LAURENCE ANYWAYS

LAURENCE ANYWAYS
Written and Directed by Xavier Dolan
Starring Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clement and Monia Chokri

LAURENCE ANYWAYS, the third film from Canadian director, Xavier Dolan, is a mesmerizing love story of epic proportion and extraordinary circumstance. After astonishing the cinema elite with his first feature, J’AI TUE MA MERE, Dolan stumbled in his sophomore effort, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (in some eyes, at least, as I enjoyed the film more than most). He withdrew as a filmmaker after that experience and has now returned with a story so grand, it needs nearly three hours to be told. And while some might interpret the length as pretentious and unnecessary, I see it more as evident growth for the filmmaker himself, and furthermore, a true testament to just how deep love can run between two people.

Laurence Alia (Melvil Poupaud) is a 35-year-old college professor. He is working on his first book of poetry; he is receiving awards for his talent; and he is happily in love with his partner, Fred (Suzanne Clement). Thanks to two passionate and powerful performances, we can see quite clearly what a great bond there is between them, and that it would require a major blow to even begin cracking the foundation of what they have. That blow comes when Laurence announces to Fred that he has been living a lie for years. He can no longer go on living as a man when he knows, in his soul, that he was in fact meant to be a woman. Naturally, Fred is thoroughly freaked out. When two people are so intertwined in each other’s existences though, it can be incredibly difficult to separate from that, no matter what the reason is. Their love goes further than just the body but can changes to the body blind them to it?

Dolan continues to establish himself as a unique and fascinating Canadian voice, drawing comparisons to the likes of Wong Kar-Wai and perhaps even more aptly, Pedro Almodovar. LAURENCE ANYWAYS spans a full decade, the 90’s to be specific, which allows Dolan, who was also responsible for editing and costumes on the film, to take his time with his characters and their relationship. It also allows the viewer to come to terms on their own with Laurence’s decision and subsequent transition. Transsexuality is still taboo to this day, so setting this story twenty years ago not only highlights even more so how difficult their lives must have been, but also just how brave they both were for choosing love and holding each other’s hands throughout every moment of this great change. By the time the film closes, it is clear that Dolan has pulled off a pretty tricky feat; LAURENCE ANYWAYS transcends transsexuality to become a spectacular lament for love itself.

Writer's note: The soundtrack for this film is incredible and not available to purchase. Here is a link to a brilliant YouTube playlist of the entire thing. Click here to check it out.

LAURENCE ANYWAYS

LAURENCE ANYWAYS
Written and Directed by Xavier Dolan
Starring Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clement and Monia Chokri

LAURENCE ANYWAYS, the third film from Canadian director, Xavier Dolan, is a mesmerizing love story of epic proportion and extraordinary circumstance. After astonishing the cinema elite with his first feature, J’AI TUE MA MERE, Dolan stumbled in his sophomore effort, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (in some eyes, at least, as I enjoyed the film more than most). He withdrew as a filmmaker after that experience and has now returned with a story so grand, it needs nearly three hours to be told. And while some might interpret the length as pretentious and unnecessary, I see it more as evident growth for the filmmaker himself, and furthermore, a true testament to just how deep love can run between two people.

Laurence Alia (Melvil Poupaud) is a 35-year-old college professor. He is working on his first book of poetry; he is receiving awards for his talent; and he is happily in love with his partner, Fred (Suzanne Clement). Thanks to two passionate and powerful performances, we can see quite clearly what a great bond there is between them, and that it would require a major blow to even begin cracking the foundation of what they have. That blow comes when Laurence announces to Fred that he has been living a lie for years. He can no longer go on living as a man when he knows, in his soul, that he was in fact meant to be a woman. Naturally, Fred is thoroughly freaked out. When two people are so intertwined in each other’s existences though, it can be incredibly difficult to separate from that, no matter what the reason is. Their love goes further than just the body but can changes to the body blind them to it?

Dolan continues to establish himself as a unique and fascinating Canadian voice, drawing comparisons to the likes of Wong Kar-Wai and perhaps even more aptly, Pedro Almodovar. LAURENCE ANYWAYS spans a full decade, the 90’s to be specific, which allows Dolan, who was also responsible for editing and costumes on the film, to take his time with his characters and their relationship. It also allows the viewer to come to terms on their own with Laurence’s decision and subsequent transition. Transsexuality is still taboo to this day, so setting this story twenty years ago not only highlights even more so how difficult their lives must have been, but also just how brave they both were for choosing love and holding each other’s hands throughout every moment of this great change. By the time the film closes, it is clear that Dolan has pulled off a pretty tricky feat; LAURENCE ANYWAYS transcends transsexuality to become a spectacular lament for love itself.

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Mr. Dolan last year for LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES. You can read that interview here.

Couch Time with Sheldon

Welcome to COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON, a brand new feature on Black Sheep Reviews. Well, it's mostly brand new. Essentially, this feature will replace BLU-TUESDAY. Rather than simply focus on the releases of the day, Black Sheep will take a look at a handful of titles each week, ranging from brand new releases to catalog titles, based on what Sheldon has actually watched recently. In case you don't know it, Sheldon is that little sheep you see everywhere on the site. He would also be my alter-ego I guess but that's not something I'm ready to deal with just yet.

