THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC

GENRE:  Adventure/ Biographical/ Drama
MADE:  1999
CAST:  Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Rab Affleck
DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson
WRITER:  Andrew Birkin, Luc Besson

PLOT:  A young girl with visions said to be from God goes on a mission to free France from it's oppressors, the story of Joan of Arc.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  The Last Temptation Of Christ, Schindler's List, Kundun

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LA FEMME NIKITA

GENRE:  Crime/ Drama/ Romance/ Foreign
MADE:  1990
CAST:  Anne Parillaud, Marc Duret, Patrick Fontana
DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson
WRITER:  Luc Besson

PLOT:  When Nikita must choose between prison and being trained as a secret spy and assassin, she chooses to be trained as a secret spy instead.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  Leon: The Professional, Taken, Run Lola Run

SCORE:

ANGEL-A

GENRE:  Comedy/ Fantasy/ Romance
MADE:  2005
CAST:  Rie Rasmussen, Jamel Debbouze
DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson
WRITER:  Luc Besson

PLOT:  When a scam artist down on his luck and in the dangerous position of owing one of the most ruthless mob boss money he decides to stand on a bridge and plunge to his death, what stops him?  A tall beautiful blond standing on the bridge who is also about to plunge to her death. 

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  The Fifth Element, The Professional, La Femme Nikita

 

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NOTE:  Perhaps Luc Besson has a thing for women with special powers, similar to "Fifth Element" there's an element of super-hero woman in "Angel-A".  The biggest mystery throughout the entire film is, 'who is Angela?'.  One of Luc Besson's less known and less extravagant films but just as great in style and story "Angel-A" is a must watch for Luc Besson fans... and if you don't know who Luc Besson is you should begin getting to know him by watching this one.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT

GENRE:  Science fiction/ Action/ Fantasy
MADE:  1997
CAST:  Milla Jovovich, Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm
DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson
WRITER:  Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen

PLOT:  Set in the future, a cab drive also an ex-elite soldier has a run-in with the fifth element, the only being that can save humanity and the world from evil.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  Resident Evil,  Avatar, X2

 

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THE PROFESSIONAL

GENRE:  Action/Crime/Drama
MADE:  1994
CAST:  Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman
DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson
WRITER:  Luc Besson

PLOT:  When Mathilda's family is brutally murdered she takes refuge with an illiterate professional assassin who teaches her the skills needed one day to take revenge on the man who killed her family.  Beyond that a story about trust, friendship and love.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  The Fifth Element, La Femme Nikita, Angel-A

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