Quickies for November 2014

Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (2003) ✭✭✭

This Danish attempt at a rom-com is interesting only for the presence of Sidse Babett Knudsen from the TV series Borgen. Note to Denmark and other countries: Please do not attempt to make dumb, American-style romantic comedies. Leave that to Hollywood. It’s the only industry we have left.

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The Iron Stairs (2013)✭✭✭½

This French import is a Hitchcock ripoff, although it’s generally well done. The French have been making a lot of this type of over-plotted stuff lately and it’s really starting to get on my nerves. I wish they would go back to making boring, pretentious films about beautiful people wallowing in ennui.

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Schultze Gets the Blues (2003) ✭✭✭1/2

If you liked Kaurismaki’s Leningrad Cowboy series you’ll like this. It’s all about a pudgy, laconic German accordion player (Horst Krause) who develops a love for Zydeco music late in life. He follows that passion to the Louisiana swamps, where a strange new world awaits. Funny, sad and oh-so-weird.