My Week In Film (6/30 - 7/5)

I'm not sure why it took me so long to start this week's entry. Don't think it was because I was trying to make it better.

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1961)
(Directed by Agnes Varda)

hmmm, I need to see more Varda films, don't I? Cleo mostly concerns itself with the title's character image. Not only the way that other people see her but also the way that she sees herself. The scenes out in Paris with Cleo walking around definitely stand out not only because the great cinematography but also because it kinda helps place Cleo in the world. She's not really famous yet so she can sort of blend in with the crowd but she also stands out because of her beauty. Whatever that means. Anyway, I kinda enjoyed scenes individually for the most part but it wasn't until the last 15 minutes that everything started to click together. I don't see the ending as "well, she met a man and now she can be happy!" That's too simplistic. Actually, I'm not really sure what's happening overall but it does feel totally satisfying.

★★★★

En La Ciudad De Sylvia (2007)
(Directed by José Luis Guerín)

Hmmm, I wonder if a film where a man watches a bunch of pretty women from a distance, draws sketches of them and ocassionally follows them around sounds interesting... It's a good thing that all the women are pretty beautiful or otherwise, it would probably be pretty uninteresting (I bring shallow criticisms on a weekly basis). However, I like its silence. I like its "brooding romantic" male lead who must've drawn on his beard for each take. I like the film's ellipticness even though as far as I could tell, it was pretty straightforward. But, most of all, I like that someone is making films like this. I'll keep watching them if they keep making them.

★★★1/2

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
(Directed by Jacques Demy)

Yeah. I can see myself returning this and just completely adoring it. I love its bright colors,. I love its Michel Legrand score. I love its melodrama. The way that Demy and Legrand have made a film that kinda splashes onto your screen ready to make you love it. That's a quality that a hell of a lot more films need. I'll be honest though. The singing took about five seconds to get used to (I counted it) and from there on, it's honestly just a very touching story with a ending that's as close to heartbreaking as a film so lovable can get.

★★★★

Hmmm, what shall I do?

Varda and Demy were married. I shall marry their films. Yeah, nevermind...

Jhon's Movies of the week is... The Umbrellas of Cherbourg