ANGELA-A
WHAT
ANGELA-A (2005)
WHERE
MADMAN “DIRECTOR’S SUITE” DVD
WHEN
AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL ONLY UNTIL JANUARY
WATCH THE TRAILER
HERE
Did you think that AMELIE was good, but too girly? Or wish IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE starred a supermodel? Were you curious about arthouse classic WINGS OF DESIRE but always – and understandably – fell asleep 15 minutes in? Meet Luc Besson’s ANGEL-A.
Besson has said that he'll no longer be working as a director, and re-watching masterpieces like LEON and THE FIFTH ELEMENT highlights what a shame that is. Technically, his final film was the kid’s adventure ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES, but it’s not worthy of his strange talents, so we’re going to ignore it. (Plus over-rendered CGI makes us feel queasy.)
That makes ANGEL-A Besson’s straight-to-DVD swansong, and while it’s not equal to his best, it is a barely 80-minute summation of his work: male fantasy, more-Hollywood-than-Hollywood spectacle, and a sincere, romantic (and, yes, very French) belief that love can save the world.
Luckless loser André is contemplating suicide, but finds redemption in the appearance of Angela. Paris has never been filmed so lovingly as it is through Besson’s black-and-white sheen, and Angela is so impossibly statuesque, so perfectly cheek-boned, she could be superimposed from another filmic reality altogether.
Format: DVD
Mood: Leave brain at home
Keywords: Luc Besson, Leon, The Fith Element, Arthur and the Invisibles
Random Entries:
Search our guide to Sydney
Browse our guide to Sydney by interest
Browse our guide to Sydney by keyword
Sydney Events Calendar
Select a date to see what's on in Sydney
Browse our guide to Sydney by weekly issue
Working