I had an urge recently to watch a French movie. A trip to the movie store provided me with Beautiful Lies, a comedy starring Audrey Tatou. Such a good choice, and I watched it a second time with my mum. When reading the back cover, I was struck by 2 similarities to Amelie (which was my fallback option if nothing took my fancy). 1 - Amelie/Emilie. 2 - both characters are trying to help other people. Oh, and they both fall into the love story department. Some other thoughts:
This is about family relationships, and personal relationships, with a love triangle
thrown in for good measure. A daughter trying to boost her mother's
mood, increase her self-esteem so she can deal with what's to come. A
daughter trying to make her mother into an approved version, no longer
embarrassing to her. A mother trying to mourn the ending of her
relationship (even 4 years on), be sad when she wants to be, enjoy what
comes her way. A man who loves the daughter but sees the goodness in
the mother. A man who wants to please, who is very human, emotionally
and intellectually intelligent. And all of them show, to varying
degrees, how our preconceived hurts can affect our responses in new
situations.
Of the 3 main characters, I like the mother the best. That said, I can really understand why Emilie reacts the way she does. And for all I don't really like Emilie's character (after the fabulous opening, my next impression was that Jean is wasting his affection), her intentions regarding her mother are good, and she was put in an awkward position by a cowardly father. Actually I rather like Jean too. It's just he is so stupidly in love with Emilie - I associate that behaviour more with females but it doesn't mean I like it. It's such a relief when his true colours shine through, his intelligence and kindness and integrity. Maddy (the mother) is the sort of person I can see myself becoming. And that's not all a good thing, but a recognition of my personality and the knowledge that all women become their mothers.
There are 2 strong support roles - Sylvia, the salon co-owner; and Paulette. I'd actually (gasp) forgotten her until I rewatched with mum. She is fabulous. Highly strung, wanting to be nice to people and do the right thing, reminiscent of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series - I'd be happy to watch a movie with her story as the lead. She has some of the best lines!
Emilie has a wardrobe akin to what I'd like my wardrobe to
be. She was pretty skinny in this, though. Actually, apart from the
mother's mad dash into town in her nightie, and her "I'm sad" clothes, the
wardrobe in this is ... I'm having trouble finding a word. I want it.
That is all. One of the best lines is about clothes. Emilie is
frustrated by her mother's depressed mood and says to her, "Look at
you! It's spring, and you're in sweatpants!". So French.
I laughed so much in this, and it's not often I'm ready to watch a movie again within a matter of days. The music is just right, the scenery rather delightful (French Mediterranean), and did I mention the clothes? Yeah. However... After both viewings, I was quite upset. Not as the credits were rolling, but later. I still don't quite understand Jean's love for Emilie, and how she managed to redeem herself in his eyes. Maybe being that beautiful just changes all the rules of life. Or maybe I missed something vital both times. Although maybe having someone beautiful fall in love with you might change how you feel about them.
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Monday, 10 June 2013
Monday, 23 July 2012
Movie #19 - Hugo
I must warn you, I didn't watch the whole movie. When I got home yesterday evening, my parents had already started watching this. They filled me in on what I'd missed (not heaps) but I also had to watch it like a normal person. No stopping to write down quotes or anything like that - although I did keep scooting in front of the coffee table to where my phone was charging to take some notes. So this is not the most in-depth reflection. What I did find, though, were 2 distinct themes which connect better than I originally thought. Machines; and dreams.
Hugo, living in the clock of a Parisian train station, is literally surrounded by machine - cogs and wheels and things working and things needing to be fixed. If he doesn't keep the station clock wound then he might be found out as an orphan; he also has a need to return his father's automaton to working condition. Looking out over the city one night, he says to his friend Isabelle that he thinks the whole world is a giant machine. And every machine has the exact right number of parts, never any more than is needed. And if the world is a machine with the exact right number of parts, then I must be a necessary part - and so must you. The hard bit, of course, is knowing what your part has to do for the machine to be able to work, what your purpose is in this grand scheme. But it is so hard, sometimes, to remember we are all necessary, even when we feel unimportant and invisible, and even those people who make us uncomfortable or annoyed are also necessary.
