Planetarium (2016) This movie , similar to the directors 2013 "Grand Canal" tackles a worthy theme with mixed results. The former film main premise was the French nuclear industry workers plight, in Planetarium the fate of French Jewish entrepreneurs during WW2. Each film mixes some romance massages and the in the case of Planetarium a sub plot around trying to film paranormal experiences and a manipulative obsessed movie mogul. Sadly for this viewer neither of this filmmakers realisations manages to engage me sufficiently to care about the lead actors plight. In not being engaged with story (both written by this young director )they fail to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Planetarium has some big name actors held back by inadequate direction of a script which meanders around its themes. Added to this are large continuity errors (Portman lifts and coats hood and next cut she walking without) and technical clichés (sound boom in camera) . these things are overlooked in a compelling movie but stand out when the realization is so lacklustre. Planetarium is a large glossy production with excellent costumes and period rendition (WW2) these can not save the movies fate. Shame that budget might of made some really good movies.

Seen at the Viennale 2016: it started grandios. The intro, the first pictures with Natalie Portman, the music. I was thinking and expecting: 'Ah, now this starts good! This will be a great movie!' And with this good feeling I waited 10 minutes, then 30 minutes, then 60, then 90. But it did not happen. The plot did not come to any conclusion. Did not aim for a certain direction. Okay, a man believes into the supernatural abilities of two sisters and destroys his life with that belief. But he would have been destroyed anyway, because he did wrong with business money. But also Nazis would have destroyed him. Seems, I did not get the point what this movie was all about.

I made it through this movie only to ask myself "why" at the end. The script is unfocused and never seems to develop a coherent theme. There are two psychic sisters who link up with a Jewish film maker. The anti semitism in this film is hohum. The psychic portion is a soporific. Arrow jewelry and bobby pins are sprinkled throughout the film for some reason. The cinematographer must be in love with Portman since the best parts of this movie are of Nat in many guises. Planetarium is in French. The actors speak clearly and the dialogue is slow. Maybe that's why I stuck with it. A good chance to practice my language skills. I can't recommend this film.