Belleville Tokyo **half, La Dernière Piste ***

Belleville Tokyo **half,
contemporary french love story

Complicated emotional turmoil that is "very French" - meaning very open minded encompassing type of love, appreciation of "poetic" flirtings of a man and a "too worried to hurt a lover sensibility". Story of a woman pregnant w her guys child, but the guy doesnt want it, not really. But he only shows this in an off side way for example, "you look monsterous, like a whale"; dropping her off in the middle of nowhere in the snow on the way to a holiday in the middle of a common dispute (even though he returned 30secs later); worst, pretending that hes gone on a film review trip in Tokyo, when he actually only went to the China town Belleville to make fake foreign phone call via satellite calling card service - while he has rented a new apartment w an old flame. Old flames says to the gal, "oh, you are much stronger than what he says, hes afraid to hurt you. Its wonderful, he writes these fantastic poetry, I love it, he needs me for now, but only for now, he also needs you. He wouldnt part w you! I am just temporary, its wonderful, magnificent. ". This seems like scenes very wishful thinking from a screen writer. If the old flame were as open as all this, there should be signs thats softer, and from the man especially, he would have made sure that she wouldnt have seen him casually taking coffee at a cafe that she would come across easily etc etc.
Too cheap, too fast, too silly a plot.


La Dernière Piste ***
contemporary Western w social consciousness, and perhaps, soul

A western with three families going somewhere looking for a better life in the gold rush time. They came across an Indian, quickly tied him up try to torture him, call him names, try to kill him. But he doesnt seem to care that much. When one of the men is dying. He sang a prayer song for his soul. He seemed much more civilised than these fearful men. As he has nothing on him, the group figured that he knew how to survive, since water is going down. They will also die if they cant find more water.

They came across a body of water, the hunter-guy said its alcaline not drinkable. I thought, ha, what they needed was a water cone! These fresh water distilling device!!

Anyway, in the end, we see the Indian standing afar. And the group deciding, voting whether to kill him or follow him to find a way to survive.

The hunter-guide-bandit said, the story was written right from the beginning. We have no other way, he is the only one who knows the land.

The director seem to lean towards uprighting the wrong that the invaders (the white folks) have done to the Indians. The girl with the brains offered to repair the Indians mocasin, shoe, because she said, she wants him to owe her something.
This is very good and sharp script; they did not do it out of kindness. Their goodness is based on survival and bartering of good deeds as money of exchange - its mercantile, not spiritual. It is entirely another civilisation, another mind set.

This also reminds me of Napoleon going to Siberia.

Both groups are out to conquer, with the intention to be the number one boss.
Because from where they used to be, there were pigs, warmth, food, companionship, so...

what was the purpose of venturing beyond their genteel, civilised world with sewing needles and high building? If they decided to venture beyond their wonderful world not in friendship, what was the purpose?