of swimming pools and french films

I don't really know if it was a conscious decision on my part, but for the better half of my week, i've been watching french films at home.

8 Women is a "slashie" movie --- murder mystery/comedy/drama/musical, as characters sing, scream,suspect and try to find out who killed the man of the house. It's funny, but with some dragging bits (mainly due to the damn singing --- it's one thing to watch a musical, but it's quite another when you can't understand a damn word they're singing). But the effort is fun, and the characters are adorable. One particular character i was most impressed with was Ludivine Sangnier's charcter of a teenager ---quite the opposite of the her role in the next film.

Swimming Pool, which stars Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sangnier, isn't exactly french, with the main character being an English woman, but it does take place in France, with a french production and director backing it up. Pretty bizaare, with lotsa nudity (care of the lovely yet unsettling Ludivine) and a weird twist. Hmmm. It's got lotsa scenery of the French countryside too.

Last movie I got to watch was 1998's critically-acclaimed Those who love me can take the Train , a dramtaic "soap opera" of people on a journey to bury their recently deceased friend, Jean Baptiste. It's gritty, dark and elegantly lit, with very beautiful cinematography. I love the experimentation of perspective the director uses to heighten the drama of a very mundane scene (i.e., the over head shot of the cemetery).

What's interesting (or maybe bizaare) about these films is their touch on sexuality. Perhaps it's a European thing --- these touch several aspects of relationships and sex -- be it man or woman. It's amazing how one can be so comfortable with one's skin. I thought it was just a tad too much at times (i.e., Ludivine's Swimming pool scenes) but then again, perhaps it was to really drive at the character's personality. (Then again, you can write on your journal with clothes on too :-P )

Hopefully next time, we'll be watching Korean films. Sassy girl perhaps? Hmmm... i want the dvd.

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Yey!!! I finally got to watch Miyazaki's Spirited Away!!! Ang ganda nga nya!!!! Kaya lang bitin... hehehe. I love Haku!!! He is soooo cute! wahahaha!! Syempre naiyak ako sa ending... sniff sniff!! *sigh*

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAOPAO!!!