Showing posts with label French. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French. Show all posts

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Justice Served By The Underdogs


Amelie and The City of Lost Children belong to those films that, although, you find strange when you sit through it for the very first time, they stay with you forever. I find the director (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) to be Europe's answer to David Lynch - only a tad heavier on the regressive images and lighter on the subconscious horrors. So when he had another film out, I was not going to miss it. And, once more, I was glad I did. MicMacs (Micmacs à tire-larigot, as is the original title) is a sleeper gem of a film.

A bunch of eccentrics (each with his or hers own quirky character and unusual personal history) come together by life's caprice and end up undertaking an impossible task: try to take down the two largest arms manufacturers in the country. Ingenious ideas, impossible retro gadgets (handmade from salvaged materials), and an unwavering sense of justice. No sacrifice is too big if it means making the villains pay for their crimes.

The colors are soft and comforting; the imagery is mesmerizing; the music will take you back to a more naive age; and the story will make you laugh, cry and laugh again. All in all, great entertainment!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Of All Things French...


When I was a kid I had to learn French. As far as languages go, it is not bad at all. Once you get over all that grammar, that is! That is why, at that age I found only two things making it bearable: the adventures of Asterix and Kickers shoes.

These Kicker's low boots (or high-tops, if you prefer) are the essence of simplified elegance. They are sturdy yet light, durable yet fast to acquire their own character. The leather will scuff but it will resist serious damage.

You too will appreciate the stitched-on crepe sole (insulating as well as resistant to both slips and squicks), the metal eyelets and the ample room for your toes.

These were the Doc Martins of my generation.