Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Peereddi I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Guy Plot: A French noblewoman must choose between love and duty.This is an excellent if over-long film based on an old novella by Madame de La Fayette and set in the ultra-bloody 16th century Wars of Religion. Whilst the director (Tavernier) has said that he is exploring the way in which women during this period were treated as chattel, the source material actually offers a much more interesting theme. The novella and this story is really an excellent moral fable about the need for a noblewoman to place duty above feelings; it becomes a tragedy when she chooses love (really lust) instead, thereby destroying her marriage and her mentor. What's particularly nice is how the characters confound cliché: the husband in the arranged marriage might be weak but he's also good-hearted and tries to make the marriage work; the clever mentor who falls in love with her accepts that his duty means he must suppress his emotions; the foppish prince actually proves to be the most sensible character; and the dashing lover turns out to be a cad with only one thing on his mind. The acting, costumes and photography are all excellent but at nearly two and a half hours the film is far too long. It also assumes a level of historical knowledge that not all audiences will have (if you don't know who Admiral Coligny is, get reading). Finally, whilst it starts with a corking action scene (which isn't typical), the later battle scenes are small, confusing and badly choreographed.

gradyharp Basing a long film on a short story is usually a risk; the story often runs thin before the long film is complete. This is most assuredly NOT the case in Bertrand Tavernier's decision to adapt (with François-Olivier Rousseau) the short story 'La Princesse de Montpensier' written by Marie de LaFayette (1634 - 1693) and published anonymously in 1662. Of note, La Fayette's most famous novel was 'La Princesse de Clèves' (1678), first published anonymously in March 1678. An immense success, the work is often taken to be the first true French novel and a prototype of the early psychological novel. This film is one that both entertains in the manner of the great epics of the screen, but also teaches us about the religious differences between the Catholic and the Huguenots (Prostestants) during the 16th century while at the same time addressing from a near feminist point of view the manners of courtly versus passionate love in that fascinating period.Very briefly, Princesse Marie de Montpensier (Mélanie Thierry) is married to Prince Philippe de Montpensier (Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet) in a marriage of convenience arranged by Marie's father: the rare beauty of Marie attracts the attention of all men, a fact that drives Philippe to rages of unfounded jealousy. France is in the midst of religious war and Philippe is off at war with his tutor Comte de Chabannes (Lambert Wilson): after a particularly grueling battle in which Comte de Chabannes kills a pregnant woman and a child he informs Philippe that he can no longer stomach war and asks to return to the palace where he will continue being the tutor of Marie in Philippe's absence. Marie and Chabannes become close as he teaches her to read and write - during which time Chabannes secretly falls in love with Marie. But there are other men who would woo her: Duc d'Anjou (Raphaël Personnaz)- the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici (Christine Brücher), the man history books have described as gay and who courted England's Elizabeth I unsuccessfully, and Marie's childhood friend, the handsome but battle-scarred Henri de Guise (Gaspard Ulliel). The story successfully eaves the course of the war between the religious factions and the drives and promises and desires of the four men to win the affection of Marie. Court intrigues, duels, secret meetings and the power of nobility push the story to a surprising but well designed end; passion of the heart can be destructive.Mélanie Thierry is brilliant as Princess Marie de Montpensier and is supported by equally fine performances by Wilson, Ulliel, Personnaz, Leprince-Ringuetand a very strong supporting cast. The period costumes and customs are perfectly realized, the cinematography by Bruno deKeyser and the musical score by Philippe Sarde enhance the rich tapestry of this Tavernier masterpiece. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp

writers_reign Bertrand Tavernier makes excellent 'modern' films such as Round Midnight, Holy Lola, etc but clearly he has a weakness for 'costume' drama witness La Fille d'Artagnan, etc and now here he is at it again with his take on the Hugenots and the whole Catholic/Protestant set-up, a sort of French Wars of The Roses that you're not going to make much sense of unless you're a French History student/scholar. It's undeniably sumptuous, spectacular, well photographed and boasts two excellent actors in Lambert Wilson and Michel Vuillermoz but having said that we have to add that it also features Gaspar Ulliel, one of the 'new' breed of sullen, pouty, French actors on the order of Romain Duris, both of whom are guaranteed to make me run a mile in the opposite direction unless there is a writer, director, or other actors I admire as there was here in Wilson and Vuillermoz. One viewing is more than sufficient.

gorenielsen I'm a sucker for period pieces and this one delivered on all the parts that I love. Great costumes and art direction. Breathtaking scenery complete with castles set among hills ablaze in autumn colors. And oh, the fabrics!!! French is always beautiful to listen to, but this film was simply music to the ears. Gorgeous use of language. Thundering horses, clashing swords, unrequited love. Shamelessly romantic while showing how tough life was. War was miserable. No escape from the rain and cold. Women's lives sucked, even if rich. Catherine de'Medici was superb. The acting was good enough for the characters to be convincing which is what I care about. I was transported. That's what I want. Lots of films about Tudor England which is same time period, but few about Catholics and Huguenots. I'd see it again.