Asphalte

We are all astronauts - so sounds the German title. The astronauts in our own galaxies. the first galaxy of an astronaut and an elder woman, who is mama by her nature, who believe in each other and support each other

the second galaxy of an actress and a boy who believe in each other and support each other

the third one galaxy and my favourite - galaxy of a lonely man and a lonely nurse who believe in each other and support each other and maybe will find love.

The film was recommended on none of the "Best Of" lists for 2015 and I wouldn't have added to my list of what to watch for that year had I not been a fan of Michael Pitt. Thank Heavens he led me to it, though! I sat and smiled at the touchingly comic scenes all the way through and, rare for me, want to watch it again. Why don't more film makers realise that people being gentle and tender towards each other can make for a really charming, enjoyable film? The actors all do the necessary underplaying with great skill and seem to relish the odd situations and dialogue - Pitt explaining the outcome of a TV series by gesture alone is a marvel. Don't miss it!

A little multi-layered French comedy. The making was not unusual, but the storyline was. Based on the autobiography of the director. There could be more to come, so a sequel is possible like the Roy Andersson's 'Living' trilogy. There was similarity is style of storytelling, yet it was more clear on what it narrated for us.

I'm not sure of the timeline, but it seems at least 10-20 years back. Guessing it with the settings. It was about the lives in an apartment building. Divided into three layers, the first one was about a man living on the second floor who never uses the elevator. But the time comes for him without other options. He meets a nurse in her break and befriends. So it continues for days.

On the second tale, an American astronaut becomes a guest in one of the residences where an old immigrant lady lives. Coming to the third and final, a teenage boy meets an actress who recently moved in to the next door. Their's friendship growing despite the generation gap was focused on. How all these tales begins and ends were the fun to watch.

-xX] It's weird to see you in the film. It's like you're a different person, from another life. [Xx-

From all, Isabelle Huppert's presence made my curiosity about the film. She's the one who played an aging actress, I think she was good. Everybody else as well, quite good. Because it was not a high budget sci-fi film. But about individuals. Their lifestyle, profession and looking for something anew in life. So that's what makes the story, when they meet different people out of their normal surroundings.

Each character was distinctive. So it was hard to predict the outcome, yet feels so close to familiarity with everything that happened. Not a straight comedy, it was more of a black-comedy. Though some parts were sensible. The blend of life drama and comedy with the wonderful performances lifted the film. Michael Pitt was the other familiar face in it. They kind of made fun of the American space agency, while the Hollywood acknowledging with super higher end products.

So, this is like another under-noticed film. But it is not like deserves major attention, except if you a cinephile. Other than that if you want to try it, then you should too. It surely won't disappoint. People hunt films with big names, but such small films like this can deliver somewhat better than those big flicks. I was a little late to watch it, in the end, I'm happy I did it. Now I want to spread the word, that it is definitely not an ignorable title for those who haven't heard about it. So thumbs up!

7/10

As I started to watch "Asphalte" (~Macadam Stories), I was expecting to watch a good / standard festival style movie. It was in a suburb of a city in France. Usual style, usual narration. Till the striking scene, I thought like that. I don't want to give a spoiler. Then movie changed, so changed. I must say, Asphalte is one of the most creative, brand new style movie. The language of the director, Samuel Benchetrit is so so different and made me so impressed. The composition of the stories in the movie, the characters, the stream of the movie is unbelievable. I never imgained that I would like this movie so much. To see such a creative movies make one pleased, hopeful and excited about the future of making movie. All players / artists are definitely 5 stars. Their successes in their performance are definitely equal. In the end of the movie, you have found yourself as you were saying "Wauv, such movies can be made! Bravo!" Thanks to the whole team for such a great production!

This movie is sad and funny in the same time. This is a separate stories tale that takes place in a tumble down building, in the suburb of a big city. Poverty row. That's the setting. In this building, first you have a lonely cripple man in his wheel chair who, after a vascular accident - Gustave Kervern - tries to date a night nurse of the local hospital - Valeria Bruni Tedeshi - who is also a lonely soul. This scheme is an open tribute to BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY; even the dumbest could see it. Second, you have another weirder scheme, tribute this time to GRAVITY and a slice of 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY, and showing an American astronaut arriving from space after the collapse of his rocket ship and finding shelter in a flat of the building, helped by a lonely woman, mother of her convict son. A lonely woman, of course. And the third story shows a former actress - Isabelle Huppert - who has lost all her shining stardom and who befriends a young man living on the same floor. This third scheme is probably a tribute to a movie I don't exactly know, maybe a IsabelleHuppert's film. I would not be surprised. One important thing, those three tales are told with a pretty good editing. You have not here three stories shown one after the other... See what I mean? Go and see it. It's worth watching.