Paris is the rain

Léa Seydoux is so lovely in Midnight in Paris.

Take this waltz

Another film, another pool scene, isn't it so? Take This Waltz is a film directed by Sarah Polley, starring Michelle Williams, Luke Kirby and Seth Rogen. It's a wonderful exploration of loneliness, fear, what makes up a relationship and what it really is/means to deceive someone. I loved it, the simplicity of it. And I know, yet another film with a "oh-we're-floating-around-in-the-pool-smiling-at-each-other"-scene, but in this feature I felt like it wasn't just fluff, but that it was an important element in telling the story. 

As you may have guessed, the film borrows its name from Leonard Cohen's song Take This Waltz, which towards the end of the film fits perfectly in with it's heaviness. Under are some of the lyrics, mainly the part I really love:

Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay 

Take this waltz, take this waltz 

Take this waltz with the clamp on its jaws 

Oh I want you, I want you, I want you 

On a chair with a dead magazine 

In the cave at the tip of the lily 

In some hallways where love's never been 

On a bed where the moon has been sweating 

In a cry filled with footsteps and sand 

Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay 

Take this waltz, take this waltz 

Take its broken waist in your hand 

This waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz
With its very own breath of brandy and Death 

Dragging its tail in the sea 

After seeing this film I've also been getting hooked on Micah P. Hinson's steady and almost, for me at least, heartbreaking voice. Tell Me It Ain't So isn't exactly a song from the movie, but just had to include it just to make a point of how many different things one can discover and gain from watching just one single film (if it's good that is!).

Un été brûlant

I just arrived home from a wonderful trip on the island of Hydra. It is indeed "un été brûlant" and being close to the sea is necessary. Another nice thing about hot, Greek summers is all the outdoor cinemas in which one can enjoy a summer film amongst the suiting breeze and the cry of the cicadas. This summer I want to see Un Été Brûlant or - as it is translated - A Burning Hot Summer. Does it get better than Louis Garrel in a hot summer movie, speaking it up in french, pondering and paining over none other than Monica Bellucci? I think not. I'm looking forward to this one.

Unbearable lightness

As is probably known to many The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a fantastic book written by Milan Kundera. In the midst of mainly three-four main characters it explores the relationship between weight and lightness in all aspects of life. It is simply a wonderful piece of art. It is such beautifully and philosophically written that upon reading it I had to underline several, several paragraphs which I proceeded to write down in my Moleskin. I can with a light heart recommend this book to every living soul.

In 1988 the book was made into a film by director Philip Kaufman. In it we have Daniel Day-Lewis as Tomas, Juliette Binoche as Tereza and Lena Olin as Sabina. The film is a wonderful adaption of the book, though - as is always with film adaptions - there were many moments and thoughts from the book missing in the film. With this particular film I understand the difficulty though. The book is filled with extended trains of thoughts and small notions that in any case are almost impossible to visually translate, and in the context of a film they aren't as essential as in the book.

The film is a beautiful translation of the book with an abundance of what I would consider to be some of the greatest actors and actresses of our time. The imagery is simple and natural, but at the same time very stunning. In fact so much that I had saved over sixty screen caps that I wanted to post here. I began writing this post with the intention of posting all those screen caps, but it became impossible in the end. Instead I decided to focus on the relationship of Tomas and Tereza, which does not show the whole essence of the film, but is nevertheless a very important and central element. Enjoy.

Some sort of crime

The Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole classic How To Steal a Million is such an enjoyable film. Not only are they both wonderful in it, they also share many great screen kisses. This is that sort of film where the two main characters have such amazing chemistry and where you sit and smile through out the whole thing, simply because it's such a delightful film. Having said that, I thought I'd share some of the aforementioned screen kisses. And isn't Peter O'Toole just so handsome?

Answering a question with a question

I love the simple details of Audrey Hepburn's hairdo from Paris When It Sizzles. This still reminds of how immaculate Audrey is in all her films. Her eloquence and her elegance, her smile and her way of being. I just love how a film with her is never boring simply due to the magic she bring to it.

Les amours imaginaires

Stills from Xavier Dolan's second film Les Amours Imaginaires. I haven't seen it for a long time, but I remember I thought the actual film was just ok. The whole set-up and the "costumes" are excellent though.

Photos from Nostalgia Party No. 2