Paris

I joined a packed midday session today to see Paris.

This is largely a video album of Parisian sights.

The story, such as one exists, revolves around a variety of relationships which occasionally intersect but rarely interconnect. The link is that most of the participants live in suburban Paris although there is an offshoot with scenes in French speaking Cameroon.

The essence of the stories seemed to me to be that we live our lives through highs and lows always imagining that everyone else's lives are in a high when we really have no idea of the problems they may have. The film could easily have been named The Lives of Others except for that title already being taken by a far better movie than this one.

Nevertheless, this film is interesting for its images of Paris. The seemingly endless panoramic views of the city from on high look murky until the end when sunshine finally intrudes. But it is when the camera is lower and we see the suburban market life, streetscapes, apartment buildings and cafe life that the film sparkled for me. The film also has an enjoyable and varied soundtrack.

A useful, if not overtaxing, two hours for lovers of Paris.