Mark Jenkins

'Renoir': Impressionism, Rapturously Realized

Mark Jenkins — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 02:32:34 +0000

"A girl out of nowhere, sent by a dead woman." That description of its catalyst makes Renoir sound like a thriller. But this film is actually a relaxed, visually lush tribute to Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his son Jean, who was to become one of France's most esteemed filmmakers.

The "girl out of nowhere" is aspiring actress Andree Heuschling (Christa Theret), a red-haired, orange-clad gamine who bicycles through the opening scene like a creature from another world.

'Dangerous Liaisons' Gets A Far-East Makeover

Mark Jenkins — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Relocating Dangerous Liaisons, the 18th-century French erotic intrigue, to 1930s Shanghai is a bold move. And yet it's not especially surprising. In Chinese movies, that city in that decade frequently serves as shorthand for decadence. And what could be more decadent than two debauched ex-lovers cold-heartedly planning to destroy the innocence of not one but two virtuous women?

A 'Big Picture' Intently Focused On The Details

Mark Jenkins — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:03:00 +0000

The original French title of The Big Picture — an adaptation of a novel by American expatriate writer Douglas Kennedy — means "the man who wanted to live his life." That's pointedly ironic, since this existential thriller is about a person who seeks personal freedom by becoming somebody else.