ANGEL-A
This was Luc Besson's first film for seven years when it came out and it is his most personal. A director who can sometimes be accused of style over content nixes those misconceptions and gives us his most personal film yet. A down on his luck guy is contemplating suicide, but ends up saving a 6ft blonde woman who has the same idea. Their relationship initially built on mis-trust, develops into something more profound. The first hour of this film is fairly unremarkable and is a slight retread of similar themed films (I can't name them as it may give spoilers away), but then comes the mirror scene. This has to be the best five minutes Luc Besson has ever written and directed. The emotional resonance is absolutely overwhelming and stunningly played by the two main leads. This scene is the catalyst for the final half hour which is nothing short of mesmeric.
The film is Besson's ode to Paris and draws comparison with Woody Allen's Manhattan. Both are shot in stark black and white and deal with loves insecurities. This shooting style is far removed from Besson's sometimes opulent shot's, consisting of many picture postcard simple framing shots. Besson seemed to be looking for inner peace on this film. I think I found some too.