I watched this on Leap Day...my attempt to both take advantage of a magical day and my last hurrah before I started social distancing. What a triumph to go out on!
I am struck by how well Gerwig's Little Women and Sciamma in this film understand the ocean, the sea. I don't think I've gotten so close to how I experience the ocean in any other films.
I also was struck by how few period pieces really allow us to comprehend how final, how truly severing leaving someone behind could be. No telephone books to find a number, no known forwarding address, no searching someone's name on Google.
The first glimpse of the page number had me deceased. I am now dead. And in my current state I have just remembered the brilliant filming of Marianne trying to capture her own likeness. The mirrors. I am still dead but with a hint of life on my cheeks.
I saw this film twice (once on a date with Max, once in a date with someone else) and I loved it so much both times.
Agree that the wait for the tutoyer was excruciating (and sexy); even though I barely speak French, I found myself holding my breath every time they spoke to one another in anticipation.
I also am not sure I have the words to express the release that was the exuberant music at the bonfire scene; Sciamma really made such effective use of sound in the film in a way that you don't realize until there's suddenly SO MUCH OF IT.
Honestly though my favorite thing about it was just how lesbian it all felt; it felt like a film for me and a film that understood me on a really deep and visceral level. There's something impalpable and unique about queer desire, and this film absolutely captures it.
This is not related but I am whining about it in basically every possible context because it SUCKS - I have shingles and I caught it early and am on meds but it HURTS and that just SUCKS.
Wait also all the foreshadowing with Orpheus and Eurydice - when I watched it the first time, I really enjoyed watching all that unfold. During my second viewing, officially knowing how it was going to end (even though we know that from the beginning to a degree, really) somehow made those discussions even more poignant and aching.
Adèle Haenel is a strong voice in the very problematic French #MeToo movement, having spoken out about being raped as a teen, and she and Sciamma were the ones who got up and walked out of the Césars (French version of the Oscars) earlier this year when famed child rapist Roman Polanski received his award.
Something I absolutely love is how the film is so gorgeous while also feeling so real. The actors don't look inhumanly beautiful - they're beautiful because of how human they look. You memorize all the facets of Héloïse's face right along with Marianne and fall in love too.
I saw it on Valentine’s Day with my datemate and at the end CELIENE APPEARED FOR A Q&A which we had no idea was going to happen! It was a very queer audience and she was having a great time. The movie made me so happy and it made me cry and as I was watching it I knew it was one I would rewatch many times and treasure for the rest of my life.
I’m holding off on my first rewatch until later in quarantine (I’m in New York, aka the epicenter in the U.S.) so that I have something to look forward to. And I really am looking forward to it.
(Also I had a four-hour Skype date with that datemate last night and they make me really happy and I just wanted to share that too because aaaah!)
I don’t think I can get Hulu here in Aus but I am going to rewatch the SNL Totino skit featuring Kristen Stewart as my future French mistress, which is its own work of art
I want every frame of this movie printed out so I can wallpaper my house with it. The most beautiful movie!!! Can't wait to see it again.
I loved the scenes in the kitchen with the three of them, and Sophie's embroidery (the respect shown to all forms of art!!), and the Orpheus and Eurydice stuff, and that GREEN DRESS, and the abortion scene/the painting of it, and the STARING. God, every part of this movie was perfect. The ending!!!
I don't speak French so it's nice to learn a little about what I missed. (I do speak Italian though so the brief scene where they switch to that language was a little jarring. "Do I suddenly understand French? What's happening here?")
I will get back to les frenches lesbianes in a moment (ouais ouais ouais, she says in her perfect Franco-Ontarian warble), but I implore you, Nicole, to divert your attention to this MUCH BETTER french film tout de suite https://youtu.be/ebg1lHMkR5U
Oh, YAY!!!! I'm so glad you finally saw it. I gasped when they were, um, painting that scene in the kitchen that time: "these 90 seconds have more to say about women and art history than most 500 page treatises."
Did you all read about the woman who did all the paintings? And as an aside, I had the poster as my phone background and didn't realize it was an optical illusion till someone pointed it out on Twitter.
I just watched this movie last night and I am absolutely blown away. Never has a movie so revelled in the female gaze. I was almost wild waiting for them to break the tension and kiss. And then that final scene. Now I understand why Bong Ju-hon was hyping the movie everywhere he went.
The throat singing... the witches' commune... the cooking over a glass of wine... the reproductive justice activism.... *tears up* thank u Céline Sciamma for making the quintessential wlw movie
I lucked into a screening in December (thank you NYC) and saw it again when it got wider release. I love this movie so so so so much. I want to lick every frame.
MY DIFFICULT YOUNGER FRENCH WIFE HAS TO BE WILLING TO GET MATCHING TATTOOS THAT JUST SAY “28” or preferably “vingt-huit” just FYI.
In a very beautiful olden-y font.
(Celine the director in a Lucille Bluth voice) “I’m withholding the tutoyer! Look at me, getting off.”
I watched this on Leap Day...my attempt to both take advantage of a magical day and my last hurrah before I started social distancing. What a triumph to go out on!
I am struck by how well Gerwig's Little Women and Sciamma in this film understand the ocean, the sea. I don't think I've gotten so close to how I experience the ocean in any other films.
