Wednesday, April 02, 2008

99F

2007
Yes, this movie is in French. But maybe in a few years it will be available in the US and you guys will be able to enjoy a drug movie full of twists and so self referential it will blow your mind. Imagine Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas meets Amelie paired up with Thank You for Smoking. So we are introduced to Octave Parango, a publicity man totally disillusioned by the high roller commercial life and up to his forehead in coke. The story mainly revolves around him and his team working to make a commercial for some yoghurt product, and his short/long lived love life with co-worker Sophie. (Confirming the written in stone rule that 30 minutes into any french movie there is a naked chick). We see him at work, a dream job, full of Segways to get around the office and sharing a joint with his buddy as a commercial is being made. The best parts of the movie, which consist of about 90% of the movie, we see his tripped out world; turning his life into a series of commercials (some very shocking), beautiful 3D camera tricks and a very gruesomely but amusing cartoon a la South Park.

The plot twists, the brutal representation of the advertising, and the self revelations Octave goes through, makes this a well rounded innovative topic that I believe only the french know how to cough up.
Ergo, look out for this movie and bear with the subtitles! or learn french!

5 comments:

JPX said...

Wow, that sounds great! Nice review. I took French in high school and have nothing to show for it, "C'est incroyable!

Octopunk said...

There's nothing like a naked chick guarantee. I'm in.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Sounds like a winner. Of course it probably won't be available in the US for several years, if ever. I typed it in on Netflix and Netflix acted as though I asked it to make me a sandwich.

Is Thank You For Smoking any good?

Octopunk said...

I say yes. Aaron Eckhart plays a totally likeable amoral bastard, an elusive character type that is way fun to watch when done well.

Octopunk said...

This poster is reminding me of that movie about the kid in the supermarket who imagines he can stop time and then pulls all the women shoppers' clothes off. What was that called again?

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