One thing Hugo loves is adventure. You know you're having an adventure if there's a chance you could get in trouble (good advice, there). His father used to take him to the movies, and now Hugo will steal into the theatre to watch 'dreams in the middle of the day'. This movie is populated with dreamers. And not the sort of dreamers who just sit around and dream, but those who have a dream and do all they can to reach that dream, no matter how fantastic. Now, some people might think that magic tricks are unnecessary; movies are unnecessary; art and music and poetry are all unnecessary. But if anyone has a particular talent for any of these things - and, as we know now, we are all necessary parts of the giant machine that is the world - then any of those things must be necessary. This is rather topical for Queenslanders right now, as some of our state-funded school music programmes have just been axed. Not happy, Campbell. Everyone has a natural inclination towards something, and everyone's inclination is a part of the greater whole. Knowing that this is partly autobiographical of the life of the director, Martin Scorsese, makes it even more pointed - all those kids stealing into the movies, acting their dreams, could turn into famous movie directors of the future.
Aside from the machines and dreams, the support-part of the station inspector, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, is delightful. So plodding, so stereotypically police, but giving love advice to his superiors - I'd watch this movie again just for that. And such a different role for this actor that I had to look up who he was (always a good sign). There wasn't as much information on the music that was used, which I would have appreciated as it was really well done.
Today's photo:
The afternoon light in here in the winter warms my heart. Especially when there is a whole stack of fruit in front of the window.
Hugo, living in the clock of a Parisian train station, is literally surrounded by machine - cogs and wheels and things working and things needing to be fixed. If he doesn't keep the station clock wound then he might be found out as an orphan; he also has a need to return his father's automaton to working condition. Looking out over the city one night, he says to his friend Isabelle that he thinks the whole world is a giant machine. And every machine has the exact right number of parts, never any more than is needed. And if the world is a machine with the exact right number of parts, then I must be a necessary part - and so must you. The hard bit, of course, is knowing what your part has to do for the machine to be able to work, what your purpose is in this grand scheme. But it is so hard, sometimes, to remember we are all necessary, even when we feel unimportant and invisible, and even those people who make us uncomfortable or annoyed are also necessary.
One thing Hugo loves is adventure. You know you're having an adventure if there's a chance you could get in trouble (good advice, there). His father used to take him to the movies, and now Hugo will steal into the theatre to watch 'dreams in the middle of the day'. This movie is populated with dreamers. And not the sort of dreamers who just sit around and dream, but those who have a dream and do all they can to reach that dream, no matter how fantastic. Now, some people might think that magic tricks are unnecessary; movies are unnecessary; art and music and poetry are all unnecessary. But if anyone has a particular talent for any of these things - and, as we know now, we are all necessary parts of the giant machine that is the world - then any of those things must be necessary. This is rather topical for Queenslanders right now, as some of our state-funded school music programmes have just been axed. Not happy, Campbell. Everyone has a natural inclination towards something, and everyone's inclination is a part of the greater whole. Knowing that this is partly autobiographical of the life of the director, Martin Scorsese, makes it even more pointed - all those kids stealing into the movies, acting their dreams, could turn into famous movie directors of the future.
Aside from the machines and dreams, the support-part of the station inspector, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, is delightful. So plodding, so stereotypically police, but giving love advice to his superiors - I'd watch this movie again just for that. And such a different role for this actor that I had to look up who he was (always a good sign). There wasn't as much information on the music that was used, which I would have appreciated as it was really well done.
Today's photo:
Monday, 11 June 2012
Movie #16 - Brotherhood of the Wolf
DVD Sam loaned me 5 movies earlier this year. A couple of weeks ago, he asked if I'd watched Brotherhood of the Wolf yet. Not yet... if he'd told me that there are a few stripped-down fight scenes, I would have watched it ages ago! At least now I have.
I'm not sure this is a movie I would watch again - although maybe if I saw it while slightly less exhausted it might make more sense. So, if you're hoping for an intelligent plot discussion or something, I apologise. It's not going to happen. Set in 18th century France, there is a lot of violence, and there are a few scenes in a brothel - if you have delicate sensibilities, find something else to watch. Especially if you get squeamish. I started watching at the start of dinner - mistake.
