Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2012

Countless films have covered the decadent life and early death of Marie Antoinette. Now the new French biopic Farewell, My Queen (pictured), currently at Bunkamura’s Le Cinema (2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku; www.bunkamura.co.jp), is taking a more intimate approach. Diane Kruger plays the ill-fated royal who turns to her trusted servant (Mission: Impossible 4’s Léa Seydoux) when the French Revolution begins closing in around her.

New parents will tell you that having kids changes everything. That is the message of the French drama A Happy Event (2011), starring Louise Bourgoin and screening from December 22 at Shinjuku Musashinokan (3-27-10 Shinjuku; http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp).

Cinema Vera (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.cinemavera.com) is continuing its ongoing series of Masterpieces from Cinema History through January 18. The lineup for the installment includes Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Carefree (1938), Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant in Monkey Business (1952) and All About Eve, which swept the 1950 Oscars.