new Jeunet film, personal mini-review...
Last night we went to the cinema to see Jean Pierre Jeunet's new film: A Very Long Engagement (he directed Amelie, an all-time favourite movie of mine). As I hoped and expected, I gained the satisfaction I most desire in a film: to become utterly involved with the events, to fall into a romantic idealism and to feel inspired. I walked out of this detailed and amazingly shot film, feeling just like the description above. Matt and I always sit until the very end of the movie score, and I enjoy the darkness and empty theatre, as everyone leaves immediately after the showing, hastily putting on their coats, and straight away back into brightly lit corridors and thus, their reality. Of course, this is I being cynical, and generalising somewhat, but I enjoy sitting and thinking for some time about what I just experienced. The basic plot (interweaved with much detail): Set in WW1, the story of two lovers, separated by the war as he is enlisted to the army. His lover embarks on a journey to find him, as it is unknown whether he is dead. A film that shows the importance of hope as an active form, based on individual will and belief, even amidst such a dark time as war.
Some lovely scenery - rural France tempts me the more I see/read about it. Excellent casting, with the lovely Audrey Tatou as the adorable, mysterious, daydreamer protagonist, with whom I always feel some affinity with in Jeunet's films - hence why I probably liked Amelie so much. Lots of humour, but also some dramatic realism - such as the opening scene of the rainy battle field, a huge crucifix with Jesus hanging, broken at the torso, and thick mud all around with naked twisted trees reaching through the chaos.
A film for dreamers, who like cinematic detail and symbolic simplicities. Again, the small things matter to Jeunet, and despite the critic's mentioning that this theme has worn thin within his work, I disagree. I believe these details are significant, and it creates a whole philosophy, and because many of these elements are so subtle, creating a powerful whole - this does not become boring, and although Mathilde and Amelie are similar personalities in a lot of ways - the events are unique and contextual. I did not want the film to end…