Movie Magazine International Blog

By Moira Sullivan The audience award for the best short film at the Frameline 33 LGBT Film Festival in San Francisco which ran last month went to Maria Breaux director and producer of Lucha, who wrote the screenplay together with Tina D'Elia. The beauty of a short film is that when it is well made everything is there which represents the intention of the filmmaker. Such is the case for Lucha. Lucha in Spanish means "to struggle". Filmed in San Francisco and El Salvador Lucha is the story of two women in love during this time of civil war: Lucha played by Eloisa Ramos and Isabella played by Maria Carolina Morales A. In what is probably their last day together Lucha and Isaibella comfort themselves by fantasizing about the war being over in their life in a spacious home by the sea. Lucha is committed to arm struggle. Her tough exterior is also shown in her inability to be vulnerable to Isabella in love scenes that are symbolic of how difficult it was to be in love in El S...

By Moira Sullivan Séraphine is the story of a gifted self-taught painter who lived in France from 1864 to 1942 and who got her inspiration from God. Yolande Moreau received a Cesar award as best actress of 2009 for her brilliant performance as Séraphine. Séraphine de Senlis is a middle aged plumb woman who dresses in blue, and who works at various odd jobs in people’s homes who treat her badly. That doesn’t seem to interfere with her mission to create, even when she is behind in her rent for two months. A sign on the door: "Mme Séraphine is not taking visitors" takes care of persistent creditors. Safe behind locked doors she paints and while she paints she sings religious hymns. And she spends her time in nature hugging and climbing trees and picking flowers. One day a man arrives as a tenant for a summer place and Séraphine is asked to clean up after him. He turns out to be the reputable art collector and critic, William Udhe, played by Ulrich Tukur and who takes an interest...

By Purple If you're starting to get burnt out on Hollywood superhero movies, then take a chance and step into a theater showing "Big Man Japan". While the basic premise may remind you of last years Will Smith's down and out hero "Hancock", "Big Man Japan" moves far away from the Hollywood formula and delivers a sentimental superhero story smothered in strange. Hitoshi Matsumoto is the co-writer, director and star of "Big Man Japan" and he shares his unique vision with a deadpan delivery that makes you laugh and yet ultimately feel sorry for Japan's current generation of hero. The movie is told from a low-budget handheld camera perspective, where a reality TV camera crew follows around "Big Man Japan" in his civilian identity during his off time. The slow pacing is a bit erratic, and at first you may wonder just what the point of the movie is about, as we're exposed to the dull, monotonous and lonely life of this seeming...

By Monica Sullivan I once knew a character who joined a monastery to atone for his sins. The notion of making peace with the people he had hurt didn't occur to him. I thought he was full of hooey & wasn't surprised when he left the monastery to start a 'new' life with an entirely different cast of supporting players. Not long into the 134 minute running time of "The Apostle," Texas Preacher Euliss Dewey (Robert Duvall) commits a vicious and inexcusable act. He vanishes from the scene of the crime & passes himself off as Apostle E.F. in Bayou Boutte, Louisiana. He works as a mechanic so that he can have free air time over the radio to start a new ministry & soon assembles enough followers for a new church, "The One Way Road To Heaven." While he's gaining the love and respect of the Louisiana congregation, he learns about the consequences of his behavior back home. E.F. stays put and preaches and preaches and preaches until the en...