🎥 J+N Film Festival selection: Film #18

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Whilst I’ve traditionally veered away from mainstream cinema, I had the pleasure to rewatch both this film – The Royal Tenenbaums, and Jeunet‘s Amélie on the same day. They are two films that always manage to put a smile on my face.

A fabulous ensemble cast, (it’s as though I’m seeing Salinger‘s Glass family come alive in technicolour) with the darling Bill Murray, the always charming Luke Wilson and even his annoying brother Owen is funny here. Margot Tenenbaum is easily Gwyneth Paltrow‘s best character performance: who could forget the scene of her coming off the bus – in slow motion, and to Nico‘s sultry voice – to meet her brother, Richie, at the station?

As with Anderson‘s other films, especially the Life Aquatic, the soundtrack is brilliant. I have it on CD.

Watch it on #googleplay #filmfestivaleveryday #filmoftheday #stayhome

 

🎥 J+N Film Festival selection: Film #17

Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain – Amélie (2001)

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Amélie is a film that hardly needs an introduction. Why have I included this into our film festival selection? Because it is filled with joyful moments. Perhaps at the turn of the 20th century filmmakers felt we needed a extra dose of happiness; and this is a result of their sentiments. We could all do with a little bit more cheer in our lives at the moment.

Jeunet‘s fabulous love story comes to us in a saturated colour palette that is reminiscent of all great childhood memories; no longer washed down by the veneer of work and money-making. Interwoven stories of how to make connections with another person – being kind, playing tricks, leaving messages and traces of yourselves for others to find – are all delightfully stitched together in vignettes. There are so many similarities to the next film I’m posting in this series – Wes Anderson‘s The Royal Tenenbaums.

I must’ve seen both of these films a dozen times, easy; and Amélie never ceases to delight. Audrey Tatou’s openly inviting face, the trademark haircut (a tribute to two other characters who had a very different fate to hers – Anna Karina‘s character in Vivre sa vie, and, of course, Lulu – Louise Brooks’ character in G W Pabst‘s Pandora’s Box). Here, and like Tarantino‘s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the heroine is given a different destiny.

I especially love the quirkiness of Kassovitz‘s character: he looks so young, so gentle here. And very different from his character (a hardened undercover operative) codename ‘Malotru‘ (literally means ‘lout’) in one of my favourite TV series, The Bureau.

Watch on #sbsondemand #filmfestivaleveryday #filmoftheday #stayhome

#filmfestivaleveryday #filmoftheday #stayhome