Paris, Je T'aime (Paris, I Love You)

This movie is a collection of sixteen shorts, averaging about five minutes a piece, depicting different scenes or stories concerning love in the city of lights. It sounds a bit like Love Actually, but while that movie (like most other montage films) tells a number of complete stories each with its own plot arc and all that, Paris, Je T'aime tends to stick with a single scene, at the start, middle, or end of a story. They are little more than snap shots, and each has its own style thanks to the individual directors of each. THe only thing more impressive than the list of directors (which includes the likes of Gus Van Sant, Alfonso Cauron, Wes Craven, and Alexander Payne) is the expansive cast ranging from the always breathtaking Natalie Portman to a wonderful Gena Rowlands. A coupel of the vignettes were misses, but the majority are heartfelt little scenes that inspire viewers to consider love, whether it be between a man and a woman, a parent and a child, or two vampires (one of my personal favorites though far from the norm so don't think they're all so outlandish). It's playing practically nowhere, so recommending it be seen in theaters is almost nonsensical, but Paris looks particularly beautiful up close, so if you can find it on a big screen I strongly encourage you to see it. It is both happy and sad in equal measures but that's life I suppose, and I guess they're telling us that's love as well.

B+