Rita and Chico***, Pater**

Rita and Chico***

animation film using computer graphics drawing (this is visible from the paint strokes, all evenly thickness, overall image as if drawn by marker, but maybe its done w a studio over paint type software? Like in the film a "Waking life".
Some lines are rather awkward, for example in the lips, the outline of the overall lip is much thicker than the opening of the mouth, this makes the personnages look like monkeys at some point. An animation film is not the same as a real life film. A real life actor, no matter how still he is, there are tiny emotions that pass and we see it on the face, these tiny expressions are not so easily rendered in animation frames. Animation film depend on the viewers minds, filling in all the missing elements. If the facial graphics are exagerrated at certain points, it could happen at some points of the sequence but not as a permanent feature otherwise, its strange. You notice this awkwardness after a while.

Other than this, overall, its a very beautiful animation, very free style hand drawing style with graphics and color transparencies, overlaps as from the 50s - the period of the story.

The story is not very convincing, but passable, this is a quickie love story telling film its intention is to show music, cuban story, black exploitation by the white majority. It is the reality of the time. And its good that its being told, but its told in a wisp of air, not too much - maybe not to turn off the majority of todays audience too.

I would like to see a film on Eartha Kitt. Animation or not.


Pater**
fake documentary of two men, one president the other to be named as prime minister in the current French political arena by Alain Cavalier.

Alain Cavailier, once again in his tiny team of camera man, actors, is himself part of the two men actor team.

Interesting scenario, sets, how he shows the food, truffle, tuna, all from dainty glass jars, etc etc; Intimate film.
His voice over narration is very soft and as if hes confiding in you, the way he speaks his lines, very classic.
You get a sense this is a bonafide french film - hes giving you all the french essences, the old tables, the picnic lunch, the books on the shelves on the back, the garden w wild grass outside the house, five ft beyond it would be the street, the intentional laisser faire negligent style in some places. The kind of "human rights", arguments, equality of the big versus the small guy over the issue of installing an elevator in a five storey building - should the ground floor guy made to contribute to the cost? He says, no he is not stopping the people to put in a lift, only he doesnt need it rah rah rah... equality, freedom and brotherhood (let the other guy get what he needs and wants if its suit him, but it should not influence him who is in another situation etc etc) Then, Cavalier shows his "turkey neck" flopping loose skin ( I think as I was watching this, its the diet, the kind of food they eat over a life time, i notice this in many men and women who eats a diet of bread and cream, butter: whereas i dont see this feature in Asian diet people, they get shrunken, but no flopping chins, very rare.) So here we see many shots of flopping chins, then next frame, he had esthetic surgery, this extra skin has been trimmed and chin has several little stitches... a better smoother looking president... etc etc

The screening room was full. Nobody left half way. Amazing when you think, a story w two old man. No love interests. But everything was combed over finely lovingly with camera, handheld camera. Small team.