The Man Without A Past

[Gold Trumpet]

What part of this movie had it winning the second most awards a few years back at Cannes? I may have missed something, but this movie was a sub par affair the whole way through. Though the movie is simplistic and tells a simplistic story, it just seemed to have nothing really at all to say or even show. The first half was dragged down by small moments of this guy settling into this new town in literally the most minor and interesting of ways and then when a story starts to pick up, it only feels like a let down because it showed nothing unique or really interesting. At best, I was reminded of other better movies; the best being the early Milos Forman comedies.  I gave it a shot and had hopes, but the film was just an act of marginal interest and seemed to have any understanding that so many better films came before it in such manners and it should some way try to stand out. This is a movie that makes part of me think the foreign and even local indepedent scene is being headed by a lot of bullshit filmmakers and enthusiasts.

~rougerum

[Ghostboy]

It had a quaint sort of charm to it, but overall, I agree. I almost fell asleep during the first act...things slowly started to pick up, and then it ended. It ended in the right place, and I'm not saying I would have asked for anything more from the film, but there seemed to be a lot more hype for it than it could live up to. It seemed to be going for a feel along the likes of the Tati films (which I've noticed I've referenced constantly since I first saw them last year), but it was just a little TOO understated.

The music was great, though.

[godardian]

It seemed to be going for a feel along the likes of the Tati films (which I've noticed I've referenced constantly since I first saw them last year)

Speaking of which, did you think the strangely framed shots of the cars on their way into the city for work towards the beginning of Mon Oncle brought directly to mind very similar shots in Taxi Driver? Am I the only one? Am I just reaching and making stuff up?

[Ghostboy]

I didn't think of that -- I need to see that one and Playtime again, but they went out of print right when I was about to buy them! I only have M. Hulot's holiday. I saw Mon Oncle while I was in LA, but I didn't have the cash for the sixty dollar price tag (which is still cheaper than what I've seen it go for on eBay).

EDIT: Spurred by this post, I went to Ebay and found several used copies of the out of print Criterion discs for only thirty or forty bucks. But it's two full weeks till I get paid again! Arrrrgh.

[pete]

that's strange.  I thought the film was really funny.  it was so deadpan, but the dialogues were very sharp.  the shittalking exchange between the two guys when he's renting the trailer is brilliant.  the use of old timey rock is perfect.  there are so many great moments in there.  I really love that shot when they first kissed, just a normal two-shot, but then the frame remains still until the girl raises her hand into the corner shot--their expressions are still the same but you know the girl is now kissing him back because of that hand.  that is pretty minimalist.
I like it the same reason I like wes anderson films.  how they convey so much emotion with so much deadpan humor.