Well, after seeing the trailer in 2013, this movie by famed French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has FINALLY gotten a release here in the states, albeit a very limited one. For myself I didn't even know until yesterday that the film was going to get a release this week. I only found out because a coworker bought a newspaper to read at lunch and left it behind. I picked it up and saw that not only was it showing, but the only theater it was going to be showing at in my city(at least for right now) is one that is thankfully a quarter of a mile from where I work. YEAH!
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Km4dZ_jBFE#t=26[/yt]
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWqxoxI3T4[/yt]
This is a lovely film with some of the best scenes of nature ever put to film. Wide, gorgeous shots of mountains, rivers, etc. If you're familiar with Jeunet, then you know he's a director of fairy tale like stories of whimsy. This one is no different.
It's the story of a family that lives in remote and scenic Montana....Dad is a stoic cowboy, mom is science minded. The older sister is obsessed with beauty contests and rounding out the family are two paternal twins, Layton and T.S.
Layton is the daredevil who's main hobby is "shooting anything that moves" and T.S. is the child genius. The movie opens with T.S. getting a call from the Smithsonian about one of his inventions, but being a kid and afraid of not getting the award, he claims that he is speaking for his "mute" father who is named T.S.
We also learn that the two boys were involved in a shooting accident that took the life of Layton, and how this bears on T.S. who blames himself. The movie is presented in three acts (pop-up books that open with the chapter title). The first about life on the farm, the second about the journey east, and the third about what happens in the east, Washington, DC.
The first two acts move somewhat slower allowing the viewer to really appreciate the scenery and the generally gentle and quirky humour of the film, of which there is plenty despite the underlying tragedy.
The third act of the film is full on satire as Jeunet takes shot at our fame obsessed culture and the media that enables it. Despite that change in the fairy tale road trip vibe of the first parts of the movie, it still comes in with a satisfying ending about family and moving on.
The visuals are awesome and amusing as we see illustrations to how T.S. see's the world. When he tell's his sister that he's gotten a call from New York, he wonders how she's processing it and we get a scene in a dark room lined with screens and meeting table. Around the table are different facets of his sisters thinking process, complete with different clothing and hair styles, all the same actress, discussing if the boy is lying or telling the truth.
Or when he runs away, superimposed on the screen are a diagram of his feet, the speed with which he is moving, the distance he needs to get to the train he is going to hop, etc.
Sometimes it almost had a Wes Anderson vibe, as when T.S. packs his suitcase and tells how long it takes him, and how he packs by order of importance. We then get scenes of him holding up each object, some of which will just bog him down, but are "necessary" to his child's mind.
All in all, it was a wonderful film with some incredibly emotional moments, especially when he gives his speech at the Smithsonian.
I'm glad I finally got to see this movie, especially on the big screen. Apparently Jeunet filmed this one with 3D in mind, but the theater I was at was only 2D. I hope this get's a wider release so that there is a 3D offering as this is a visually gorgeous movie.
I made a joke to a coworker that I'd probably be the only person in the theater since this movie is flying under the radar of just about everybody and there has been, to my knowledge, no advertisements of the film. And yes, I was literally the only person seeing the film, so that was awesome. I'd have to say that this was probably my favorite film of the year. If you're looking for "spectacle and 'splosions" then don't bother. If you like quirky, odd films with unique visuals and a healthy dose of whimsy, then this is your film.
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Km4dZ_jBFE#t=26[/yt]
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWqxoxI3T4[/yt]
This is a lovely film with some of the best scenes of nature ever put to film. Wide, gorgeous shots of mountains, rivers, etc. If you're familiar with Jeunet, then you know he's a director of fairy tale like stories of whimsy. This one is no different.
It's the story of a family that lives in remote and scenic Montana....Dad is a stoic cowboy, mom is science minded. The older sister is obsessed with beauty contests and rounding out the family are two paternal twins, Layton and T.S.
Layton is the daredevil who's main hobby is "shooting anything that moves" and T.S. is the child genius. The movie opens with T.S. getting a call from the Smithsonian about one of his inventions, but being a kid and afraid of not getting the award, he claims that he is speaking for his "mute" father who is named T.S.
We also learn that the two boys were involved in a shooting accident that took the life of Layton, and how this bears on T.S. who blames himself. The movie is presented in three acts (pop-up books that open with the chapter title). The first about life on the farm, the second about the journey east, and the third about what happens in the east, Washington, DC.
The first two acts move somewhat slower allowing the viewer to really appreciate the scenery and the generally gentle and quirky humour of the film, of which there is plenty despite the underlying tragedy.
The third act of the film is full on satire as Jeunet takes shot at our fame obsessed culture and the media that enables it. Despite that change in the fairy tale road trip vibe of the first parts of the movie, it still comes in with a satisfying ending about family and moving on.
The visuals are awesome and amusing as we see illustrations to how T.S. see's the world. When he tell's his sister that he's gotten a call from New York, he wonders how she's processing it and we get a scene in a dark room lined with screens and meeting table. Around the table are different facets of his sisters thinking process, complete with different clothing and hair styles, all the same actress, discussing if the boy is lying or telling the truth.
Or when he runs away, superimposed on the screen are a diagram of his feet, the speed with which he is moving, the distance he needs to get to the train he is going to hop, etc.
Sometimes it almost had a Wes Anderson vibe, as when T.S. packs his suitcase and tells how long it takes him, and how he packs by order of importance. We then get scenes of him holding up each object, some of which will just bog him down, but are "necessary" to his child's mind.
All in all, it was a wonderful film with some incredibly emotional moments, especially when he gives his speech at the Smithsonian.
I'm glad I finally got to see this movie, especially on the big screen. Apparently Jeunet filmed this one with 3D in mind, but the theater I was at was only 2D. I hope this get's a wider release so that there is a 3D offering as this is a visually gorgeous movie.
I made a joke to a coworker that I'd probably be the only person in the theater since this movie is flying under the radar of just about everybody and there has been, to my knowledge, no advertisements of the film. And yes, I was literally the only person seeing the film, so that was awesome. I'd have to say that this was probably my favorite film of the year. If you're looking for "spectacle and 'splosions" then don't bother. If you like quirky, odd films with unique visuals and a healthy dose of whimsy, then this is your film.
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