Cinema, streaming, VOD, TV… Find advice from the editorial staff every Friday.
The film in theaters: The Beautiful Role
But why hadn't anyone thought of it before? The Beautiful Rolefirst feature film by Victor Rodenbach (whose writing we could appreciate in season 2 of Plane tree or season 4 of Ten percent) brings together Vimala Pons and William Lebghil on screen. A duo with obvious alchemy which illuminates this comedy of remarriage where a couple who are close to each other in the city and on stage (she directs the plays in which he performs) gradually move away. Hilarious and serious at the same time, the film questions the element of independence essential to every love story. Foolproof modernity.
Mufasa: The Lion King, Oh, Canada, Kraven the Hunter: What's new at the cinema this week
The documentary: Miyazaki the spirit of natureby Léo Favier on Arte.TV
By choosing the angle of nature – not just the synonym of ecology in Japanese culture, it designates a whole with which the human species interacts -, this portrait of the creator of Totoro manages to capture all the specificity of his universe and of his personality without falling into the easy way. An excellent complement to the documentary which has just arrived on Netflix, Hayao Miyazaki and the heron.
The classic: Stiletto heels by Pedro Almodovar on France.TV
If we had to remember only one role from the great career of Marisa Paredesdied a few days ago, it would obviously be High Heels. That’s good, Pedro Almodovar’s magnificent film can be viewed for free on France.TV. Paredes plays Becky del Páramo, a self-centered singer who reconnects with her daughter (Victoria Abril), whom she abandoned 15 years earlier to devote herself to her career. She delivers a heartbreaking performance in this complex, tragic and colorful film, between melodrama and thriller. We will crush a tear while listening “Piensa en mi”masterfully sung by Luz Casal.
Pedro Almodovar: “The more colors I use, the more sincere I am”
The series: The Magical World of Jérôme Commandeur on MyCanal
Like everything sketch show focused on parody (TV programs, Netflix documentaries, etc.), there is plenty to eat and drink in The Magical World of Jérôme Commandeur. But we challenge you not to burst into loud laughter when the comedian pretends to be Nikos Aliagas (“ When the sun rises where the goats graze, something will happen. It's ancient Greek “), Patrick Balkany (” Everything is broken in there, a sparrow's fart is no longer a mess “) or Pierre Lescure in It's up to you. Your show is like that my Jérôme 👍.
The film in streaming: Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom by Wes Ball on MyCanal
In this era where stale franchises appear as a symptom of a sick Hollywood, Planet of the Apes serves as an exception to the rule. And the last part directed by Wes Ball, which relaunches the saga 5 years later Supremacyis further proof of this. 300 years after the death of Caesar, clans of primates now dominate the world, humans have regressed to the wild and we are still passionate about the universe imagined by Pierre Boule 60 years ago, which comes to life thanks to wonders of motion capture.
Will the new Planet of the Apes films one day make the connection with the 1968 film?
The Simpsons : A Christmas under hypnosis (on Disney+)
Little treat for the end of year celebrations: The Simpsons offers us a special 45-minute episode, completely new. A Christmas episode, obviously, where Homer thinks he's Santa Claus after being hypnotized by a kind of English Messmer. Here he is determined to offer joy to all the inhabitants of Springfield, who will, as usual, fall into the most improbable excess in one minute, while the city sinks into adoration of the big man in red, even the cult of Santa ! A fun way to tenderly mock the holiday spirit. Without ever being shocking, this special episode offers a little space to all the characters, before putting Ned Flanders at the center of the story: dear neighbor no longer believes in God and questions his Faith! The joke suddenly becomes very intense and attempts a surprising spiritual turn. The Simpsons are definitely always where we least expect them.
The film on TV: Tar by Todd Field Friday on France 3
16 years after his last feature film, Todd Field did not miss his return. Cate Blanchett is absolutely perfect as a conductor as gifted as she is toxic, who sees her rise stopped dead when she finds herself accused of harassment. Psychological thriller with relentless staging, brilliantly set to music by Hildur Guðnadóttir, Tár keeps us in suspense until its biting irony finale. In our minds, Lydia Tár exists and this film is a biopic. No point in trying to prove us wrong.
Todd Field: “I wrote Tár for Cate Blanchett”
The film on VOD: Jim's Novel
The Larrieu brothers have calmed down their customary zaniness a little (their previous film, Tralalawas a musical comedy in Lourdes) for an astonishing epic which defies all narrative facilities, Jim's Novel has the scale of the great westerns – but in a corner of Jura rather than Monument Valley. Story of a life and the people who populate it, and who pass, and who change, all around Karim Leklou: as a putative father, generous and simple, he perhaps plays his greatest role. For now.