(1939, Dir. Jean Renoir)
In Short: A dozen or so horribly selfish aristocrats and servants all stay together in one house. Things go terribly wrong. There is not one entirely likable character in this whole movie. Even with an enormous and well-developed ensemble of main characters, it just turns out that each and every one of them is kind of awful. The thing is, however, that none of them are really evil. They're not actively malicious. In fact, almost all of them go out of their way to maintain decorum and propriety and not upset the status quo as they ruin one another's lives. The main conflicts center around marriage and infidelity--no one is happy with his or her spouse, or lack thereof, but they're all unable to figure out the right way to make things work. Christine (Nora Gregor) is especially confused on this front and changes her mind on the subject many times throughout the film. The plot of the film culminates in a great, though swift, disaster at the end. It's unsurprising given the immense tension that has been built up leading to that point. The chateau where all the action takes place serves as an enormous emotional pressure cooker full of a group of entirely selfish individuals. Hardly ever does anyone think about someone other than himself or herself. This is why nothing works out--these self-obsessed people make no progress because they are unwilling to look at the big picture. Despite its somewhat slow start, The Rules of the Game is really worth the payoff. Jean Renoir, the director, also plays a major acting role (and he's fantastic). In fact, all the acting is really brilliant, and the writing balances the talented ensemble cast very well. It's also a very interesting film visually (though I did quickly tire of the hunting sequences). If you like slow-burning conflict and mounting tension, this one's for you.
0 Comments
(2016, Dir. Roger Ross Williams)
In Short: In the past, an autistic child named Owen learns to communicate with his family through Disney animated films. In the present, Owen navigates the world. Last week with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg we talked about Beautiful Bummers. Life, Animated is no bummer, but it sure is a tearjerker. It's uplifting and sweet and given the nature of pretty much every other Oscar-nominated film this year, I wanted uplifting and sweet. For a movie that could have been in danger of glorifying Disney to the high heavens, Life, Animated does very well in keeping things controlled. Yes, Disney is a big focus, and yes, it's discussed a lot. But it doesn't feel like the main point of the movie, and it doesn't feel like Disney is in control. It's a movie about Owen, and he comes first and foremost, and that's important to selling it (or not selling it, hahaha). That's not to say that I don't love the Disney stuff. The Disney stuff really got me. I grew up on those movies, and seeing something so integral to myself be so affecting really affected me. A theme I love in literature, film, etc. is the idea of art is important, and let me tell you why! It's compelling to me, and that's what Life, Animated is all about. It's not about Disney movies. It's about a person, and a family, and how Disney movies are important in their lives. I love that. I really like documentaries. (I need to watch more of them, I guess.) Even if you don't like documentaries, though, if you have any past positive experience with Disney animated films, Life, Animated will probably make you cry. Or it will at least make you happy to be alive in a world where children's films can make a child's life better. That's good stuff. (1964, Dir. Jacques Demy)
In Short: A young woman named Genevieve works in her mother's umbrella shop and falls in love with a mechanic who is drafted into military service. I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. Consequently, I was stunned by two things: 1) This movie is French and entirely in French, and 2) It is entirely sung through, opera-style. Between the foreign language and the constant singing it took some getting used to, but once I recovered from the shock, I was able to get really into it. Another aspect of this film I noticed immediately was the meticulously crafted color palette. Wes Anderson who? The confectionary color scheme of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is hard to beat, and Catherine Deneuve's outfits are to die for. Despite its colorful and musical world, though, this movie is pretty much a bummer. (A beautiful bummer.) Although the movie's main couple (Guy and Genevieve) is separated very early on, one expects a joyous reunion for them. Sorry, folks, it never comes. Guy and Genevieve go their separate ways and have very separate stories. Director Jacques Demy brilliantly highlights this separation by blocking out the plot in such a way that the stories of Guy and Genevieve do not interlock or cut back and forth to one another. The beginning of the film shows us Guy and Genevieve together, then it's just Genevieve, then it's just Guy, then, briefly, we see their lives intersect once again at the end of the film. That final intersection takes place at a gas station, which, in my mind, is the perfect location for such a transient, terse meeting. Stopping for gas is a short errand, a stop along the way. That's the way Guy and Genevieve's meeting happens--it doesn't change the course of their lives. It happens, and they both just keep going along. It's sad in the way that it's heartwrenchingly real. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a simple, realistic bummer of a story in a fanciful, pastel-tinted musical world, and that's what makes it really work. The idealism of the characters is reflected in the look of the film, but the sad realism of their story comes through in the plot. I love that! I loved this movie and I think more people should see it. The characters are interesting (though not necessarily sympathetic) and they interact in fascinating ways. (Fans of Gilmore Girls will like this one.) Also, have I mentioned that this movie is gorgeously gloomy? A lovely letdown? A delectable downer? I can't recommend it enough. (1996, Dir. Tom Hanks)
In Short: Beatles-esque band from Eerie, PA, skyrockets to stardom when appliance store employee and jazzy drummer Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) joins the group. This movie is La La Land meets Quiz Show meets something else I can't quite put my finger on--something that accounts for the lighthearted goofiness that That Thing You Do! possesses. It's all about achieving your dreams and dealing with stardom and still having fun, and all of the characters do that in different ways. (It doesn't seem like Jimmy ever has much fun, though.) The montages and colorful costumes and sets and the music lend the whimsy that makes this movie so delightful. Tom Hanks! You can do no wrong! This is such a fun, funny movie and I enjoyed it a lot. The performances are all great, especially Tom Everett Scott as the adorable drummer Guy Patterson and Steve Zahn as wisecracking guitarist Lenny. The Song (which according to IMDb is heard eleven times in the movie) is going to be stuck in my head forever. And I'm okay with that. |
AuthorEileen here, writing reviews for film class. Archives
April 2018
Categories |