French films

I really want to make a concerted effort to post here. Upon re-reading my last post, though, I realized I wasn't saying too much and kind of dancing around topics, so I also want to be a bit more obvious without using this as a platform for rambling about every thought that crosses my mind ;)

So. Currently, or maybe as an on-going thing, I'm really into French films. This may or may not be related to the fact that I just watched Amélie this past week, it is hands-down one of the most insightful, creative films I have seen, plus it's got a good dash of romance in there, and the French do know how to put something romantic into a film. It's funny, though, that culture- it's a mix of subtle gestures and also overt affection, quite a paradox when you think about it.

I thought I'd share with you a few of my absolute favourites:

-Amélie - I love how it was directed (by Jean-Pierre Jeunet), and it's just so layered with good moments.

-Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've Loved You So Long)- Kristin Scott Thomas is phenomenal in this film, and it even makes me, a notorious non-movie-crier, shed a few tears. To be fair, when I watch it with Liz, she's in a puddle of tears next to me, so that helps ;)

-Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis- downright hilarious, if a bit hard to follow at times. It bears close attention or the accents lose you a bit. Dany Boon is wonderful, and so is the whole cast, really.

-MicMacs- another Dany Boon, directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet. Another winner, extremely quirky and smart and just enough of the odd factor as well.

-just about anything with Juliette Binoche. I'm kind of obsessed with her right now. Sometimes I'll watch something just because she's in it, which has led to some really strange films, some which felt like a nightmare that wasn't mine, in some kind of film noir genre. In general, though, she is inspiring in her performances. If you can sit through it, try The Red Balloon. It's long and seems disconnected but its images stay with you.

I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that come to mind from what I've seen recently. Then there's all the other foreign films/independent films that explore culture, like the movie Bella, among others. I don't know many Québec movies but I have seen Père en flic which was pretty funny, and also Bon Cop, Bad Cop with Patrick Huard and Colm Feore, which wasn't as good as other films of its genre but I enjoyed the back-and-forth banter in French and English, a clever premise anyway.

Have any of you seen any from the list? Do you have any favourite foreign films?

~à bientôt, mes chéries! ~