As Belgian aphorist Le-Balaise said, « If the heat wave is biting, it's because it's a little bitch. ». So to support this summer that makes the mercury rise from the thermometer, two solutions Cinephilic offer to us : see a film that refreshes or ignites the heat and runs without hesitation on the works in the heat... Here and there, directors have taken the heat flares as the engine of their history and even of their staging. Small florileg to put water in your mouth and make you want to put some ice in your cocktail... Whether he's drunk or not!
Contents
The Swimmer
Let's start with The Scuba, 1968 film directed by Franck Perry (and Sydney Pollack) where Burt Lancaster decided to go home by swimming pools and swimming pools. In addition to Burt's curved torso, the film is full of qualities: it is as much an initiatory journey in turn funny and touching as a keen critic of American society. A little jewel available on DVD since 2021.
That Dios our losers
Rodrygo Sorogoyen (Read our critical dAs Bestas released this summer), the new genius of Iberian cinema, became known in 2016 thanks That Dios our losers, black and sweaty polar. The film took place in Madrid, which was affected by the 2011 economic crisis. Visit of the pope, muscular demonstrations and in the middle of this eclectic landscape: a serial killer is raging by raping and murdering old ladies. Antonio de la Torre and Roberto Alamo are great. They embody a duet of cops so different but both perfectly antipathetic. Highly political, dirty and hard, That Dios no losene is a great black thriller and one of the most successful of these ten years.
The Unknown of the Lake
2013 police drama from Alain Guiraudie where it's hot, but where we're cold in the back, Unknown Lake tells of a hot summer around a lake, high place of male encounters and flirts. Frank met Michel. But very quickly, a corpse is found. Frank suspects Michel, but the desire between them is too strong. Pierre Deladonchamps and Michel Paou are great in their respective roles, but the film impresses above all by its mischievous staging of special effects and which tends towards abstraction. The film does not just question the impulse of life and death by 40 degrees, it will examine in depth the human darkness and its limits. Perhaps Guiraudie's best feature film and one of the great French films of the last ten years.
Do the Right Thing
It is impossible to talk about warmth in the cinema without talking about this classic by Spike Lee (1989), so much the heat seems to be a character in its own right. In Brooklyn, it is the warmest day of the year (the dog day) and racial tensions rise with heat. Big, controversial movie Do the Right Thing fly and Spike Lee again shows with genius that warmth is often a good pretext for putting characters in critical situations while questioning political issues.
Dog Day Afternoon
In 1976, Sidney Lumet directed Dog Day Afternoon, a masterpiece that also takes place on the warmest day of the year. Again in Brooklyn, Sonny and Sal decide to rob a bank; Obviously the company is moving quickly to the fiasco. The FBI is here almost instantly and the negotiations are chaotic. Only Sonny, however poor a robber he may be, is very intelligent and manages to make himself appreciate hostages. Are they going to get out? Again, this very political film is ahead of its time, especially on transidentity issues. Al Pacino and John Cazale are exceptional. That's essential.
The Wayward Cloud
In 2005, Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang directed Watermelon Flavor, UFO at the crossroads of erotic film, drama and musical. During this period of severe drought, water shortages forced Taiwanese authorities to shut down taps during the day. So it's the trouble between theft and watermelon consumption to replace water that is scarce. Hsiao-kang and Shiang-chyi will soon fall in love. Still surprising, the film was banned at least 16 years of age when it was released and is therefore not to be put in all hands. However, watermelons will certainly appreciate this original proposal.
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