Coco Before Chanel [DVD] [2009]
Rhonda Garelick, Benoit Poelvoorde, Anne Fontaine, Benoit Poelvoord
2008
Telling the story from her very humble beginnings to the heights of society. This is the fascinating story of Gabrielle Chanel before she became the legendary couturier and symbol of success, freedom and style.
Coco was orphaned at a young age and was raised in a convent school. Whilst she was there she learned to embroider and sew. She soon became bored and dissatisfied with the living and the little she earnt as a seamstress. So she began singing in back street cafés and bars. It was here that she attracted the attention of Étienne Balsan, a rich gentleman who immediately became intrigued by the stubborn, striking young ingénue.
Swept up in her rich lover’s world, Coco soon drew the eyes of society towards her with her unique, elegant style in a time of flamboyance and excess. Just as controversial was the passionate love affair in which she became embroiled which shattered the conventions of her society – a love so dangerous and forbidden it threatened to destroy her.
Great film!
The Laramie Project
Director: Moisés Kaufman * Runtime: 91 minutes
2002
This film is based on the true story of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard. Matthew was a gay 21 year old studying and living in Laramie, Wyoming. He was tied up to a fence, brutally beaten and left for dead by two young lads, McKinney and Henderson.
The film is centred on the interviews of some 200 local people, interviewed by a group of young writers and actors from a New York theatre company.
What is very evident from the film and the interviews are the strongly held/felt views of these people. The ingrained hatred for gay people and their existence is very self evident throughout the movie. However, there are a small minority of the locals with strong opposing views. This is the saving grace for Laramie and its reputation from the small minded individuals and their bigoted opinions.
I found the film really quite disturbing in the way that the individuals feel their beliefs can be shared with no conscious or regret. No compassion for the gay community and their rights for equality or at the very least an existence. This event happened in 1998, only 10 years ago – Harvey Milk was assassinated in November 1978, 20 years previously. Did this town not learn anything from that?
Although the film is alarming I did find it compelling and quite profound. I would recommend renting this to anyone who feels comfortable with their sexuality.
Milk
Director: Gus Van Sant * Runtime: 129 minutes
2008
Thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Great performance by Sean Penn as the gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk. The movie starts with Milk living in New York City on his 40th birthday.
It follows his story as he becomes California's first openly gay elected official and the fights he has with the various campaigns for gay people. The film is full of energy - a real must!
The film won two Academy Awards - Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
84 Charing Cross Road 
Director David Jones * Runtime: 100 minutes
1987
This is your classic Sunday afternoon feel good movie. It is based around the real life friendship built up over many years between Helene Hanff in New York and Frank Doel living in London.
Helene is a writer with a passion for reading classics. She struggles to find any book store in New York which can feed her love of English Literature. She then stumbles upon 84 Charing Cross Road, Marks & Co. a second hand book shop. And so a strong and enduring friendship is built between the two main characters through the passing of letters and books. This friendship evolves over many years from the early ‘50s to the end of the ‘60s without so much as a meeting.
The film lasted 1 hour and 35 minutes but time does not stand still whilst watching the movie as the characters are believable and the story quaint and reminiscent of a time of enduring comradeship.
Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins show their immense acting ability through extremely strong performances by both. A must to see - if you haven’t already!
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