Directors MORE DIRECTORS SERIES - Volume #209 - THE FILMS OF FRANCOIS OZON (1 Viewer)

[Brook K]

Rank 'em, Rate 'em, Review 'em, whatever

Volume #209: Francois Ozon

Temps qui reste, Le (2005)
5x2 (2004)
Swimming Pool (2003)
8 Women (2002)
Under the Sand (2000)
Water Drops On Burning Rocks (2000)
Criminal Lovers (1999)
Scènes de lit (1998)
Sitcom (1998)
X 2000 (1998)
Regarde la mer (1997)
... aka See the Sea (USA)
Homme idéal, L' (1996)
A Summer Dress (1996)
Jospin s'éclaire (1995)
Petite mort, La (1995)
Truth or Dare (1994)
Une rose entre nous (1994)
Victor (1993)
Thomas reconstitué (1992)
Deux plus un (1991)
Peau contre peau (1991)
Trou madame, Le (1991)
Une goutte de sang (1991)
Mes parents un jour d'été (1990)
Doigts dans le ventre, Les (1988)
Photo de famille (1988)

 

[Brook K]

Prolific French director with a widely varied oeuvre.

1. 8 Women - A (A delightful throwback to 50's Hollywood musicals with entertaining music and a feather light murder mystery story. Wonderful performances by an all-star cast of French actresses. Plus a Catherine Deneuve-Fanny Ardant catfight, ooh-la-la indeed!)
2. Under the Sand - A- (The film that re-invigorated Charlotte Rampling's career is a powerful story of loss and need following the mysterious disappearance of her character's husband.)
3. Water Drops on Burning Rocks - B+
4. Criminal Lovers - B+
5. See the Sea - B+

6. Potiche - B+
7. Time to Leave - B+
8. A Summer Dress - B+

9. Ricky - B+

10. Angel - B
11. 5x2 - B

12. Hideaway - B
13. Swimming Pool - B- (While certainly watchable due to the large amount of screentime the gorgeous Ludivine Sagnier spends nude and another fine performance by Charlotte Rampling, I was less than taken with the "twist" at the heart of the story.)

Own: 0 (France has a 3-disc super duper edition of 8 Women I'd love to own but it doesn't have subs. Over here we get an overpriced movie only disc)

 

[Rich Malloy]

It's a shame about the "8 Women" set with no subs, and the same with "5x2". But there's an amazing 5-disc set from France of all his earlier feature and most of his short films that does include English subs. (Though not for all the commentaries, etc.) The individual films in the box are all available, but the boxed set itself sold out awhile back. However, I've noticed that quite a few sealed version are for sale by amazon marketplace vendors through amazon.fr.

More to come (I love Ozon!).

 

[Brook K]

Oops, if a mod happens by this thread, could you please change the title to volume 209. Thanks! :b

 

[SteveGon]

8 Women ***1/2
5X2 ***
Under the Sand ***
Water Drops on Burning Rocks ***1/2
Swimming Pool ***
Time to Leave ***

 

[george kaplan]

Never heard of Ozon. Never seen any of his films.

 

[Bill McA]

Ratings from
See the Sea (1997)
Homme idéal, L' (1996)
A Summer Dress (1996)
Jospin s'éclaire (1995)
Petite mort, La (1995)
Truth or Dare (1994)
Une rose entre nous (1994)
Victor (1993)
Thomas reconstitué (1992)
Deux plus un (1991)
Peau contre peau (1991)
Trou madame, Le (1991)
Une goutte de sang (1991)
Mes parents un jour d'été (1990)
Doigts dans le ventre, Les (1988)
Photo de famille (1988)

Seen 12
Own 3

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Didn't know he had so many films already.

Ranking:

1. 8 Women
2. Swimming Pool

 

[Justin_S]

Ranks and ratings on a scale of * to *****:

1: Swimming Pool (2003) ****1/2

Seen 1
Own 1

I'd like to see more, but haven't gotten the opportunity yet.

 

[Jim_K]

Never even heard of Francois Ozon.

So Brook just how "French" is this director? I mean, is this one of those tea sippin' conversationalists you have a hang-up for?

Knowing our very different "preferences", would it be worth my time and effort to look 'em up on IMDB? or should I just clip my toe-nails instead?

 

[Brook K]

No tea sipping conversations here. You might like Swimming Pool which is sort of a mystery/thriller with a hint of Hitchcock sexual flavoring. I don't think Under the Sand would interest you and since you don't like musicals, I imagine you would rather clip your toes than watch 8 Women.

I don't think the films I've seen are particularly French in outlook or temperment. Two star an English actress, Swimming Pool even has quite a bit of English dialogue IIRC. The setting isn't nearly as important in Ozon as say in a Bruno Dumont or Michael Haneke film. Production values-wise they could be Hollywood dramas, they just have a more introspective take on characterization more common in Europe than in America.

 

[Elizabeth S]

Regarde la mer (1997) ... aka See the Sea (USA)
Swimming Pool (2003)
Criminal Lovers (1999)
Under the Sand (2000)
Sitcom (1998)
Water Drops On Burning Rocks (2000)


I've seen the above, in order of preference. Have "8 Women" in my to-watch pile.

 

[Mario Gauci]

In order of merit:


1.8 Women (2002) ***
2.Swimming Pool (2003) ***
3.Water Drops On Burning Rocks (2000) **1/2
4.Under the Sand (2000) **1/2
5.5x2 (2004) **

 

[SteveGon]

Oh, I don't know, I don't care for musicals either, but I though 8 Women was a hoot. I need to get the DVD so I can double-bill it with Miike's The Happiness of the Katakuris. Call me crazy.

 

[Arman]

.

 

[Bill McA]

UPDATED:

Le Temps qui Reste (2005) :star: :star: :star:


Seen 8
Own 2

 

[Brook K]

Updated:
5x2 - B

 

[JonZ]

"While certainly watchable due to the large amount of screentime the gorgeous Ludivine Sagnier spends nude..."

Nevermind Swimming Pool, check out Water Drops On Burning Rocks

 

[Brook K]

It's on my Netflix list, along with Sitcom and See the Sea.

 

[Bill McA]

UPDATED:

5x2 (2004) :star: :star: :star: :star:

Seen 9
Own 2