1. Le Best of French Cinema
This article was originally published on the Acclaro blog.
Category: Culture
It’s summertime. That means happy-go-lucky, action-
packed, bigger-than-life Hollywood films. If you’re
looking for something different and a way to practice
another language (or get good at reading
subtitles), regardez(watch) these films in French,
among my favorites of le cinéma français. They take
you away from the special effects and saccharine
happy endings that riddle summer blockbusters, and
invite some depth and beauty into the summer.
"Le grand bleu" (The Big Blue) 1988
You’ll never stare out into the ocean again and not think of this film. Two boyhood friends
compete with one another for the world free-diving championship. Stars Jean Reno, Jean-Marc
Barr and Rosanna Arquette and directed by Luc Besson (also known for "La femme Nikita",
another great French film). An extremely poignant, often funny and unforgettable film, despite
the dated 80s synthesizer music.
"Le goût des autres" (The Taste of Others) 2000
Directed by Agnès Jaoui, this movie creeps up on you. Wham, at the end you’re floored by its
subtlety and truthfulness. An unappealing man falls for his charming, popular female opposite,
yet the tables imperceptivity turn by the film's end. A movie about human nature and the
whims of attraction.
"A bout de souffle" (Breathless) 1960
You can watch the suave, chain-smoking Jean-Paul Belmondo all day and never tire of his
smirks and swagger. He’s perfect as a petty criminal who has to hide out with his American
girlfriend, played by pixie Jean Seberg. The plot, however, is beside the point. What makes the
film iconic and so watchable is its movement and self-assuredness. The director Jean-Luc
Godard changed all the rules with this one. After the film debuted, cinema was never the same
again. As for the American remake starring Richard Gere, forget it.
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2. "Trop belle pour toi" (Too Beautiful for You) 1989
How do you make the trite, overdone story of a rich man’s love affair with a secretary fresh
again? You have the oafish yet charming Gerald Depardieu play the husband and the beyond
gorgeous Carole Bouquet play the wife. You weave in lots of Shubert along with the giggles of
the secretary, played by Josiane Balasko, and voilà, a smart film about what men may really
want – perhaps a little substance over beauty. Directed and written by the proliferate Bertrand
Blier.
J'adore these other films as well: the French Canadian film "Jésus de Montréal" (Jesus of
Montreal), "Trois coleurs: Bleu" (Three Colors: Blue), "Trois coleurs: rouge" (Three Colors:
Red), "De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté" (The Beat That My Heart Skipped), "Entre les murs"
(The Class), and nearly any movie with French film legend Catherine Deneuve, including
"Indochine" (Indochina).
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