I have seen three outstanding movies in the last two weeks. They are very different yet have things in common: two are Spanish films and two of them deal with boarding school memories.
Let me start with the Christophe Barratier French film “Les choristes”. It is set in a small remote village in post war France. Most of the action takes place in a boarding school for unruly boys. An out of work music teacher gets a job there as a supervisor…and slowly gains the boys’ trust and cooperation by starting a choir. There are amusing scenes and beautiful ones too. One of the boys has a beautiful voice…and face…It is a touching film. A bit reminiscent of “Chocolat” and, in a lesser way, of “Amélie”, there is sensuousness in French films that comes through no matter what the story line. This is a feel good movie…in the end.
If you want to see a teaser check out: http://www.leschoristes-lefilm.com.
The second movie also deals with a boy’s boarding school, but in a very different way and mostly, with a totally opposite outcome. It is the Pedro Almodovar film “La mala educacion”. This is a beautiful film but a troubling one. The story line is a mix of flash backs which is confusing at first. The music is impressive, the colors and images are very strong. One of the main actors is incredibly good looking both as a girl and as a boy. As in his previous movies Almodovar deals with transvestites, his depiction seems to be getting bolder with every new film. In this film he points the finger at the priests who taught in that boarding school. This film is visually a gem…but leaves the viewer somewhat uncomfortable.
Again if you want a teaser:http://www.lamauvaiseeducation-lefilm.com/
Finally the third movie: Alejandro Amenábar’s film titled “ Mar adentro” (The sea inside). This is the kind of film you never forget…you have flashbacks…it is visually striking but mostly it is the actors and their roles that make the film. The story is deceptively simple: it is about a man (Ramon) who has been a quadriplegic for 28 years and wants to be allowed to die. He lives in his brother’s house with their father, his brother and his wife and their son. He hires a lawyer to present his case to the courts but he requests a lawyer who has a degenerative disease…it turns out to be a beautiful woman (who resembles Catherine Deneuve but with acting abilities) add to the group another lawyer and an activist and finally a young village woman. Each one has a very intense and unique relationship with Ramon. Ramon himself is so endearing, you are constantly torn between wanting to keep him alive because he is so nice and letting him die because that is what he so desperately wants. There are scenes that take you breath away. There is humor too…and tears…. A truly beautiful film. It is not depressing but it is very sad…
This teaser is not representative of the whole thing but I feel than nothing short of the full film can do it justice: http://www.cinoche.com/trailers/1008/1122