Finally, the first of many French Fridays! Hope you enjoy :)
Here is the photo of the light. I thought it was really cool :)
Caitlin
Friday 30 September 2011
French Friday #1
Finally, the first of many French Fridays! Hope you enjoy :)
Here is the photo of the light. I thought it was really cool :)
Saturday 24 September 2011
Film Review #7- Amélie
An old film, for a change. I've already seen this one, I guess most people will have. If you haven't, watch it. It is sensational. It's funny, clever, well-made and just the cutest and most uplifting film ever!
"Amélie", directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, is a comedy film, I suppose. It begins with a narrator who announces the small events that happened at the exact time that Amélie was conceived. It's a strange opening, but it's nice, and I like the narrator as well because it makes the film even more unique.
Essentially, the film is about Amélie falling in love with Nino, a collector of discarded photo booth photos. It doesn't happen conventionally, in fact he doesn't know who she is until the end.
However, it's also about Amélie anonymously helping people- she sets up two people at the café where she works, fashions a fake letter in order to convince her landlady that her late husband really did love her (a few similarities to Beautiful Lies, perhaps?), and also teachers a mean shopkeeper a lesson.
There's also a mystery in the film, just to add another genre to it. In Nino's album of discarded photos, the same man appears twelve times. Amélie believes he's a ghost- a man scared of being forgotten (which, it turns out, is not the case). When we do find out the identity of the mysterious man, it's a bit of an anticlimax, I think. In some ways, though, it kind of makes the film better, and more like real life.
The way this is filmed is just amazing. It has an almost nostalgic feel to it, and it's so bright, you could almost imagine it as a children's film. The way that film and photos are used in the movie are also very clever; in one instance, Amélie imagines watching a documentary about her own death on TV, explaining how she died of exhaustion, trying to help as many people as she could. At another point, Nino is in bed, when one of his photos talks to him, and tells him about Amélie.
The characters in the film are all really unique, like everything else in this film. Every major character is introduced by the narrator: "This is... He/she likes... He/she doesn't like...". For example, Amélie's father dislikes peeing next to someone else and clingy wet swimming trunks, and likes emptying his tool box, cleaning it out, and putting everything back. There's also "The Glass Man" who was born with bones as brittle as glass, and who spends his life in his flat replicating Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party". However, my favourite character has to be Amélie. My parents say I'm a bit like her, so maybe that's why.
Overall, I think Amélie is truly inspiring. It's one of those rare films you get every now and again which are so beautiful and uplifting, and put your faith back in life when you think you no longer have any.
So, it's my first (for a film, anyway)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (and it more than deserves it)
Caitlin
Essentially, the film is about Amélie falling in love with Nino, a collector of discarded photo booth photos. It doesn't happen conventionally, in fact he doesn't know who she is until the end.
However, it's also about Amélie anonymously helping people- she sets up two people at the café where she works, fashions a fake letter in order to convince her landlady that her late husband really did love her (a few similarities to Beautiful Lies, perhaps?), and also teachers a mean shopkeeper a lesson.
There's also a mystery in the film, just to add another genre to it. In Nino's album of discarded photos, the same man appears twelve times. Amélie believes he's a ghost- a man scared of being forgotten (which, it turns out, is not the case). When we do find out the identity of the mysterious man, it's a bit of an anticlimax, I think. In some ways, though, it kind of makes the film better, and more like real life.
The way this is filmed is just amazing. It has an almost nostalgic feel to it, and it's so bright, you could almost imagine it as a children's film. The way that film and photos are used in the movie are also very clever; in one instance, Amélie imagines watching a documentary about her own death on TV, explaining how she died of exhaustion, trying to help as many people as she could. At another point, Nino is in bed, when one of his photos talks to him, and tells him about Amélie.
 |
| Luncheon of the Boating Party- Renoir |
Overall, I think Amélie is truly inspiring. It's one of those rare films you get every now and again which are so beautiful and uplifting, and put your faith back in life when you think you no longer have any.
So, it's my first (for a film, anyway)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (and it more than deserves it)
Caitlin
French Friday Delay
Bad news
I decided that French Friday would be in a casual video format, so I recorded it on my webcam and decided that I would put it up today.
