Author Topic: French Film Recommendations  (Read 7226 times)

Mrs Pingu

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French Film Recommendations
« on: 01 December, 2009, 09:02:07 pm »
I was thinking of buying a couple of DVD's to watch on our 31st Dec soiree, fancied some French film but don't want anything too heavy. I like off the wall stuff too....
French films I've liked so far are:

Delicatessen
Love Me If You Dare
Belleville Rendevous
Amelie

Any recommendations?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #1 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:14:54 pm »
Les Visiteurs - a time travel comedy.
Crustaces et Coquillages - a lovely witty film about a family on holiday in the South of France.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

clarion

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #2 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:15:10 pm »
Most of the ones I like are  a bit 'heavy'

But there's:

Subway
Diva
and another one I really enjoyed but can't remember the name of.  It might come to me... :-[
Getting there...

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #3 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:16:36 pm »
Les Tontons Flingueurs -- a great classic with superb dialogues.
Frenchie - Train à Grande Vitesse

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #4 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:22:47 pm »
La Reine Margot - Historical drama about a famous massacre in 16th Century France. Beautifully shot and it has Isabelle Adjani in it !
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Tourist Tony

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #5 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:34:51 pm »
La Gloire de mon Pere
Le Chateau de ma Mere
L'Ete Meurtrier (Valiant has my copy at the moment)
L'Homme du Train
Diner de Cons
Le Bossu
Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources
La Haine

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #6 on: 01 December, 2009, 09:41:06 pm »
I'd've thought La Haine might not come into the category of 'not too heavy' ;D
Getting there...

Flying_Monkey

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #7 on: 01 December, 2009, 10:01:34 pm »
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (it was shown in the UK as Welcome to the Sticks) is a great laugh...

In the thought-provoking, emotional but not too heavy (!) category, I would recommend:

L'Homme du Train - two superb performances
Confidences Trop Intimes (Intimate Strangers) - sexy, sophisticated, surprising drama
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've loved you so long) - a careful, well observed emotional study with an absolutely brilliant central role by Kristin Scott-Thomas
La touneuse de pages (The Page-Turner) - kind of a classic revenge drama

For an Amelie-style fix:
Faubourg 36 (AKA Paris 36) - great feel-good 1930s Paris-set musical drama with its heart and its politics on its sleave
Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement) - just because it's the same team, but it's far sadder and darker.

rogerzilla

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #8 on: 01 December, 2009, 10:08:01 pm »
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #9 on: 01 December, 2009, 10:12:35 pm »
City of Lost Children... same gang as Amelie and Delicatessen

Diner des Cons is a good laugh

Les Visiteurs is not.

Any of the Pagnol films TT mentions.

Nikita... blooody amazing, but a bit harsh.

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #10 on: 01 December, 2009, 10:50:47 pm »
36 , a good flic flick. Kind of a French version of Heat / LA Takedown.

La Reine Margot has already been mentioned and is excellent.   Le Hussard Sur Le Toit has Juliet Binoche for Pingu, Olivier Martinez for Mrs Pingu and scads of gorgeous scenery that will have you planning a bike tour :-)
Not fast & rarely furious

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #11 on: 01 December, 2009, 10:53:37 pm »
I'd've thought La Haine might not come into the category of 'not too heavy' ;D

Well worth watching indeed.
Frenchie - Train à Grande Vitesse

αdαmsκι

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #12 on: 02 December, 2009, 12:16:47 am »
For an Amelie-style fix:
...
Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement) - just because it's the same team, but it's far sadder and darker.
I saw this at a pre-release screening at the cinema and then spent the next few weeks telling people to go and see it. I thought it was fabulous, in parts very sad and in others light-hearted, tragic, romantic. Great acting from Audrey Tautou and lovely settings too - each time I watch the film I have a desire to head off to Brittany. It's well worth seeing. I've bought this twice one DVD (one copy got lost) and normally I only buy DVDs if they're too cheap to refuse or it's something I'll watch again and again. Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles falls into the latter group.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

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Jaded

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #13 on: 02 December, 2009, 12:22:04 am »
Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources

These two, for me.
It is simpler than it looks.

Basil

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #14 on: 02 December, 2009, 12:26:45 am »
Light?
La Grande Bouffe

V light?
I cant believe no one has mentioned "Les Vacances de M. Hulot"
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #15 on: 02 December, 2009, 12:26:58 am »
...fancied some French film but don't want anything too heavy.

So not Irreversible then?

Rapples

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #16 on: 02 December, 2009, 06:00:30 am »
Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources

These two, for me.

Maybe a bit heavy, but........

If I ruled the world, these 2 films would be compulsory viewing  :thumbsup:

I don't believe anyone has mentioned his one though

Mon meilleur ami (2006/I)

Very watchable, funny, but with a nice story

Rapples

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #17 on: 02 December, 2009, 06:13:31 am »
Le Hussard Sur Le Toit has Juliet Binoche for Pingu, Olivier Martinez for Mrs Pingu and scads of gorgeous scenery that will have you planning a bike tour :-)

(click to show/hide)

Rig of Jarkness

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #18 on: 02 December, 2009, 07:07:32 am »
Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources

These two, for me.

Maybe a bit heavy, but........

If I ruled the world, these 2 films would be compulsory viewing  :thumbsup:

+1 !

Aero but not dynamic

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #19 on: 02 December, 2009, 07:08:40 am »
La Grande Vadrouille with Bourvil - certainly not heavy
Les Amants Du Pont Neuf with Juliette Binoche - heavier - in fact quite heavy

nicknack

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #20 on: 02 December, 2009, 08:27:43 am »
Does "Last Year in Marienbad" count as heavy?

I liked it anyway. If that's any help. You probably have to be stoned though.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Panoramix

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Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #21 on: 02 December, 2009, 08:40:19 am »

Les Visiteurs is not.


Unless you had contacts with the French aristocracy!!!
Chief cat entertainer.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #22 on: 02 December, 2009, 10:01:31 am »
...fancied some French film but don't want anything too heavy.

So not Irreversible then?
Nor Baise-Moi, either, I guess, or The Mechanic.
Getting there...

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #23 on: 02 December, 2009, 10:08:54 am »
Anyone mentioned "The Piano Teacher" with Isabelle Huppert yet ? A little disturbing but good.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: French Film Recommendations
« Reply #24 on: 02 December, 2009, 10:51:12 am »
Le Bossu is great

also try

Colonel Chabert

A very long engagement  - possibly my favourite film ever.
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