By Dave Montalbano
http://cinemadave.livejournal.com
In the last two years, I have been seeking a more provincial life, less beer and pretzels – more wine and cheese.
Instead of watching sports that I am truly not interested in, I have been watching more sunsets.
I think about how bucolic and idyllic this life is, until I think about how bored I would be doing this activity everyday! Opening tomorrow, Gemma Bovary allows the viewer to visit the French Countryside, while not overextending one’s welcome.
Gemma Bovary is inspired by Gustave Flaubert’s tragic novella, Madame Bovary. The film has the same plot structure as Flaubert’s book, but with enough twists and turns to separate the literary from the cinema. This is a thought piece about dark subject matter, but with enough realistic humor to hold one’s interest for an hour and 39 minutes.
Martin Joubert (Fabrice Luchini) is a baker in a small town in France that attracts many English people. A literary maven, Joubert takes interest in his new neighbors, whose last name is Bovary. Charlie (Jason Flemyng) and Gemma (Gemma Arterton) are friendly neighbors who eat a lot of bread.
When Charlie goes out of town on business, Joubert observes Gemma’s flirty behavior with gentlemen who can help her. Fantasy crosses into reality as Joubert witnesses infidelity, much like Flaubert’s misguided protagonist.
Best known for playing a “007 Bond Girl,” actress Gemma Arterton has undertaken many character roles in films like The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Clash of the Titans. As Gemma Bovary, Arterton finds the correct balance between femme fatale and naïve charm. When the climax is presented, one feels for the character. Gemma Bovary is a quiet respite from the noisy roar of blockbuster dinosaurs.
The Box Office gods have determined that Jurassic World will open big this weekend. It is now a question as to how big this film will be until the 4th of July holiday weekend. Beyond the spectacle of dinosaurs eating tourists, Jurassic World will expand upon the theories that author Michael Crichton introduced in his original novel, Jurassic Park.
To absorb this experience, check out Jurassic World at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery & Science (MODS) on the 5-storey IMAX screen. Besides seeing the giant MegaShark in the museum showroom, one can expect to see some exhibits devoted to paleontology. www.MODS.org.
