Queen, The

A good old-fashioned melodrama in not-so-good new-fashioned disguise

Film critics are so easy to please. You just have to give them a high concept, a bit of politically correct cynicism about the evils of “capitalism” or the “system” or the armed forces or the government security apparatus, add a couple of hip, attractive and sexually adventurous people with a vulnerability or two between…

A charming fable of an environmentally friendly machine which proves to be the redeemer of mankind. Where have I heard something like this before?

Hélas! The good-humored detachment and optimism that François Truffaut brought to the French cinema seems to have died with him. Barring the rare exception, like last year’s Un Air de Famille by Cédric Klappisch, each new French film that manages to get itself released in this country seems to try to outdo the last in…

A good old-fashioned melodrama in not-so-good new-fashioned disguise

Film critics are so easy to please. You just have to give them a high concept, a bit of politically correct cynicism about the evils of “capitalism” or the “system” or the armed forces or the government security apparatus, add a couple of hip, attractive and sexually adventurous people with a vulnerability or two between…

A charming fable of an environmentally friendly machine which proves to be the redeemer of mankind. Where have I heard something like this before?

Hélas! The good-humored detachment and optimism that François Truffaut brought to the French cinema seems to have died with him. Barring the rare exception, like last year’s Un Air de Famille by Cédric Klappisch, each new French film that manages to get itself released in this country seems to try to outdo the last in…

A charming combination of prison flick and musical comedy is the best thing on offer this week.