Some little things before I get into it. This was a dubbed version, and I put the subtitles on as well - weird. The subtitles corresponded in the same way Google Translate will correspond. There are some very funny bits, like the brothel madam indignant about the possibility of a scandal in her house. Or the description of how Florentine women get their men to sleep at home, by giving them poison in the morning and the antidote in the evening. I found the camera work a little annoying. There are some aspects I really enjoyed, like the close-ups of the puddles splashing, but the frequent slow motion in the middle of action was irritating. Not to mention the special effects of the Beast itself, which really dated the movie.
At one point, I heard phrases of music reminiscent of Dances with Wolves and it was only at that point I went "oh yeah - duh". Native American in this movie about wolves, so how could you resist? Haha. There were 2 other distinct musical flavours, a fairly ecclesiastical sort (similar to Allegri's Miserere), and a gypsy style like that found in Chocolat.
In fact, the underlying theme of the movie reminded me a lot of Chocolat: the power of the cultural norm. (It also corresponded, incidentally, with yesterday's sermon). Everyone is born into a society with a cultural norm. Those in power dictate what that idea of normal is, and class anyone who doesn't fit into that mould as inferior. When those ideas are challenged, our instinct is to fight. And in hindsight, that is often ridiculous. In this movie, the ideas were surrounding race (is a Native American really the same race? surely he is inferior, a savage - "you don't avenge a savage with Christian blood") and the Age of Reason (Catholic practices in a world blossoming with scientific knowledge). Some of the questions they asked were, to this 21st century view, laughable. I had to remind myself a couple of times that they really wouldn't have known these things, and we only find out by asking and experiencing. Compare that to now though, with the debates surrounding gay marriage - there is a photo doing the rounds of Facebook, showing a scene from a rally 50 years ago against inter-racial marriage, and a scene from a present-day protest against gay marriage, and a caption along the lines of Think How Ridiculous You'll Look in 50 Years.
And then, the atrocious things Christians do to maintain the status quo, or the Right Way, or to hold onto power. There is even a scene so like a KKK meeting, all these robed people hiding behind the anonymity of a mask, with strength in numbers - how many of them, if they sat down with the tracts they say they are upholding, would turn around and act and think differently? And if you are really in the right, why do you need to hide your face? Or even, the things we do in a fight or flight mood - in this case, if we think this beast is a wolf, let's go and kill all the wolves we can find. That way we're sure to get it, right? But how silly we look after a bit of waiting and learning when we discover it's not actually a wolf and all those animals have died for nothing (King Herod, anyone? witch hunts?).
I write this as a Christian but more, as a human. Much of what Christians have done in the name of our religion is indefensible. I think though that it's more that Christians have been in power for a good portion of history, and we are human and react in human ways. Without knowledge that what you are doing is actually wrong, but with a background of this is probably right, we'll tend to go with the probably.
Actually, I'll amend the theme of this movie: There is nothing to be feared, except fear itself.
And now for today's photo:
Funny story here. I put washing on the line on Saturday, which was a beautifully sunny day, if rather cool. I didn't have time to get the washing off the line between gym, blog, and heading off to a games night... It rained Saturday night. It rained on Sunday. It rained Sunday night, and it's been rainy and blustery all of today. Which is wonderful for the June long weekend, but not great for getting my washing dry. Now I have to work out what I can possibly wear to work tomorrow.
I'm not sure this is a movie I would watch again - although maybe if I saw it while slightly less exhausted it might make more sense. So, if you're hoping for an intelligent plot discussion or something, I apologise. It's not going to happen. Set in 18th century France, there is a lot of violence, and there are a few scenes in a brothel - if you have delicate sensibilities, find something else to watch. Especially if you get squeamish. I started watching at the start of dinner - mistake.
Some little things before I get into it. This was a dubbed version, and I put the subtitles on as well - weird. The subtitles corresponded in the same way Google Translate will correspond. There are some very funny bits, like the brothel madam indignant about the possibility of a scandal in her house. Or the description of how Florentine women get their men to sleep at home, by giving them poison in the morning and the antidote in the evening. I found the camera work a little annoying. There are some aspects I really enjoyed, like the close-ups of the puddles splashing, but the frequent slow motion in the middle of action was irritating. Not to mention the special effects of the Beast itself, which really dated the movie.
