Gangleri - filmreviews » Francois Ozon

Angel * François Ozon * 2007

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:43:21 +0000

Angel Deverell is a teenager who sees herself as the next literary talent. Arrogance herself she does nothing but writing and writing. When she sends her first book to publishers, she is immediately recognised and however even to her future publisher she keeps her arrogant tone. Angel gets her way, becomes the succes she was sure she was and makes an awfull lot of money with her productive writing. She buys her dreamhouse and marries her dreamman. Of course things cannot remain perfect.
I have seen much better films of Ozon. “Angel” is shot in a nice 70′ies “Sissi” style, but everything is a bit too sweet. The story is not too interesting either. For a ‘true Wednesdaynight film’ “Angel” is not bad, but I must admit that I had higher expectations of Ozon.
An alternative title seems to be “The Dreamlife of Angel” by the way.
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Swimming Pool * François Ozon * 2003

Sat, 19 May 2007 11:07:53 +0000

I recently reviewed Ozon’s previous film “8 Femmes”. It is funny that Ozon took the same idea again, but worked it out totally differently. “Swimming Pool” again is an old fashioned detective, but this time no light musical. An English writer goes to the house in France of her publisher to find out that also her publishers never-mentioned French daughter uses it to enjoy herself and her lovers. Sarah first is extremely irritated by Julies behaviour, but later gets intrigued by her and starts writing about Julie.

The film is minimal and slow and really balances on the border between boredom and gripping, without bending too much towards the first. Well done I must say, but the end of the film is really not what Ozon should have done. All the film there is nothing wrong, but still Ozon wanted a few changes of plot which he puts in the last three minutes. Too bad. All in all a nice film, but I suggest you wait until it is out on video. Strange by the way, “Swimming Pool” had its Dutch premiere last week, while it played in Belgium two months ago.

8 Femmes * François Ozon * 2002

Thu, 03 May 2007 13:57:18 +0000

I have been told several times to see this film, but it took a long time before I did. Not really my kind of film though, comedy. Furthermore, it is half a musical! Eight women are in one house and the only man is dead. Then you get a whole film in which the women try to find out who of them could have done it. A few nice jokes, funny characters, but overall not too great.