Vincent's Reviews
Disturbing, yes, but not for bad reasons...
“The devil's bath” was a term used at the time to describe these depressed, totally misunderstood women. Director Severin Fiala/Veronika Franz carried out rigorous historical research for the film's script. The chiaroscuro imagery powerfully depicts the open-air prison in which Agnès struggles. The film's harsh, rugged atmosphere adds to the overall mystery. A mystery with a tragic - and perfectly authentic - resolution. “The Devil's Bath” is a demanding film, but leaves a lasting impression.
Movie review by Hugues Dayez.
Created: 06-12-2025
Safe.
No toxic elements noticed here. Safe.
Created: 06-04-2025
Pretty Woman on meth
Anora is a stripper in a Brooklyn bar. One night, one of her customers is Ivan, the son of Russian oligarchs. Ivan takes a shine to Anora, offering her a mountain of cash to become his "sex friend" for a week. The young girl discovers a world of insane luxury and non-stop partying, and the couple head off to Las Vegas to prolong the fiesta, where Ivan decides on a whim to marry Anora. When her parents, who had stayed behind in Russia, heard the news, they were furious and asked their man of trust, Toros, who had moved to New York, to "restore order to the chaos" and break up the marriage... How would Anora and Ivan manage?
In "Anora", the director focuses on a different kind of ‘sex worker’, this Anora who suddenly finds herself embracing a Cinderella destiny. The irresistible charm of Sean Baker's cinema lies not so much in the originality of his plots as in the affectionate, non-judgemental way in which he looks at his characters. In ‘Anora’, all the protagonists are endearing. First of all, of course, there is the young girl, who is inevitably a little venal because she has no desire to remain a stripper for the rest of her life. Then there's Ivan, a young daddy's boy who's as sympathetic as he is immature and irresponsible, and who spends his parents' inheritance from the other side of the Atlantic on his own in his big villa. Then there's Toros, the henchman, totally overwhelmed by events, and flanked by a Russian accomplice, Igor, who is much less of a brute than he seems... All these characters are played by actors who are little known in our country, but all of them are absolutely terrific, starting with Mikey Madison, who is unforgettable in the role of Anora, a role that will very probably earn her a few handsome awards.
Film review by Hugues Dayez.
Created: 05-27-2025
Not for the claustrophobic !
First fascinating aspect of that film was the insight into the daily lives of those who work in one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: saturation divers. It's quite a mind-boggling job, and not at all well known, it's true. These divers work on underwater pipelines. At the bottom of the sea, there are 32,000 km of pipelines to monitor, repair and weld. I would compare them to astronauts in the abyss. Because they work at such great depths, to avoid decompression accidents, they live on a boat but in caissons, pressurised capsules for several weeks. They sleep, eat and live there. Just long enough for their bodies to get used to the pressure so they can carry out their dives. It's an extreme job, as technical as it is dangerous, requiring impeccable physical condition, a mind of steel and a hell of a lot of composure.
‘Last Breath’ plunges us - quite literally - into this extraordinary world. The film recreates the oppressive atmosphere of these missions. The darkness, the silence, the weight of the water, the amplified mechanical noises - it's a total immersion in a world you'd never suspect. And it raises real questions about life, death, solidarity and our relationship with risk. A human adventure film, in the deepest sense of the word. But clearly not for the claustrophobic !
Film review by Hugues Dayez
Created: 05-27-2025
An invitation to travel
From her birth in the 1950s to the present day, the life of Parthenope, a woman as ravishing as she is intelligent who electrifies all those lucky enough to cross her path, resembles a long and fascinating emotional journey. A fierce lover of freedom, she searches for happiness and love on the outskirts of Naples, a magical city that opens onto a whirlwind of passions and mysteries...
After Rome in ‘La Grande Bellezza’, Paolo Sorrentino declares his love for the city of Naples in ‘Parthenope’, a new Fellini-inspired work of hypnotic beauty presented in Competition at Cannes in 2024. Haunted by the legendary myth of the mermaid, this allegorical tale of apprenticeship and solar disenchantment magnifies in excess the quest for self of a woman experiencing life without ever escaping the gaze of others.
In the role of the bewitching and heroic Parthenope, the young Celeste Dalla Porta is the film's dazzling revelation. Alongside her is a deeply moving Gary Oldman as the fallen writer.
A true declaration of love to Naples
Film review by Hugues Dayez
Created: 05-27-2025
Very moving.
An insight into the painful situation of divorced parents, specially when one is a "gaijin" (foreigner) in Japan, regarding the child custody. Very moving. No wokeness here... Or it was so subtle that I didn't even realized !
Created: 04-22-2025
Skip.
It took 2 and a half episodes to see the needle reaching the red zone of my woke-o-meter. Skip. Apart from the wokeness, I never really got into the story, the characters, etc.
Created: 04-22-2025
No movie could be more woke.
There's really not much to say except lol. How can a movie that's supposed to defend feminism do so much harm to it in the end !?
Created: 02-02-2025
Beware of strangers.
Very interesting and unconventional thriller. Woke free ! The main actress is excellent.
Created: 01-29-2025
Not woke. Feminist.
I had fears and doubts about this one. It ends up being very feminist, not woke. All male characters are either sex maniacs, vile or dumb... That's an excellent indicator.
For the rest, the quality of the movie is up to you. I enjoyed the first two -thirds, the scenario is a rather good idea. Demi Moore nails it ! But the end... I don't know.
Created: 01-29-2025
