A Very Long Engagement (2004)

Also known as Un long dimanche de fiançailles.
My good friend and sometimes co-conspirator, alias Phineas Gopher, recently took it upon himself to give me an education in French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, as the only films of his that I had seen at the time were Alien Resurrection, which was awful, and Delicatessen, which was difficult to watch in a high-school classroom. It's a good thing, too, as his films have a color and life and style to them that is unlike anything else in cinema. His films are far from perfect, but they excel at simply being themselves. Rightly (satirically) described as “Amelie 2: Amelie Goes to War”, this film is a sweeping, massive, absolutely epic love story set amidst trench warfare and post-conflict investigation in and after World War One. Audrey Tautou once again headlines the cast, and once again she proves exceptionally watchable, putting in a performance both charming and tragically optimistic. Meanwhile the sets and visuals are beautifully rendered and shot in that uniquely French kind of artistry that makes it both immediately relatable and disarmingly abstract. The plot doesn't quite fare so well, however. Though the pace and thrust of the story are riveting, the sequence of events—of who died, who should have died, who was murdered, and who was simply killed in battle—becomes almost impossibly complicated. However, while the confusion draws away from the narrative satisfaction of this film, it dulls none of its considerable emotional impact. It's a difficult film to follow at times, but the sweep and scope of this romance is exceptional.

8 out of 10.

V For Vendetta (2005)

Making a movie about a future version of Guy Fawkes has got to be risky stuff, especially in these paranoid times. Certainly one man's terrorist is another man's folk hero, and Guy Fawkes does have his own holiday in Britain (remember remember the fifth of November), but with the word “terrorist” having become as taboo as the “N” word here in the States, it's difficult to say how a film like this flies in this country. Personally I find it liberating, though too easy to romanticize, admiring a man who's gunpowder plot to blow up Parliament in 1605 is seen as symbolic that an inadequate government will not be tolerated. But how does that adapt to film? How does that translate to a science fiction drama about a terrorist who is fed up with government, and who resolves to galvanize an apathetic populace into taking action? Pretty well actually, as long as you ignore the movie itself and focus instead on the trickle of violently seductive ideas present. In the right hands, this is a dangerous film. As a movie, though, it has some serious issues. Hugo Weaving's performance is almost V for vaudevillian in it's overcooked elocution, while Natalie Portman flounders trying to maintain a British accent. The rest of the story is mostly white noise, but it's punctuated with moments of absolutely staggering power that only the heartless could ignore (the "Autobiography" scene is one of my favorite in all of cinema). These heartstopping moments drive forth an agenda, and it's here that the film finds its footing. Guy Fawkes is a tough person to idolize, but the very visceral way in which he tried to give power back to the people is inspiring in its own way. So too, is this movie: tough to like, but packed with ideas.

7 out of 10.

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