Choke - Palahniuk Strikes Back

Choke had the release of something of an indie flick. Chuck Palahniuk, author of the book (and of a bunch of other great late-American subversive novels, such as Fight Club, Diary or Snuff), is, on the other hand, one of the most prominent and front runner for latest literary talents in the US, stacking best sellers after best sellers, each of them getting raving reviews from critics as well. Yet, he is still somewhat considered an indie writer... Must be cause he's sooooo counter-cultural I suppose...

In any case, an adaptation by one of those actors always playing sidekicks or villains (and of course, with a forgettable name :P...)... Standard adaptation, good to great acting performances (those actors-turned-director mostly do great directing jobs... It's the rest that falls often short); solid translation towards the silver screen, but not inventive at all, really... And some of the edition choices might not have been the best; completely eluding the ending might not have been the greatest of ideas since the last 15 minutes of the flick do seem pretty eclectic...

All in all, the book before, and if you like it, the movie on a bleak autumn Friday evening, I guess :).

Note: ~4.4.

The Wrestler & La décadence du rêve américain

Avec le nouvelle année revient la résolution, annuelle depuis maintenant bientôt 10 ans, de tenir le journal des films que je vois durant l'année... Ma meilleure performance remonte bien sûr à ma 1ère année en Etudes cinématographiques, mais bon, depuis j'ai découvert les outils de blogging :P... So here's another shot...

First flick of '09 was Aronofksy's The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. Wow. Seriously. I tend to have very high expectations for such films, especially when everyone's raving about it, critics and fans alike... And, I mean, an Aronofsky flick about a washed out professional wrestler, really?!?!?

Well turns out it is fscking GREAT! The guy knows how to write stories man, and how to trigger emotional affects... His stuff's always a tad cliche but also soooo powerful, with the way he directs his actors, among all the film techniques he does master, that we have to forgive him his tendency towards archetypes :).

All in all, another great flick by the dude who gave us Pi and Requiem for a Dream. And he's supposed to direct the next remake of... Robocop... This got me curious, I must admit.

Note (à la mediafilm 1 to 7, 1 being masterpiece, 7 being a bomb): ~3.4.

L'Ange Exterminateur

Bunuel et l'effet miroir, quoi !

Bunuel et l'effet miroir, quoi !