Friday, August 2, 2013

Four-Sentence MIFF Reviews #7-8: Le Jolie Mai, Mistaken For Strangers

Le Jolie Mai (Chris Marker)

In 1962 Chris Marker interviewed ordinary Parisians on how they felt about their lives, politics, happiness, and the answer to "What are you going to do with that tube?"
A fascinating and often very funny insight into a huge variety of lives (and the wry, pointed attitude of the director himself) that sustains interest for all of its nearly-2.5-hours.
Marred by a curiously jarring, artsy fartsy English voiceover that could well double as pseudo-philosophical satire.
Possibly the best film you will ever see involving a Parisian cat modelling a series of handmade hats.



Mistaken For Strangers (Tom Berninger)

The National go on tour and take frontman Matt's doofus brother Tom along with them to help out as a roadie.
As Tom films his experiences with the band, it becomes obvious that this is really a film about the relationship between the two brothers: their frustrations, competition, and genuinely touching love for each other.
Tom is as close as I've seen to a real life Jack Black, by turns hilariously incompetent, eccentric, and exuberant.
As an interviewer his skills remain suspect: "When you guys go on stage, do you like, take your wallets with you?....That's really weird."

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