social forces.

Joueuse is made-or-broken by the characters.  At times, our main character’s emotion is black-and-white.  She is either serious and let-down, or smiling and cheerful.  The later is only seen when she is pursuing her passion or sees others pursuing their own.  This leads to a little bit too strong of a push from the major point of the film: to encourage the audience to achieve fulfilment through the things you love in life (or to support your spouse in doing so!).  In fact, besides the doctor, who is a brilliantly crafted character, most of the characters are exactly two-sided.  This leads to a little bit of artificiality in the story.  But if you can buy into the delivery of the actors/actresses, they all develop into a satisfying conclusion.

Although it lacks the uber-charm of Amélie and some other French movies, any fan of those types of films will find something to like with Joueuse.  Similarly, the overall feel of the movie is a lot like other inspirational movies such as October Sky, but it is much less powerful.  In a way, the subtlety of Joueuse makes it more relatable.

Rating – 4 /5

Title: Thirst
Director: Park Chan-wook
Year: 2009
Genre: Drama
Format Reviewed: Film

Some Park Chan-wook films, specifically the Vengeance Trilogy films and Cut, are known for their realistic, brutal violence.  Adding J.S.A. and I’m A Cyborg… But That’s OK, the comparisons by plot are less, but the trademark features of a Park film are still present: silly humor and well-defined characters.  On all three of these levels, Thirst delivers.

Like Let The Right One In, Thirst is definitely a different take on the vampire genre.  The main character is a priest who donates his body to scientific research in order to find a cure for a disease and become a vampire by accident.  His motives are clearly good, and even as a vampire he refrains from killing any humans. The girl, on the other hand, becomes a vampire by choice.  As soon as she transforms, she kills at will and for pleasure.  Her whimsical nature about killing will likely bring joy to fans of the violence in the Vengeance movies.

Thirst never becomes a horror movie, nor does it really commit to a drama.  It’s pacing reflects the slow, method of Lady Vengeance, and is more of a study of the imagination surrounding vampires than the resolution of the plot itself.

Title: Let The Right One In
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Year: 2008
Genre: Drama
Format Reviewed: Bluray (US)

Let The Right One In is a much more serious take on a vampire story.  In fact, unlike Thirst, the ‘vampire parts’ of the movie are not the main focus.  At it’s core, Right One is a coming-of-age love story.  Vampire movies often include seduction or love, but this one has a classic “it’s not going to work out” love story that you would find in any other romance.  But this is definitely not the feel of the film.

The visuals of Let The Right One In are just as gory, and actually even more visceral than Thirst.  The kills in Let The Right One In, which are a combination of necessity and passion crime, are realistic and disturbing in a Fargo way, not to mention all the snow.  The imagery and slow pacing helps to make the small town and it’s citizens feel like an otherwise stable, quiet community.

In the end, Let The Right One In is a better film in almost every way.  The characters are developed better, the violence is stronger, the pacing is more deliberate (a plus to the drama), and ending much more powerful.  This isn’t to say Thirst is a bad film.  If it weren’t for Let The Right One In, I might declare it the best modern day vampire movie.  But Let The Right One In transcends the genre to deliver both a gruesome killer and a dramatic romance that delivers on both ends, perfectly.

While I would recommend Thirst to any Park Chan-wook or violence fan, Let The Right One In is a must see for anyone serious about film that can put up with a rated-R film.  The last 20 minutes are truly epic.

Ratings:
Thirst: 4 /5
Let The Right One In: 5 /5