However, my computer has gone a bit weird and basically, it's deleted all the stuff I recorded. Hopefully, I'll have this fixed by next week and French Friday will begin properly.
Anyway, I've just watched Amélie, so I'm going to write a film review in a second. Come back in about half an hour and it should be finished :)
Caitlin
I decided that French Friday would be in a casual video format, so I recorded it on my webcam and decided that I would put it up today.
However, my computer has gone a bit weird and basically, it's deleted all the stuff I recorded. Hopefully, I'll have this fixed by next week and French Friday will begin properly.
Anyway, I've just watched Amélie, so I'm going to write a film review in a second. Come back in about half an hour and it should be finished :)
Caitlin
Friday 23 September 2011
Friday, Friday
I've made an important decision. Year 13 is manic, and I'm struggling to find time to update my blog. So, as I do nothing on Friday evenings, Friday is going to be my update day. I'm trying to think of a cool name for it, but so far have no ideas. Maybe "French Friday"? Sounds a bit like French fries, really.
So I'm going to be saving up everything I have done French-wise each week for Friday (unless maybe film reviews) when I'll write about them all.
So that was just a quick little update. I'll see you tonight for French Friday number 1! ;)
Caitlin
So I'm going to be saving up everything I have done French-wise each week for Friday (unless maybe film reviews) when I'll write about them all.
So that was just a quick little update. I'll see you tonight for French Friday number 1! ;)
Caitlin
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Comment C'est Fait...?
Listening to French regularly really improves your ability to speak the language. This is one of the many reasons why I watch as many French films as I can. But I also thoroughly enjoy "Comment c'est fait". Ok, so it's not French culture- it's English, dubbed in French, but I thought I'd put a few links up because it really does help, and it's really easy to understand without subtitles in my opinion.
That's just a few. But if you type in "Comment c'est fait" into Youtube, loads come up, or go to this website, listentofrench.org. They usually have quite a few on here, plus loads of other short 5 minute clips of TV shows, the news and other stuff like that. It's actually quite interesting as well.
Caitlin
That's just a few. But if you type in "Comment c'est fait" into Youtube, loads come up, or go to this website, listentofrench.org. They usually have quite a few on here, plus loads of other short 5 minute clips of TV shows, the news and other stuff like that. It's actually quite interesting as well.
Caitlin
Film Review #6- Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec
Goodness, it's been a while. I do apologise, but the start of year 13 has been rather hectic. Never mind, I'm back with a new film review, so never fear!
Yesterday was the first Monday of the course "French Cinema Now" which me and my mum are doing over the next 9 (I think?) weeks. It includes two film screenings, and the first was yesterday.
"Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec", directed by Luc Besson, is an adventure film, which tells the tale of Adèle Blanc-Sec, who is basically a female early twentieth century Indiana Jones. Before I begin, the first thing I need to say to you is: do not take this film seriously. There is no way on earth that this can be compared to French films such as "Amélie" or "Jean de Florette", but why would you? You wouldn't compare a modern, teenage film like "Twilight" to an old classic like "Casablanca" because they're so different, and they're meant to be different. This film is a "Twilight" kind of film- it's fun and exciting, but doesn't mean an awful lot.
(If you thought that I was kidding before, look to your left and you will see a picture of Adèle Blanc-Sec riding a pterodactyl.)
This film is set in 1911, mainly in Paris. Adèle, a beautiful young author, is on a mission to find Ancient Egypt's greatest doctor, in order to bring him back to life with the help of her scientist friend, Espérandieu. This is all in the hope of saving her sister, who is barely alive after a rather gruesome tennis accident involving a hatpin through her skull. However, things don't quite go to plan when Adèle returns to Paris with the mummified doctor and discovers that Espérandieu has been sentenced to death after bringing to life a real, 135 million- year-old pterodactyl.
I found the combination of a historical setting and fantasy and adventure genres rather interesting, but slightly odd. In a strange way, however, it worked... I'm not sure why though, because looking back on it, I have a feeling that it shouldn't have worked. Having said that, the mummies may have taken it a step too far (especially as the CGI wasn't the greatest).
One thing I found interesting when I picked up the notes on the film afterwards was that it was adapted from a comic book by Jacques Tardi. It sounds like an excellent Christmas present idea, if you ask me!
