Today, it was just too hot to move. So I ended up watching lots of telly and a DVD I've been meaning to watch for a while. I'd never heard of Paris Je T'aime, but found it in the HMV sale and thought it sounded like an interesting concept.
The film doesnt have a specific plot or main characters as such, but it does have 2 main themes. Paris and Love. A love for Paris, love within Paris, love despite Paris... You see my point. The film is actually made up of 18 or so short films of about 10 minutes. Each segment is set in a different arrondissement/district, filmed by a different director with its own characters and plot.
I think Paris was the perfect city to chose for this project and cant really imagine it working in London or New York for example. Its interesting to see the different directions each director went. Some choosing a typical love story, some choosing to be comedic, some really tugging at the heartstrings and some that are just plain weird (vampires anyone?)
Overall you get a pick'n'mix selection of all the different roles love plays in our lives, from simple arguments on the metro to painful loss. I would say its a film worth watching so long as you know what to expect. Its not a tourist advert for Paris (there's no product placement shots of major landmarks), and its not a complete film which can be a little frustrating. There were some stories where I would have liked to follow their story a little longer, and see some more character development. However, overall it is worth watching to experience these snipits of peoples lives, and to experience 'real Paris' perhaps.
My favourite segments were the ones set in Quais de Seine, Tuileries, Bastille, Faubourg Saint-Denis, and particulalry the one set in Place des fêtes which brought me to tears. But I guess the beauty of the film is that there is something here for everyone and if you dont like a segment (there was only one I really didnt care for - Quartier de la Madeleine) its only a few minutes before the next.
The film doesnt have a specific plot or main characters as such, but it does have 2 main themes. Paris and Love. A love for Paris, love within Paris, love despite Paris... You see my point. The film is actually made up of 18 or so short films of about 10 minutes. Each segment is set in a different arrondissement/district, filmed by a different director with its own characters and plot.I think Paris was the perfect city to chose for this project and cant really imagine it working in London or New York for example. Its interesting to see the different directions each director went. Some choosing a typical love story, some choosing to be comedic, some really tugging at the heartstrings and some that are just plain weird (vampires anyone?)
Overall you get a pick'n'mix selection of all the different roles love plays in our lives, from simple arguments on the metro to painful loss. I would say its a film worth watching so long as you know what to expect. Its not a tourist advert for Paris (there's no product placement shots of major landmarks), and its not a complete film which can be a little frustrating. There were some stories where I would have liked to follow their story a little longer, and see some more character development. However, overall it is worth watching to experience these snipits of peoples lives, and to experience 'real Paris' perhaps.
My favourite segments were the ones set in Quais de Seine, Tuileries, Bastille, Faubourg Saint-Denis, and particulalry the one set in Place des fêtes which brought me to tears. But I guess the beauty of the film is that there is something here for everyone and if you dont like a segment (there was only one I really didnt care for - Quartier de la Madeleine) its only a few minutes before the next.
2 comments:
OK I'm sold on it,I just bought it :)
I'm intrigued,it must take someone pretty clever to fit a whole little story into 10 minutes.Although we could have made our own one while we were there- I bet there's not one that starts in the Sentier des Halles and ends at the Pompidou and deals with the loving of a certain Monsieur Cerrada :)
Haha, not quite no. Although I swear some of one was filmed in the little square where we took those pictures with Ed on the last day. The whole thing was supposed to be Place des Victoire, which is near where we stayed... See what you think when you watch it.
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