We will continue to highlight what has come out on DVD and Blu-ray each week, as well as continue to look at what has been announced but the focus will be more on what Sheldon has seen rather than what he intends to.

Speaking of announcements, check these out ... Warner Bros. brings out two 1970's classics, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN and NETWORK on February 15, 2011. Alliance will release the George Clooney film, THE AMERICAN, on December 28th of this year. 20th Century Fox has THE A-TEAM cashing in on the holidays on December 14th and the indie comedy, CYRUS (click for review) hits the week before. And here's the exciting news ... Disney will be releasing their superhero hit, THE INCREDIBLES, in the spring of 2011.

And now, I invite you to spend a little couch time with Sheldon ... Here's what everybody's favorite sheep saw in the last little bit.

FROZEN

I love indie films like this one, that get picked up (in this case by Anchor Bay Films) and manage to find an audience they would never have found, and actually deserve it. Horror director, Adam Green, has created a truly horrifying experience with FROZEN. Three college-aged skiers decide that they need to get one last run in before the end of their day. There is a lesson to be learned about being greedy though because the chair lift stops on their way up and before it gets going again, all the lights go out and everyone else goes home. There are no scary monsters or psycho killers with hooks for hands here. No, the only enemy here is nature itself and that level of reality is what had me freaking out for about a good hour straight. If you're looking for something offbeat to both scare and impress your Halloween guests, check out FROZEN. Be warned though, you might not go skiing for a little while afterward.

PLEASE GIVE

Don't let this atrocious cover art fool you. PLEASE GIVE is an excellent indie comedy that Sony Pictures is now just trying to push to as wide an audience as possible by capitalizing on the film's stars. This Nicole Holofcener film features Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt as a married New York City couple who run a trendy Soho furniture store. Keener's character has some issues with how they run their show though, as the majority of their pieces come from the misfortune of others. They buy pieces from people who have recently passed away and then resell them for exorbitant prices. They are also waiting for the elderly lady next door to pass away so they can take over her place and expand on their own. This fascinating exploration of white upper-class guilt is refreshingly honest and surprisingly funny. With the cast rounded out by Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall, you can't go wrong.

LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (HEARTBEATS)

There has been a lot of talk recently on Black Sheep for Xavier Dolan's second feature, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES. After having the chance to interview him at TIFF (click here for interview), I feel like I have an all new approach to his work. Just from sitting across from him for 20 minutes, you can tell that Dolan is an insightful person who feels a great deal. Those personality traits are abundant in LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES, now available to rent or own on DVD only from Alliance Films (with English subtitles). Fans of the French new wave and Wong Kar-Wai will love Dolan's latest work. Two great friends, Marie and Francis (Monia Chokri and Dolan) both fall for the same guy (Niels Schneider) and Dolan the director explores the highs and lows of falling in love, or more specifically, of falling in love with the idea of being in love. The results are honest, enlightening and will be understood by anyone who has ever chased after someone without really knowing why. (Click title in body for original review.)

Thank you for checking out the first COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON feature. The feature will run regularly on Tuesday's from here on in. In the meantime, here is a list of other titles available this week to rent or own ...

BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY (Blu-ray)

ALIEN ANTHOLOGY (Blu-ray)

SEX AND THE CITY 2

(click title for review)

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE

(click title for review)

WINTER'S BONE

(click title for review)

Source: blu-ray.com

Black Sheep interviews Xavier Dolan

Different than I Imagined

An interview with Xavier Dolan

I want to know which one of you is responsible for this. You’ve clearly hurt Quebec filmmaker, Xavier Dolan’s feelings and I for one am not going to stand for it. He is only 21 years old and already he knows what it is to be tossed aside by critics who once purported to be his biggest fans. You built him up and just because he didn’t do exactly what you wanted him to do, you declared him a disappointment and your earlier proclamations of genius to be premature. While I applaud your ability to admit your faults (even though the point was to highlight another’s), I’m not sure you realize just how much damage you’ve done. You should be fostering genius, not trying to kill its spirit.

When I met Dolan at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, I expected him to sit with me and speak fondly of his second feature, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (HEARTBEATS), which he wrote while attending the festival the year before. I had just seen the film, a cynically optimistic exploration of the ridiculousness we all put ourselves through when we think we’re in love. Cynical because we look like idiots; optimistic because we still put ourselves through it regardless. And even though I gushed about how much I admire him as a filmmaker right at the top of our chat, I was not met with fondness; I was met with skepticism. Friendly and polite but skeptical nonetheless.

“I never pretended HEARTBEATS would be as moving or as stirring as I KILLED MY MOTHER,” Dolan confides when I finally veer off the course of my planned questions and ask if he is having a hard time with the press for his second film. “I never said this is going to be a better film. I said it is going to be a different film.”

