ONCE

Once, there was a musical which was even better than “everybody says I love you”, even for a Woody Allen fanatic such as myself.

Once there was a movie that you would rush to HMV to by its soundtrack, the morning after, even if it was Saturday.

Once there was a romance, so real, so believable that you would miss being in love.

Once there was a story, so tremendously simple yet not at all oversimplified.

Once, the glamour was in their eyes, in their laughter and in their voices, not in what they wore or where they lived.

Once, the girl shouldn’t have to be gorgeous to be adorable, and the cuteness of the guy was not in his posh British accent.

Once, one could really enjoy a fabulous romance without being bothered by cheesy jokes and stupid, predictable accidents

Once,

Please, go watch this movie on the screen, buy the soundtrack and let the movie industry realizes that at the time where the Grind House is supposed to be the Art house, sexual exploitation is deemed to be cool, watching torture is called entertainment and where a bunch of computer generated images glued together, do not need a story line at all whatsoever to become a financially successful film, there are still a few people out there who can appreciate a good film and will pay to see it. Let them know that unlike what they think, we’re not AT THE WORLD’S END! Not yet!

Paris, je t'aime

Finally and after a delay of almost a year, “Paris Je t’aime”; a combination of eighteen short films by eighteen directors, each representing an arrondissement of Paris; arrived to the world’s third largest French speaking city! (Naturally, It had been planned to be twenty films but it was decided not to include two of them which were those about 11th and 15th arrondissement)

For entrée I have to say that as one might expect quite rightfully, here, homogeneity wouldn’t be the quality to be looking for, facing with such a broad spectrum of writer/directors and actors, each having a different first-hand experience and hence different view toward the subject and that is exactly the one issue one should make peace with to be able to enjoy this movie.

Talking about each episode individually, I truly enjoyed the dreamlike and sarcastic episode of “Tuileries” by "Coen" brothers which was to me, by far the best episode of this collection. The sharp contrast between the surreal nature of what an American tourist, sitting in the Tuilerie’s Metro station is experiencing and what the travel book in his hands suggests, creates such a comic, disturbing, and nightmarish ambience that screams the signature of the genius brothers on it.

The cleverly named “Loin du 16eme” by "Walter Salles", is also a strong piece, poetically dealing with a wide range of social subjects in such a short window of time, analyzing the differences and similarities between the well-rooted French bourgeoisie and the recently-arrived-immigrant-class, in a brilliantly visual/aural and totally non-verbal way.

In contrary, “14th arrondissement” by “Alexander Payne”, is nothing but verbal. A working-class, lonely, middle age, American woman who walks around Paris while explaining her rather pathetic and boring life in French with a terribly funny American accent, pretty much like reading her diary out loud. A marvelous attempt to discover the beautiful details of the seemingly tedious and uninteresting life of the mediocre majority.

Another favorite of mine was “Faubourg Saint-Denis” by “Tom Tykwer”, a stylish and adorable tale of romance between a blind Frenchman and an American acting student, played by my beloved actress, the sweet and beautiful “Natalie Portman” whose exquisite beauty, to my biggest surprise, was far less dazzling to me ever since I’ve met that heavenly charming waitress in one of the best bistros of Montreal.

On the other hand, considering “Paris Je t’aime” as a whole, which is clearly the original intent behind this body of works and has been evidently reflected in the way it has been edited, it was a remarkably satisfying experience, well worth the 10 dollars. It is not everyday that one can live such a wide range of contrasting emotions in less than two hours, an occasion absolutely not to be missed.

Beside, it is truly pleasing to see all those well-known actors and actresses together in one film which is anything other than ocean “10+n” (in which “n” goes from one to, apparently and unfortunately, eternity!)

Finally, this was one of the few occasions that this unique city had the opportunity to be represented realistically, not by those overwhelmed by her beauty or those who sell the nauseating city-of-love-crap but by artists who are able to love the beautiful Paris, despite her weaknesses, quite like a faithful partner in a long-term relationship.