Post by dex on Jun 18, 2009 12:17:08 GMT -5
I once mentioned a fabulous little movie theater where I saw Sky Captain. I think it was on that evening that the previous show was running late and the ticket girl suggested I catch the last ten minutes of that film to pass the time. I thanked her, slipped in, and returned to the lobby three minutes later. Politely hiding my bleeding eyes and ears, I merely explained to her I'd rather wait in the lobby after all.
“I don't get it,” she said, “Why doesn't anybody want to see this movie?”
‘Because it's an abomination?!’ I managed to bite my tongue and took a positive approach. Turns out she had no idea it was a remake of Luc Besson's 1998 movie, so I pontificated for a bit (Wolowitz' Suave Handbook, chapter 3). And now it's your turn to listen to me.
If you're in a hurry, just decide by these keywords if Taxi is for you: silly car chases, general silliness, beautiful women, relentless mocking of the police force (and immigrants) and ... car chases. But it's not as quotidian as it sounds. Because it's European. Ahhh! Better yet: French. Oh la la! A guy actually says this in the movie: “Oh la la!” and it doesn't come over as silly, or pretentious, like when I use it. No, it's real. The flair is always easy, the humor often witty, the plot sometimes absurd. I feel the French like a certain simplistic, playful, nearly childlike aspect in their entertainment and humor that I would usually reject as bland and slightly cringeworthy, but that I find charming and insouciant when they pull it off.
Just yesterday, Daniel (Are you in the right mood? Did you pronounce the name in French? Go back, say it! ... Completely different feeling, innit?), the fastest scooter pilot in and of Marseille, quit his pizza delivery job to fulfill his dream: to drive his own pimped out cab. (The only cool French automobile besides Columbo's.) Supposedly the rush of the moment also encouraged the decision to take his two year platonic relationship with beautiful and witty Lilly (you might know Marion Cotillard from the recent Edith Piaf biopic or from Big Fish) to the next level. But before they can do that, unfortunately the movie begins and the script employs coitus interruptus as a running gag. Those poor kids!
Daniel shows off his insane driving ... no, racing ... no, low flying abilities to Émilien at the worst possible moment, namely after this – in all regards clumsy – police officer has flunked his driving exam for the eighth time. (“What was it this time?” – “The butcher's, so that it isn't always bakeries.”) Émilien blackmails him into helping chase the Mercedes Gang, crazy evil Germans (How original. No, I'm not being sarcastic! See, they are not Nazis!), who rob a series of local banks with great impunity – read: they tell the police where they'll hit next. To understand Émilien's motivation: cherchez la femme! Consistent in his lack of success both at his job and in courting his boss Petra, a competent, no-nonsense, long-legged blonde (think Seven of Nine), he sorely needs an accomplishment to impress her. Hijinks ensue.
Hijnks, mind you, not plot. Who needs that?
Everyone is on the brink of being a caricature, but at least Daniel, Émilien and Lilly avoid crossing that line. While pure aesthetic reasons would suffice to be happy when the latter is on screen, I also appreciate the buddies' reluctant friendship.
The other characters are fleshed out as far as they are relevant: The chief of police shows the cluelessness and grandiose folly of a Pointy-Haired Boss without the malice, Émilien's mother is a dear old, but not weak, lady. None but the most throwaway characters, like the bad guys, are interchangeable. This being more of a buddy than an action comedy, the perps are MacGuffins incarnate.
There are parallels between the movie's chaotic neutral attitude and both the real life of one of the actors and recent years' riots in France, true. But the movie itself is not aware of these connections, so they should not spoil our fun.
This is the perfect middle ground comedy. You need to be in the right mood and/or slightly buzzed to enjoy American Pie. You need to be in the right mood to enjoy Sideways (and will want to get buzzed afterwards). Taxi will work every time you're up for some laughs.
Rather than praise Taxi with more feeble prose, I finish with a quote.
Sidling by, Lilly pecks Daniel on the mouth.
“Excuse me, Lilly, but did you just kiss me ... or did your mouth slip? Not that I'd mind – I'd just like to know how you meant it.”
She kisses him more elaborately.
“Do you know it now?”
“Yeah ... yeah! If that had been another slip-up, that'd make you pretty clumsy.”
If you've just laughed and have fallen for Lilly, I've made my point, so go rent it. If not, I've made the point that you need to see it in order to get it. Obey the infallible argument! And don't miss tomorrow's show, when I'm talking investment opportunities.
