Paris, Je T'aime

Featuring 18 brief vignettes by 20 directors set in different Parisian neighborhoods, the anthology film Paris, Je T'aime serves up more hits than misses. Among the more notable segments are the Coen brothers' slapstick-like piece featuring Steve Buscemi as a sad-sack tourist who makes the mistake of staring too intently at a couple making out; Alfonso Cuaron's clever conversation between a young woman (Ludivine Sagnier) and an older man (Nick Nolte), which ends with a nice twist; Isabelle Coixet's economical tale of a marital near-breakup; and Alexander Payne's closing piece, in which another American tourist (Margo Martindale) speaks in clumsy French about the ups and downs of her visit to Paris. At the other end of the spectrum, Sylvain Chomet's colorful comic plea for tolerance of mimes is unlikely to sway many, while Nobuhiro Suwa's take on a mother's grief over the death of her son comes across as heavy-handed. Most of the rest, by directors as different as Tom Tykwer and Wes Craven, are mildly interesting or amusing, although viewers' reactions will likely be as varied as the shorts themselves. Recommended. (F. Swietek)[DVD Review—Nov. 25, 2008—First Look, 2 discs, 110 min., in French & English w/English subtitles, R, $19.98—Making its second appearance on DVD, 2006's Paris Je T'Aime features a fine transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. DVD extras include 18 behind-the-scenes featurettes (150 min. total), the 26-minute “making-of” featurette “At the Heart of Paris Je T'Aime,” two storyboard featurettes (9 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid film.][Blu-ray Review—Nov. 25, 2008—First Look, 110 min., in French & English w/English subtitles, R, $24.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2006's Paris Je T'Aime sports a great transfer and Dolby 5.1 True HD sound. Blu-ray extras include the 26-minute “making-of” featurette “At the Heart of Paris Je T'Aime,” and trailers. Bottom line: although it lacks the extensive features found on the two-disc standard DVD edition, Paris looks better in Blu.]