The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland List: Bonjour to French Cinema

How often do you sit there thinking about what to watch? You might have an endless watchlist that keeps piling up (I certainly have one myself). Sometimes you are just in the mood for a type of film or a certain filmmaker or actor and want to take yourself into a deep dive. As someone who watches so many movies, I have people asking me for recommendations all the time. One of the best feelings as a cinephile is recommending a film and that person loves it. Take this wealth of cinematic knowledge and experience and enjoy some recommendations on me. Genre. Subgenre. Filmmaker. Actor. Composer. Writer. Genre. Story. Trope. Cliché. Any other cinematic elements or them. Here is The Wasteland List:   

Bonjour to French Cinema

A Trip to the Moon (1902)

What is the most famous film at the dawn of the cinema? Georges Melies was the magician of cinema and his film A Trip to the Moon (inspired by another great French artist, Jules Verne) made people see what cinema could do. The iconic imagery has lived on for over 120 years including the face of “The Man in the Moon”. This science fiction film takes its scientist (and the audience) to a bizarro world filled with lizard people on the moon with buckets of creativity, special effects, and practical design. This is certainly a short film by today’s standards, but it is a wondrous experience that must be had.  

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)              

Who is one of the most significant figures in the history of France? Jeanne d’Arc. This young woman would probably be viewed differently today but in her time, she had a hotline straight to God. This influential figure was put on brutal trial and that is what is one display in the iconic silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc. The intense close-ups and dynamic filmmaking of Carl Theodor Dreyer makes this a striking cinematic experience that is hard to believe it came out in the 1920s. But it is the towering performance of Renee Jeanne Falconetti as Jeanne d’Arc that makes this film so iconic. Expressive, emotional, and powerful. This is a truly incredible performance.

The Grand Illusion (1937)

Who doesn’t love a prison break? You love them even more when they are portrayed with unmatched filmmaking and drenched in rich themes. That is the truth with The Grand Illusion that tells the tale of French officers who are now German POWs. There are rich themes about the evils of war as well as societal and class struggles that manifest even in such a unique and unexpected situation. Director Jean Renoir is one of THE filmmakers in French Cinema and he shows off why with this smart, funny, moving, and meaningful war film that has stood the test of time.

The Rules of the Game (1939)

Did you know Renoir also knew about high end French society too? The Rules of the Game explores class issues yet again which quickly shows itself as a key theme for Renoir’s works. This tells the tale of rich French folks at the start of WWII and the looming specter of war on the horizon. This wild ensemble of characters offers up so many interesting and complex characters. There are plenty of romantic tensions and conflicts along with a heightening conflict between those enjoying this mansion and those working at it. This film is hilarious but doesn’t shy away from darker and more violent elements in the end as well.

Diabolique (1955)

We need a little dash of horror and thrills on this list, don’t we? Diabolique is a twisted and eerie tale that is full of thrills and horror potential. One of the scariest sequences in cinema (involving a skeleton and a bathtub) lives within the story structure of this elegantly made and high-tension cinematic experience. There is betrayal, mystery, and tension in this school tale about a love triangle and conflict. A pair of strong female leads and plenty of harrowing and intense direction from Henri-Georges Clouzot makes this a classic of the horror genre that will still shock you all these decades later.

The 400 Blows (1959)

What is one of the most classic and relatable genres of all? The coming-of-age story. The 400 Blows features one of the most iconic and moving stories of youth ever put on screen. This young man (Antoine portrayed by the talented and authentic Jean-Pierre Leaud) is quite the rambunctious child who has no real guidance in his life and gets himself into plenty of trouble. One of France’s greatest filmmakers Francois Truffaut channels the French New Wave movements and its aesthetic into this moving and compelling drama. Gorgeous filmmaking and memorable characters make this such a compelling and moving experience.

Jules and Jim (1962)

Nothing says “French romance” like a toxic love triangle, right? That is true about one of the most iconic and key entries in the French New Wave movement, Jules and Jim. Truffaut leaves angsty youth behind and instead explores love through a complex web of connection and dependance. Fiery and depressing rolled into one romance (in the best French way possible), this story focuses on Catherine, an impulsive and beautiful woman, who draws in both Jules (an introverted Austrian author) and Jim (an exuberant Frenchman). In the days leading up to WWI, life seems so peaceful and banal but there is a darkest underneath and Truffaut explores that in this tragic romance.

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)

Who is the most influential woman in the history of French cinema? Agnes Varda. This woman has crafted some of the most engaging, iconic, and influential films in French cinema while crafting a legacy that any female filmmaker can aspire to have. With a film like Cleo from 5 to 7, she accepts the challenge of a time limited narrative and a hyper-realistic experience. This is a tale of a woman who has bad news looming over her over the course of two hours one fateful evening. Adorable cats, tarot cards, and human connections are sprinkled throughout the wandering tale through Paris. Corinne Marchand is gorgeous, alluring, and charming as she anchoring this film down with the sheer force of her charisma. Introspective and thought-provoking, Varda makes so much out of such a loose narrative.

Amelie (2001)

Who doesn’t love a quirky romance with a quirky girl to fall in love with? Jean-Pierre Jeunet takes his strange sensibilities (which were honed on Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children) but channels them into a beautiful and wild romance. The bold colors, uncomfortable close-ups, and surreal trappings make Amelie a romance unlike any other. There are shockingly dark threads weaved in perfectly to this charming and romantic comedy. Audrey Tautou leads the way crafting such a unique and alluring leading lady that is hard not to love. The rest of this interesting cast makes for a compelling ensemble that tie this offbeat narrative together.         

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

What is fierier and more intense than some forbidden love? Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a gorgeous film about gorgeous women who develop a gorgeous connection. But this romantic drama boasts incredibly sharp filmmaking and a wholly engrossing atmosphere (in no small thanks to director Celine Sciamma. The dynamic duo of Noemie Marlant and Adele Haenel boasts poignant and palpable chemistry together as they guide the audience to their side of this conflict. The sharp writing and twists and turns make this such a passionate, lustful, and fiery cinematic experience that could have easily been an Oscar winning film.