Band of Outsiders

Band of Outsiders, 1964
(Bande à part)
dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur, Daniele Girard
2.4/5

I’ve always had a bit of a bittersweet relationship with the whole Nouvelle Vague movement. It captivated me when I was in high school…something about super symbolic, old French films just had me hooked. I enjoyed films like Une femme est une femme, A bout de soufflé, Pierrot le fou, and Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?, but after those, none really held my interest. I’m almost at a point where I watch them just to see Anna Karina be lovely or say lovely things.

Luckily, in Band of Outsiders, there was still a plot that I could follow without having to bore myself with finding the deep meaning. Karina plays Odile, a young woman who meets two men, Franz and Arthur, in an English class. One she reveals that she has access to a large amount of money kept in her house, Franz and Arthur pressure and use Odile to burgle their way to some quick cash.

Interesting plot, but unfortunately, I felt very unfulfilled at the end. Perhaps I am elderly in the Nouvelle Vague movement, and simply past the point in which I care to pay attention. I don’t know whether I’m lazy or if they’re all starting to sound the same for me, but my interest is totally lost with this type of film, and the plots don’t seem to be enough to captivate me like they once did.

Favorite thing: Anna Karina, lovely as always.

Worst thing: Godard narrating. I’ve somehow grown to hate that voice. Shun me.

Should you watch it? You probably should since it’s a classic and I’m an ignorant sourpuss.

The 400 Blows

The 400 Blows, 1959
(Les quatre cents coups)
dir. Francois Truffaut
Starring: Jean-Pierre Leaud, Albert Remy, Claire Maurier
3.7/5

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I wanted to run away from home when I was little. I distinctly remember in 4th grade, my three closest friends and I made plans to run away before we got to middle school. We would go to the city area club and practice swimming, hunting, singing…in essence, become hippie Neanderthals in a small town full of gas stations and pizza parlors. Looking back, I was obviously naïve and foolish, but hey, I was independent.

Watching The 400 Blows as an adult, I’m beginning to see all of the silly things that I would have been involved with had I ever ran away. Antoine, a boy approximately in 4th-5th grade, runs away from home various times for multiple reasons: bad grades, lies, stealing, etc. At first life goes smoothly, but as he begins committing petty crimes to get by, his plans of making it on his own spiral downward.

I loved this film for helping me not only connect with Antoine, but also my childhood self. Despite the film’s age, it really opened my eyes as to what would have happened if my friends and I followed through. If anything, it would have been harder. 40 years later, it would’ve been harder to steal, or live off of $10, or bum at friends’ houses without question. Even as a junior in college, it hits home. I’m on my own, and I struggle with starting over, finding a place to call home, earning my keep.

Favorite thing: Antoine is made a connectable character, and the adults are portrayed the same way we would have seen them when we were children getting into trouble.

Worst thing: The ending really leaves you hanging.

Should you watch it? I’d say yes, especially if you’re moving out (or running away?) soon.

Party Monster

Party Monster, 2003
dir. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
3.3/5

Back when I was on Tumblr, a lot of the people I followed always reblogged stills of Party Monster. I thought they were stupid – who wants to see a washed up Macaulay Culkin in drag? One day, I figured I couldn’t beat them, so I might as well join them.

The story of Michael Alig happened to be a very amusing one. Whether Party Monster played up the Club Kid’s life story or dulled it down, I am not sure, but the movie has certainly made me want to watch the earlier Party Monster documentary.

Favorite thing: The costumes were pretty neat.

Worst thing: I know I ought to respect Culkin for trying to break out of his child star days, but…seeing him as an adult is slightly uncomfortable.

Should you see it? Yeah, if you’re not a square.

Buffalo ’66

Buffalo ’66, 1998
dir. Vincent Gallo
3.5/5

Sometimes, I can’t really say why I like a particular movie. There are many films that I will watch, feel indifferent about, but end up keeping it or rewatching it. Buffalo ’66 had that effect on me. As I watched it, the kidnap/love/crime story was interesting and funny, but I never felt engrossed or on the edge of my seat. Yet, I still kept it. Go figure.

Favorite thing: The chemistry between Billy (Vincent Gallo) and Layla (Christina Ricci). Layla falling in love with her own kidnapper was very bittersweet, an adjective I’d use to describe their entire relationship until the very end of the film.

Worst thing: Maybe it was just me, but I always felt like Billy was going to die at any second. I think it was just me.

Should you watch it? I feel like this film may bore some people. It’s another one where if you think you might enjoy it, try it.

Right Now

Right Now, 2004
(À tout de suite)
Benoît Jacquot

For a while, I took advantage of the Netflix-like feature offered on Mubi – it was cheaper, and I felt I had a better selection of indie and foreign film. Right Now is one of the gems I watched, and a few months after discontinuing my payments, I was lucky enough to find it for $7 at Disc Replay.

What I liked about this film was its portrayal of young love in a more honest light. Typically in cinema, you see young people fall in love and endure hardships, but then life goes on or the relationship works out. And sometimes that happens in real life, but sometimes we get caught up in our emotions and feelings and get carried away with what we’re doing. Right Now not only features that faux honeymoon stage, but the surreal downfall that may sometimes follow it.

Favorite thing: The use of black and white instead of color. A movie like this should remain modest and focused on feeling and emotion. I think if it were in color, it may have come off as a glamorous escape.

Worst thing: **SPOILER** I do wish Bada, the lover, somehow ran into Lili, the girl, after he abandoned her so abruptly.

Should you watch it? I think it’s a good film, but I don’t know if it’s everybody’s cup of tea. The plot is wonderful, but I wouldn’t call it exciting. I also know that for some reason, black and white films just turn some people off. If you think you might like it, try it.