I generally enjoyed this film - based on the 'true/shocking' revelations of a (French) female university student who turned to the world's oldest profession to help finance her way thru school. It is, perhaps, the 'expose' angle of the movie that slants the general tenor of the piece towards a negative vibe - as the viewer is introduced to the story's lead character, Laura, and follows her down a path of personal denigration as she barters her youthful body for some spending cash & millennial trinkets. The 'shock value' of the source book from which the screenplay was derived is based on the (purported) 'epidemic' levels of prostitution engaged in by female college students to make ends meet - so it is not surprising that the director has seemingly gone out of their way to make sure that the sexual 'pay for play' activities of the film's star are not made to look 'enjoyable'. In this, at least, they have managed to succeed! The lead actress, Deborah Francois, IS lovely - in just the right way to provide a vulnerable heroine for the sordid tale... and she sure doesn't appear to like what she's doing in the sexual realm - so much so - that after a while I found the plot to become rather disingenuous and dis-engaging. Despite many scenes where Ms Francois fully reveals her attractive body and participates in sexual congress with a variety of sorta 'flawed' male individuals - there is nothing arousing about any of it. Could the girl be any more 'bored' & repulsed?! It really makes one wonder why her one repeat customer 'Joe' keeps coming back for more... or why she sticks it out for as long as she does. Without treading into the politically/morally dicey territory surrounding the whole issue of prostitution - I felt that this film presents a sort of mono-dimensional and moralistic take on the situation. Some reviewers compare 'Student Services' to the likes of "Pretty Woman" and extol its' virtues for presenting a more 'realistic' portrayal of the disagreeable aspects of prostitution - personally I might suggest that a more relevant comparison could be to the cable TV series "Diary of A Call Girl" based on the 'true' adventures of London escort (AND student!) Belle de Jour. 'Belle' also exhibits a 'conflicted' character in trying to reconcile the two sides of her life in the face of society's general disdain for sex workers - but she, at least, takes 'some' pleasure in her craft, and on occasion even finds her sexual skills to be of 'service' in helping individuals overcome personal problems. Admittedly, the 'clients' that Laura encounters in "Student Services" are portrayed as a particularly loutish lot - but 'where's the love'?! Ultimately I began to sympathize w/ her self loathing and sorta lost interest in the 'story' - such as it was. There are obviously 'bigger issues' of youth poverty and socioeconomic inequality at play - but none of them get meaningfully addressed/answered in this film. On a strictly prurient level - worth a look for the fetching form of Ms Francois in the buff - but nothing to get too excited about.
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the rich and the poor, the son of the city's mastermind meets a prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.
Movie Star Rating : 8.2 Read More
An assassin is shot by her ruthless employer, Bill, and other members of their assassination circle – but she lives to plot her vengeance.
Movie Star Rating : 8 Read More
At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, "does not exist, nor will it ever exist." His goal is to locate - and eliminate - a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz, who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.
Movie Star Rating : 8.3 Read More
Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realises that he still loves her, and may be too late to correct his mistake.
Movie Star Rating : 8.1 Read More
An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.
Movie Star Rating : 7.2 Read More
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
Movie Star Rating : 8.1 Read More
On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.
Movie Star Rating : 7.2 Read More
In the future, crime is out of control and New York City's Manhattan is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President's plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables.
Movie Star Rating : 7.1 Read More
When a millionaire wheeler-dealer enters a business contract with a Hollywood hooker Vivian Ward, he loses his heart in the bargain.
Movie Star Rating : 7.4 Read More
Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. But when young writer Paul Varjak moves into her apartment building, her past threatens to get in their way.
Movie Star Rating : 7.7 Read More
Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. All along, nefarious wizard Saruman awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard.
Movie Star Rating : 8.4 Read More
Stowaway 2022 - Movies (Feb 6th)
For All Humankind 2023 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Knock at the Cabin 2023 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Gwen Shamblin Starving for Salvation 2023 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Signs of Love 2022 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Rob Beckett Wallop 2022 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Strange World 2022 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Little Dixie 2023 - Movies (Feb 5th)
Alan Partridge - Stratagem 2023 - Movies (Feb 4th)
Baby Ruby 2022 - Movies (Feb 4th)
Secrets In the Marriage 2023 - Movies (Feb 4th)
Condors Nest 2023 - Movies (Feb 4th)
The Locksmith 2023 - Movies (Feb 4th)
First Blood 2022 - Movies (Feb 4th)
Crimson Point 2022 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Taurus 2022 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Mindcage 2022 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
True Spirit 2023 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Stromboli 2022 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Stand 2023 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Clean 2022 - Movies (Feb 3rd)
Family Karma - (Feb 6th)
The Real Housewives of Potomac - (Feb 6th)
YOLO - (Feb 6th)
60 Minutes - (Feb 6th)
The Warship- Tour of Duty - (Feb 6th)
The Last of Us - (Feb 6th)
Murf the Surf- Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem in the USA - (Feb 6th)
22 Kids and Counting - (Feb 6th)
Dancing on Ice - (Feb 6th)
The Cruise - (Feb 6th)
Love Island- Aftersun - (Feb 6th)
Love Island - (Feb 6th)
The Great Pottery Throw Down - (Feb 6th)
Match of the Day 2 - (Feb 5th)
Vera - (Feb 5th)
All 4 Adventure - (Feb 5th)
MILF Manor - (Feb 5th)
Happy Valley - (Feb 5th)
Magic of Disneys Animal Kingdom - (Feb 5th)
Call the Midwife - (Feb 5th)