I also was struck by how few period pieces really allow us to comprehend how final, how truly severing leaving someone behind could be. No telephone books to find a number, no known forwarding address, no searching someone's name on Google.
The first glimpse of the page number had me deceased. I am now dead. And in my current state I have just remembered the brilliant filming of Marianne trying to capture her own likeness. The mirrors. I am still dead but with a hint of life on my cheeks.
I saw this film twice (once on a date with Max, once in a date with someone else) and I loved it so much both times.
Agree that the wait for the tutoyer was excruciating (and sexy); even though I barely speak French, I found myself holding my breath every time they spoke to one another in anticipation.
I also am not sure I have the words to express the release that was the exuberant music at the bonfire scene; Sciamma really made such effective use of sound in the film in a way that you don't realize until there's suddenly SO MUCH OF IT.
Honestly though my favorite thing about it was just how lesbian it all felt; it felt like a film for me and a film that understood me on a really deep and visceral level. There's something impalpable and unique about queer desire, and this film absolutely captures it.
This is not related but I am whining about it in basically every possible context because it SUCKS - I have shingles and I caught it early and am on meds but it HURTS and that just SUCKS.
Wait also all the foreshadowing with Orpheus and Eurydice - when I watched it the first time, I really enjoyed watching all that unfold. During my second viewing, officially knowing how it was going to end (even though we know that from the beginning to a degree, really) somehow made those discussions even more poignant and aching.
I did not realize until my friend pointed it out that there is *no music* until *there is music*
And I didn't realize it because whoever made the sound choices was so *good* at their job
Adèle Haenel is a strong voice in the very problematic French #MeToo movement, having spoken out about being raped as a teen, and she and Sciamma were the ones who got up and walked out of the Césars (French version of the Oscars) earlier this year when famed child rapist Roman Polanski received his award.
She's fantastic and he should be hurled off the cliff they filmed all the cliff scenes on.
Something I absolutely love is how the film is so gorgeous while also feeling so real. The actors don't look inhumanly beautiful - they're beautiful because of how human they look. You memorize all the facets of Héloïse's face right along with Marianne and fall in love too.
I fell so in love with Héloïse, seeing that painting in their second last meeting I truly felt like we were all Marianne.
Her face is such a good face!! Something about the eyebrows in particular.
Also, I want her blue embroidered cape.
I saw it on Valentine’s Day with my datemate and at the end CELIENE APPEARED FOR A Q&A which we had no idea was going to happen! It was a very queer audience and she was having a great time. The movie made me so happy and it made me cry and as I was watching it I knew it was one I would rewatch many times and treasure for the rest of my life.
I’m holding off on my first rewatch until later in quarantine (I’m in New York, aka the epicenter in the U.S.) so that I have something to look forward to. And I really am looking forward to it.
(Also I had a four-hour Skype date with that datemate last night and they make me really happy and I just wanted to share that too because aaaah!)
I don’t think I can get Hulu here in Aus but I am going to rewatch the SNL Totino skit featuring Kristen Stewart as my future French mistress, which is its own work of art
“What’s your name?” “I’ve never had one.”
I want every frame of this movie printed out so I can wallpaper my house with it. The most beautiful movie!!! Can't wait to see it again.
I loved the scenes in the kitchen with the three of them, and Sophie's embroidery (the respect shown to all forms of art!!), and the Orpheus and Eurydice stuff, and that GREEN DRESS, and the abortion scene/the painting of it, and the STARING. God, every part of this movie was perfect. The ending!!!
I don't speak French so it's nice to learn a little about what I missed. (I do speak Italian though so the brief scene where they switch to that language was a little jarring. "Do I suddenly understand French? What's happening here?")
I will get back to les frenches lesbianes in a moment (ouais ouais ouais, she says in her perfect Franco-Ontarian warble), but I implore you, Nicole, to divert your attention to this MUCH BETTER french film tout de suite https://youtu.be/ebg1lHMkR5U
I LAUGHED SO MUCH
also, "Plume" is such a great name for a cat!!!
Oh, YAY!!!! I'm so glad you finally saw it. I gasped when they were, um, painting that scene in the kitchen that time: "these 90 seconds have more to say about women and art history than most 500 page treatises."
Did you all read about the woman who did all the paintings? And as an aside, I had the poster as my phone background and didn't realize it was an optical illusion till someone pointed it out on Twitter.
links, pls
(bangs clipboard) links links links
I just watched this movie last night and I am absolutely blown away. Never has a movie so revelled in the female gaze. I was almost wild waiting for them to break the tension and kiss. And then that final scene. Now I understand why Bong Ju-hon was hyping the movie everywhere he went.
Bong Joon-ho
the OVID. 'turn back'. the ghostly apparitions!!!
The throat singing... the witches' commune... the cooking over a glass of wine... the reproductive justice activism.... *tears up* thank u Céline Sciamma for making the quintessential wlw movie
I lucked into a screening in December (thank you NYC) and saw it again when it got wider release. I love this movie so so so so much. I want to lick every frame.
I also love Adele Haenel and Celiene and I'm so mad that it's really hard to find a bunch of her movies. I think criteron had it for like a weekend.
BERT JANSCH
Good day everyone :-)