These ten short films were commissioned as the successor to ‘Paris Je T’Aime’ (2006), and make up a similar celebration of cinema and the city. The new collection feels more integrated, with the odd story and character running throughout and a loose romantic theme. That said, it’s also less coherent and the quality of ideas is low. In comparison to its predecessor, the filmmakers are second-rate – Yvan Attal, Allen Hughes,
Natalie Portman
– and there’s an awkward sense that directors like
Brett Ratner
and actors like Orlando Bloom are stealing the chance to ‘do arthouse’ – and badly. The best segment sees Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman (pictured) as a bickering old couple out for a stroll, and it’s good to see Julie Christie in an otherwise baffling piece written by Anthony Minghella. There’s talk of similar projects for Rio, Shanghai and Jerusalem. Is that the sound of a barrel being scraped?