What to watch in August!
Each month, FrenchFlicks selects the best French films available on Canal+ International and Studiocanal. In August, enjoy the best romantic and burlesque French comedies of the past decade!
CANAL+ INTERNATIONAL
FILMS ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS AT 8:00PM EST*:
LOU! (2014) on 08/05/2018
Lou spends her days eating takeout, playing with her cat and spying on a hunky neighbor, but when her mom falls in love, her life takes a sudden turn.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - Lou! is like a delightful cupcake that you can sink your girly teeth into. It's there for you to experience on the off chance you have a hankering for watching an eccentric mother daughter team in action, a la Gilmore Girls, with all the whimsy and innocence of a comic book.
UN CRIME AU PARADIS (2001) on 08/14/2018
In the 1980 French countryside, farmer Jojo and his ill-tempered wife Lulu hate each other, though their respective interests speak against divorce. The only thing that keeps the oppressed Jojo from murder is the threat of the guillotine...
Why FrenchFlicks it - A major box-office hit of the early 2000's, this remake of La Poison by Sacha Guitry is a sarcastic comedy at its best with the help of the fabulous comedic duo, Josiane Balasko-Jacques Villeret. Watch it or re-watch it!
CE SOIR JE DORS CHEZ TOI (2007) on 08/21/2018
Alex feels as if he's sitting on top of the world -- he's enjoying a successful career as a writer, and he's in love with a beautiful woman, Laëtitia. But as Alex's romance with Laêtitiaprogresses, she gently but firmly insists on a more permanent relationship, and asks him to move in with her. Running out of excuses, she gives him the option- either they move in together or she's going to leave him.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - A charming and sentimental take on becoming the adult you never thought you would become, Oliver Baroux's comedy can count on great casting; among them are Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey and Kad Merad.
COCO (2009) on 08/28/2018
Coco, a 40-year old immigrant who started with nothing, is the perfect success story. As his son Samuel's bar mitzvah nears, he intends to plan a spectacular party. But as he becomes overly involved in the preparations, he fails to see that his family is slowly drifting apart.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - Gad Elmaleh's famous over-the-top one-man show character is the core of this outlandish comedy. With more than a joke per minute, rest assured that quite a few will make you laugh.
ADIEU GARY (2009) on 08/10/2018
When their factory is closed down, some irreducible people stay to live in the factory city where they've lived their whole lives.Francis, a former militant, awaits the return of his son, Samir. Meanwhile, his neighbor Maria is raising her handicapped son alone. When Samir finally returns, he comes home to his father, his friends, his room, a job, and the beautiful Nejma …
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - A melancholic and touching film on solitude, time passing by and wanderlust, Adieu Gary doesn't avoid the difficult subjects. Neither does it fall into a melodramatic tearjercker. Jean-Pierre Bacri, who always chooses his films very carefully, finds here one of his best roles.
LE TALENT DE MES AMIS (2015) on 08/07/2018
A man in his mid 30’s reevaluates his life and priorities after seeing someone from his past.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - The TV comedy duo behind the cult short Canal+ program, Catherine et Liliane, succeed at their first big screen adventure. This quirky comedy on bromance will inevitably remind you of the poetic work of Jacques Tati. Thumbs up to all the female side characters (Anne Marivin and Audrey Lamy especially) who bring a special charm to each scene they appear in.
LA FOLLE HISTOIRE DE MAX ET LÉON (2016) on 08/24/2018
Max and Léon's adventures, two childhood friends idle and party-goer, who are trying to escape the Second World War.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - France has always had a knack for parodic war films (From La Grande Vadourille with Louis de Funès and Bourvil to Papy fait de la résistance) and proves it once again with Max & Léon, a lighthearted comedy featuring the Palmashow, the two youtube stars who became famous for their sketches on everyday situations and movie trailer parodies.
STUPEURS ET TREMBLEMENTS (2002) on 08/31/2018
Born in Japan, Amélie experienced her family’s move at the age of 5 as a difficult time. To the point where once adult, she decides to do everything she can to find a contract of one year as an interpreter in one of the biggest firms in Japan. Once there, Amélie tries integrating into Japanese society. However, she may know the language of the country, but that doesn’t mean she knows the culture…
Why FrenchFlicks likes it - Once again, Alain Corneau (Série noire, Tous les matins du monde), delivers a powerful piece, adapated here from Amélie Nothomb's famous novel. Sylvie Testud - who has an essence of Audrey Tautou in Amélie here, won the César for best actress in 2003 for her burlesque and tender interpretation of an ingenue facing a world she thought she knew.
STUDIOCANAL
L’ALPAGUEUR (1976)
Genres: Action, Thriller
Director: Philippe Labro
L'epervier, a serial-killer who employs young boys to help him robbing banks before killing them.
Why FrenchFlicks likes it – Jean-Paul Belmondo, France's bad boy, was at the peak of his career in this film noir in the line of Sean Connery's James Bond movie days, which benefit from a terrific seventies soundtrack! Inspired by Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone, Philippe Labro succeeded in directing one of France's cult action film from the era.
LES ACTEURS (2000)
Genre: Comedy
Director: Bertrand Blier
A satire about the pros and cons of show business, as told by a variety of real-life French actors, among whom is the legendary Jean-Paul Belmondo. ‘Les Acteurs’ takes the audience on an adventure into the (pretend) lives of legendary actors in Paris
Why FrenchFlicks likes it – In what could be the very best cast ever assembled for a French movie (i.e. Pierre Arditi, Josiane Balasko, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claude Brasseur, Gérard Depardieu, Alain Delon, Maria Schneider, André Dussolier); Bertrand Blier is more irreverent than ever at pointing out the fragility and the absurdity of actors, who all here played themselves.
CAUSE TOUJOURS TU M’INTERESSES (1979)
08/07/18 at 8:00PM EST. Rebroadcasted through the month of August.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Édouard Molinaro
François Perrin is a journalist who reads the news on RTL radio. Alone in life, his only "amusement" is his neighbor from Africa, who makes mildly fun of him from time to time. One evening, François is bored, and decides to call a random telephone number. He gets Christine on the line, a bit of an old school pharmacist, who hesitates to put down the phone, and plays the game of seduction with the charming "Mr X". After a missed appointment, he seeks her company, by pretending he is an important reporter, while he keeps on calling her pretending he is a famous writer, in order to not disappoint her because of his small job. In the meantime, Christine has to sort out her family life, but above all her friends, who are a bit too nosy...
Why FrenchFlicks likes it – This classic film from the late 70's didn't lose any of its wit over time. This sweet and sour comedy on loneliness is also a great showcase of the talent of Annie Girardot and Jean-Pierre Marielle - two of France's biggest stars of the era.
All films are in French without subtitles*