Movies
Elevator to the Gallows
A very personal film from Louis Malle, based on his own experiences during the war. It adds a bit of gravity to the film, even so the drama remains somewhat meandering, and the styling isn't all that remarkable. People who love a good war drama will probably get more out of this one. The performances are decent, the build-up is nice enough and the drama is okay. I need more from a film though and Malle simply didn't seem to care about the rest. The drab cinematography and basic soundtrack don't do the film any favors. Not terrible, but this could've been a lot better.Read all
Louis Malle's little trip to the US isn't very exciting. Usually it's pretty interesting when a foreign director shows his take on a country not his own, but Atlantic City felt like a pretty basic US 70s crime flick to me. Draw colors and dreary, unappealing characters sleaze their way through the titular city. Sarandon and Lancaster are rather poor leads, the drab cinematography doesn't do the film any favors and the plot isn't much to look at. If you're into this type of grayish 70s crime then it's probably a film worth seeking out, personally I think it's a pretty big step back from the other Malle film I've seen.Read all
I've seen very few classic movies this year, and the detox hasn't made it any easier. This tepid, long, and very talkative French classic probably wasn't the best choice to jump back in, but it's a respected film, and Louis Malle certainly isn't the worst of the bunch. This one didn't do it for me though. The performances are stiff and uninviting, the presentation is dull and stale, and the themes aren't all that interesting either. The Fire Within lacks the energy and freedom of the Nouvelle Vague films of that era, but most of all, it lacks the titular fire. While still under two hours, the film did feel a lot longer.Read all