And different, it is. I KILLED MY MOTHER is a semi-autobiographical piece about a gay teenager who lives with his mother and cannot seem to get along with her no matter what he does. It is raw, emotional and oddly cathartic. There is also a lot of yelling. The film was praised for its gritty, honest look at a relationship that many can identify with. On the other hand, HEARTBEATS is being chastised for being too cold and disaffected. And while it might seem natural to compare a second and first feature, Dolan doesn’t see any need for this at all.

“For me, it’s a lack of judgment to compare,” he continues when we discuss the criticism he has endured just a year after he was lauded as Canada’s next big director. “You cannot compare these two films; they’re so fucking different. How can we compare and say that this one is inferior to that one?” The conversation had certainly gotten somewhat heated at this time but it was pretty obvious from where I was sitting that none of this rant was directed at me, but more so at the sky, as if he has been cursed undeservedly. I half expected him to raise his fists in the air in anger.

“I believe it can be inferior in the sense that the emotions it provokes are not as intense as in I KILLED MY MOTHER but it was not my mandate, nor my mission, nor my intention to provoke a torrent of emotions in you for this film.”

Intentions aside, HEARTBEATS did stir plenty of things in me. Dolan plays Francis and one night, both he and his friend Marie (Monia Chokri) fall for the same young man, Nicolas (Niels Schneider). Francis and Marie, two pseudo intellectual, neo-hipsters in Montreal, proceed to lose their senses while they pursue a boy who has done nothing to suggest he feels the same way as they do. While their motivations are calculated and controlled, the fury they are both experiencing internally is something anyone who has ever been in love can identify with. Cold on the surface does not mean empty on the inside.

“It is a movie about the various steps of the love downfall,” Dolan proclaims, without necessarily seeing what a downer his statement truly is. “It is literally a condensed journey through typical, impossible love.” The kind of love Dolan is talking about, the same kind of love that comes across on screen, isn’t real but rather imagined (which is more evident in the film’s original French title, which directly translates to “Imagined Loves”). “The movie ought to be as shallow and as empty as the encounter they have.” HEARTBEATS does just this but it does so with sumptuous imagery and romantic grandness. It is a farce after all.

As private as it could be, I can’t help but ask at this point if, when it comes to love in his own life, Dolan is still hopeful. “Unfortunately, I would say I’m an optimist,” he begins. I wasn’t sure whether he had said “fortunately” or “unfortunately” so he clarifies that he said the latter and explains, “This implies a certain amount of pain, but I’m always up for the challenge.”

I admire Dolan. Both of his films, regardless of how they compare with each other, are devoid of ego, an incredible accomplishment considering he wrote them both, directed them both and stars in both of them as well. His choices in all three of his roles on each film could easily serve his own self-interests but instead serve only the story and the overall success of the film itself. This requires skill and dedication that I would never imagine a 21-year-old to have but yet here we are. And at 21, he has also learned a couple of other hard lessons he didn’t need to know right away. He now knows how it feels to be criticized on an international level and he clearly knows a thing or two about love.

“HEARTBEATS is the perfect second film for me to have made. It’s a different film, different vibe, different emotions. Some people will say there are no emotions in HEARTBEATS. I am not one of them.”

And neither am I.

For further HEARTBEATS reading, be sure to check Black Sheep's 4-star review. Click here.

And be sure to check out this clip from HEARTBEATS, which arrives on DVD on October 26 in select markets.

LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (HEARTBEATS)

Written and Directed by Xavier Dolan
Starring Xavier Dolan, Monia Chokri and Niels Schneider

(Click here for an interview with HEARTBEATS director, Xavier Dolan)

Ah, l’amour. They say the French know it best and, even though Quebecois is not quite the same as French, novice Quebec-born filmmaker, Xavier Dolan, seems to have a pretty strong handle on the whole thing. Not only does he know love and the many places it takes us in our heads but he also knows a thing or two about how to put together one fine film on the subject. His second feature, HEARTBEATS, confirms his position as one of Canada’s most promising filmmakers.

In this corner, Xavier Dolan!

At 22 years old, I knew nothing about love. Dolan at 22 however, knows that love is what we make of it. Repeating the impressive triple threat he blasted on to the Canadian film scene with in his first feature, J'AI TUE MA MERE (I KILLED MY MOTHER), Dolan also writes and stars in this part farce, part exploration of love’s depths. He plays Francis, a young, gay Montrealer who shares a friendship based mostly on cynicism with Marie (Monia Chokri), an impeccably dressed neurotic. One fated evening, they both meet Nicolas (Niels Schneider). He is handsome and captivating and it isn’t long before they are both trying to get him to notice them. As I’m sure you can imagine, this takes a toll on their friendship.

And the challenger, Monia Chokri!

HEARTBEATS is enchanting. Dolan channels the French “New Wave” and taps into his admiration for Wong Kar-Wai, creating a picture that is sumptuous and romantic but yet still realistic. His understanding of each step love takes upon its journey is uncanny, making it easy to remember exactly what its like to want a love that you can’t have and just how far people will go to realize it won’t work. Sometimes love may feel right in our hearts but Dolan reminds us that it might also just be entirely imagined.

The Black Sheep interview with Xavier Dolan is coming in the next week. Be sure to check back.