The sequel? Has ninjas. 'Nuff said.
P.S.: Émilien's actor's last name, Diefenthal, naturally reminds me of Diefenbaker. It's been ages since I've seen that show! Anybody else remember Due South?
“I don't get it,” she said, “Why doesn't anybody want to see this movie?”
‘Because it's an abomination?!’ I managed to bite my tongue and took a positive approach. Turns out she had no idea it was a remake of Luc Besson's 1998 movie, so I pontificated for a bit (Wolowitz' Suave Handbook, chapter 3). And now it's your turn to listen to me.
If you're in a hurry, just decide by these keywords if Taxi is for you: silly car chases, general silliness, beautiful women, relentless mocking of the police force (and immigrants) and ... car chases. But it's not as quotidian as it sounds. Because it's European. Ahhh! Better yet: French. Oh la la! A guy actually says this in the movie: “Oh la la!” and it doesn't come over as silly, or pretentious, like when I use it. No, it's real. The flair is always easy, the humor often witty, the plot sometimes absurd. I feel the French like a certain simplistic, playful, nearly childlike aspect in their entertainment and humor that I would usually reject as bland and slightly cringeworthy, but that I find charming and insouciant when they pull it off.
Just yesterday, Daniel (Are you in the right mood? Did you pronounce the name in French? Go back, say it! ... Completely different feeling, innit?), the fastest scooter pilot in and of Marseille, quit his pizza delivery job to fulfill his dream: to drive his own pimped out cab. (The only cool French automobile besides Columbo's.) Supposedly the rush of the moment also encouraged the decision to take his two year platonic relationship with beautiful and witty Lilly (you might know Marion Cotillard from the recent Edith Piaf biopic or from Big Fish) to the next level. But before they can do that, unfortunately the movie begins and the script employs coitus interruptus as a running gag. Those poor kids!
Daniel shows off his insane driving ... no, racing ... no, low flying abilities to Émilien at the worst possible moment, namely after this – in all regards clumsy – police officer has flunked his driving exam for the eighth time. (“What was it this time?” – “The butcher's, so that it isn't always bakeries.”) Émilien blackmails him into helping chase the Mercedes Gang, crazy evil Germans (How original. No, I'm not being sarcastic! See, they are not Nazis!), who rob a series of local banks with great impunity – read: they tell the police where they'll hit next. To understand Émilien's motivation: cherchez la femme! Consistent in his lack of success both at his job and in courting his boss Petra, a competent, no-nonsense, long-legged blonde (think Seven of Nine), he sorely needs an accomplishment to impress her. Hijinks ensue.
Hijnks, mind you, not plot. Who needs that?
Everyone is on the brink of being a caricature, but at least Daniel, Émilien and Lilly avoid crossing that line. While pure aesthetic reasons would suffice to be happy when the latter is on screen, I also appreciate the buddies' reluctant friendship.
The other characters are fleshed out as far as they are relevant: The chief of police shows the cluelessness and grandiose folly of a Pointy-Haired Boss without the malice, Émilien's mother is a dear old, but not weak, lady. None but the most throwaway characters, like the bad guys, are interchangeable. This being more of a buddy than an action comedy, the perps are MacGuffins incarnate.
There are parallels between the movie's chaotic neutral attitude and both the real life of one of the actors and recent years' riots in France, true. But the movie itself is not aware of these connections, so they should not spoil our fun.
This is the perfect middle ground comedy. You need to be in the right mood and/or slightly buzzed to enjoy American Pie. You need to be in the right mood to enjoy Sideways (and will want to get buzzed afterwards). Taxi will work every time you're up for some laughs.
Rather than praise Taxi with more feeble prose, I finish with a quote.
Sidling by, Lilly pecks Daniel on the mouth.
“Excuse me, Lilly, but did you just kiss me ... or did your mouth slip? Not that I'd mind – I'd just like to know how you meant it.”
She kisses him more elaborately.
“Do you know it now?”
“Yeah ... yeah! If that had been another slip-up, that'd make you pretty clumsy.”
If you've just laughed and have fallen for Lilly, I've made my point, so go rent it. If not, I've made the point that you need to see it in order to get it. Obey the infallible argument! And don't miss tomorrow's show, when I'm talking investment opportunities.
The sequel? Has ninjas. 'Nuff said.
P.S.: Émilien's actor's last name, Diefenthal, naturally reminds me of Diefenbaker. It's been ages since I've seen that show! Anybody else remember Due South?