Go and see it if you're a fan of adventure films and Indiana Jones, though. It was enjoyable. And perhaps there was a hint of a sequel at the end? If so, I will most definitely be going to watch that.
Caitlin
Yesterday was the first Monday of the course "French Cinema Now" which me and my mum are doing over the next 9 (I think?) weeks. It includes two film screenings, and the first was yesterday.
"Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec", directed by Luc Besson, is an adventure film, which tells the tale of Adèle Blanc-Sec, who is basically a female early twentieth century Indiana Jones. Before I begin, the first thing I need to say to you is: do not take this film seriously. There is no way on earth that this can be compared to French films such as "Amélie" or "Jean de Florette", but why would you? You wouldn't compare a modern, teenage film like "Twilight" to an old classic like "Casablanca" because they're so different, and they're meant to be different. This film is a "Twilight" kind of film- it's fun and exciting, but doesn't mean an awful lot.
This film is set in 1911, mainly in Paris. Adèle, a beautiful young author, is on a mission to find Ancient Egypt's greatest doctor, in order to bring him back to life with the help of her scientist friend, Espérandieu. This is all in the hope of saving her sister, who is barely alive after a rather gruesome tennis accident involving a hatpin through her skull. However, things don't quite go to plan when Adèle returns to Paris with the mummified doctor and discovers that Espérandieu has been sentenced to death after bringing to life a real, 135 million- year-old pterodactyl.
I found the combination of a historical setting and fantasy and adventure genres rather interesting, but slightly odd. In a strange way, however, it worked... I'm not sure why though, because looking back on it, I have a feeling that it shouldn't have worked. Having said that, the mummies may have taken it a step too far (especially as the CGI wasn't the greatest).
The film reminded me of the book series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket. I thought it was almost Gothic, especially the scene in which the tennis accident is shown, and just the idea of an old ornate hatpin embedded in someone's skull, and I've always thought that "A Series of Unfortunate Events" has elements of the Gothic style in it.
One thing I found interesting when I picked up the notes on the film afterwards was that it was adapted from a comic book by Jacques Tardi. It sounds like an excellent Christmas present idea, if you ask me!
As far as star ratings are concerned, I can't decide. I'd personally give this one:
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
But that's because of how much I enjoyed it. The actual quality of the film would be worth about
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Go and see it if you're a fan of adventure films and Indiana Jones, though. It was enjoyable. And perhaps there was a hint of a sequel at the end? If so, I will most definitely be going to watch that.
Caitlin
Friday 2 September 2011
French Essay Blues
As much as I love French, essays will always be a bit of a drag. Especially when you have no idea what to write. I do have an unopened packet of Percy Pigs sitting next to me, so that's lifting my spirits a little.
The essay's about how Meursault changes throughout the course of L'étranger, and to tell you the truth, I can't think of much. I'm trying to think outside the box (that always seems to help with "unobvious" essays).
Anyway, that's all I really have to say. The video camera is still confusing me so the video may still be a while. And I also wanted to say that I probably won't be doing a book review for L'étranger seeing as I'm studying it next year, so I'll probably be posting a lot about it anyway (if I do, it'll be quite a short one). If I have an epiphany with my essay, I might post again today. If not, it'll probably be Sunday when you'll hear from me again.
It seems like I haven't been doing very much recently, but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to post anything!
Caitlin
P.S. For some reason, I'm not allowed an apostrophe in my post labels. So, I've had to write "L étranger". This is not some horrendous grammatical error, simply blogger being silly.
The essay's about how Meursault changes throughout the course of L'étranger, and to tell you the truth, I can't think of much. I'm trying to think outside the box (that always seems to help with "unobvious" essays).
Anyway, that's all I really have to say. The video camera is still confusing me so the video may still be a while. And I also wanted to say that I probably won't be doing a book review for L'étranger seeing as I'm studying it next year, so I'll probably be posting a lot about it anyway (if I do, it'll be quite a short one). If I have an epiphany with my essay, I might post again today. If not, it'll probably be Sunday when you'll hear from me again.
It seems like I haven't been doing very much recently, but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to post anything!
Caitlin
P.S. For some reason, I'm not allowed an apostrophe in my post labels. So, I've had to write "L étranger". This is not some horrendous grammatical error, simply blogger being silly.
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