At one point, I heard phrases of music reminiscent of Dances with Wolves and it was only at that point I went "oh yeah - duh". Native American in this movie about wolves, so how could you resist? Haha. There were 2 other distinct musical flavours, a fairly ecclesiastical sort (similar to Allegri's Miserere), and a gypsy style like that found in Chocolat.
In fact, the underlying theme of the movie reminded me a lot of Chocolat: the power of the cultural norm. (It also corresponded, incidentally, with yesterday's sermon). Everyone is born into a society with a cultural norm. Those in power dictate what that idea of normal is, and class anyone who doesn't fit into that mould as inferior. When those ideas are challenged, our instinct is to fight. And in hindsight, that is often ridiculous. In this movie, the ideas were surrounding race (is a Native American really the same race? surely he is inferior, a savage - "you don't avenge a savage with Christian blood") and the Age of Reason (Catholic practices in a world blossoming with scientific knowledge). Some of the questions they asked were, to this 21st century view, laughable. I had to remind myself a couple of times that they really wouldn't have known these things, and we only find out by asking and experiencing. Compare that to now though, with the debates surrounding gay marriage - there is a photo doing the rounds of Facebook, showing a scene from a rally 50 years ago against inter-racial marriage, and a scene from a present-day protest against gay marriage, and a caption along the lines of Think How Ridiculous You'll Look in 50 Years.
And then, the atrocious things Christians do to maintain the status quo, or the Right Way, or to hold onto power. There is even a scene so like a KKK meeting, all these robed people hiding behind the anonymity of a mask, with strength in numbers - how many of them, if they sat down with the tracts they say they are upholding, would turn around and act and think differently? And if you are really in the right, why do you need to hide your face? Or even, the things we do in a fight or flight mood - in this case, if we think this beast is a wolf, let's go and kill all the wolves we can find. That way we're sure to get it, right? But how silly we look after a bit of waiting and learning when we discover it's not actually a wolf and all those animals have died for nothing (King Herod, anyone? witch hunts?).
I write this as a Christian but more, as a human. Much of what Christians have done in the name of our religion is indefensible. I think though that it's more that Christians have been in power for a good portion of history, and we are human and react in human ways. Without knowledge that what you are doing is actually wrong, but with a background of this is probably right, we'll tend to go with the probably.
Actually, I'll amend the theme of this movie: There is nothing to be feared, except fear itself.
And now for today's photo:
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Outfit #16 - A Bit French
Today was blergh. But blue and white and red - hello France.Outfit details:
Skirt and white singlet: Hot Options. Top: David Lawrence. Shoes: Milu. Earrings: ? from David Jones. Necklace: made by me.
Although I didn't go to bed exhausted, I woke up in the middle of a dream. From then on, it was mostly downhill. I won't blab on and on about my day, but there were train problems, it was raining, I hadn't taken a warm top or painkillers (both, unusually, would have been great), and my eyes have felt like closing all day.
It wasn't all bad. I'll now be playing as well as listening at a gig on Friday - the Global Music Fiesta starts at 6 at the Bleeding Heart Gallery, 166 Ann St, in the city. Tickets are $15 (minimum) at the door, all proceeds to CARE Australia. I'm excited!
This skirt was one of last year's most-worn items. I didn't tally its wearings, but it seems to have been worn a lot in my memory. And no surprise really, as it's black and white and doesn't need ironing, or even to be on a hanger. It does, however, have some not-amazing memories to go with it. Today I even considered putting it in my giveaway pile. We'll see.The shoes had a bit of a comeback today - the first (and last) time I wore them I had the most horrendous blisters. No running for a bit, and I had to get those large Elastoplasts in order to not cry when I wore shoes. Some preemptive Bandaids sorted that problem today.
You can always tell when I haven't had many breaks at school - the detail shots are taken at home... By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was change into pajamas and sleep. See my dedication in taking detail shots first? Well, maybe. The earrings are hard to see. But they're like snowflakes, if you're wondering. The idea for the necklace I stole from someone else - theirs had black beads instead of red, and red instead of white. I quite like the idea of using small beads to fill the in between bits, instead of bare wire and crimps.
This top has a very tactile front. Kids love touching it (weird much?!) - not only does it have bits attached, but they're of different textures also. Unfortunately it needs a different something underneath, as I was adjusting my front all day.
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