The Filmic 5: J'adore Paris Edition
Your Weekly Film Superlatives By Critic and Film Scholar Jack Hanley
I. Film I Am Loving This Week
Anyone that knows me long enough knows that I will EVENTUALLY corner them at a party to tipsily profess my love of the French New Wave. (I devote a rather large segment of my film appreciation course HOW TO WATCH A MOVIE to its impact on cinema). But does it still matter? I would argue that the French New Wave STILL matters because it detonated the myth of cinematic objectivity, replacing it with a self-reflexive, auteur-driven language that insisted cinema could be RADICAL- and provocatively bold enough to be as fragmented, personal, and political as the post-modern world it sought to capture.
In a twist worthy of divine cinematic irony, I—a rather longstanding and loud skeptic of director Richard Linklater’s more indulgent tendencies—received some well-earned comeuppance with NOUVELLE VAGUE, a film seemingly engineered in a lab specifically for me.
Linklater lovingly folds his favorite subgenre- the “hangout movie”- into the modern biopic with disarming charm and surprising success, employing casual drift and character banter to illuminate the messy birth of a vital movement via a look into the 20 day shoot behind BREATHLESS. BIG UPS for the anti-hagiography here: this is a Godard origin story thankfully stripped of all the auteur mythos, portrayed not as the aloof genius atop the cinephile pedestal but mostly as a pompous, unknown critic—amusing, swaggering, delightfully insufferable, sure—who initially fails to win the trust of a cast and crew that only later realize their participation in a cinematic revolution.
The Andersonesque cameos from essentially every French New Wave titan serve as both cinephile catnip for the devoted (myself included) AND a lovingly curated syllabus for anyone ready to indulge in the canon of this vital New Wave. Simply a charming visual love letter to a city, an auteur, and perhaps on of our most important movements. Goddamit, Richard...you got me.
Streaming now on Netflix.
II. Memories Moving Me This Week
I was reminded via Facebook Memories this week of recent travels to my "second home" and most beloved city in the world. There is NOWHERE in the world like Paris- especially for a cinephile. The above photo captures the crowds for a late-night screening of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD at one of my favorite left-bank cinemas: the Filmothèque du Quartier Latin.
Be it catching a midnight screening of DOG DAY AFTERNOON at the Écoles Cinema Club or just wandering around my beloved JM Video (one of Paris’ last two DVD rental shops), there is simply no better place to indulge in your love of the medium than in the city of its birth. Imagine how delighted I was to see that director Guillermo del Toro recently got to experience it too. Enjoy his recommendations and ready your passport now.
III. Criterion Curation I Am Exploring This Week
Via our friends at Criterion:
"In his new film NOUVELLE VAGUE, Richard Linklater recreates the artistic adventure that gave rise to one of the most radical and influential films of all time: Jean-Luc Godard’s BREATHLESS (1960). On our streaming service, the Criterion Channel, watch Linklater introduce Godard's foundational classic, a risk-taking work of personal expression that dared to reinvent film language. Then immerse yourself in more French New Wave favorites like THE 400 BLOWS, CLÉO FROM 5 TO 7, HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR, and many others now streaming! Start watching now!"
criterionchannel.com/french-new-wave
IV. New Project I'm Excited About This Week
In addition to my film podcast BLINDSPOTTING: A FILM DISCOVERY PODCAST (co-hosted with Scott Aigner and produced by Shay Wescott), I also go down the rabbit-holes of conspiracy with dear friend and frequent collaborator Bryan Bonner for our project THEY DID IT: A CONSPIRACY PODCAST- your official source for a rationalist and academic take on conspiracies, bizarre beliefs, and the unexplained.
As two hosts who also happen to love cinema, we are excited to announce the launch of our special THEY DID IT: FILM CLUB series where we deconstruct conspiratorial themes in some of our favorite films. We are launching our first mini-edition with BUGONIA - the recent absurdist black comedy directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, in which "two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she's an alien who wants to destroy Earth."
We hope you will watch this brilliant film and join us for a lively discussion in the upcoming weeks! Playing in theaters now. Please like an follow both podcasts on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite pods.
V. Cinephile Gift Idea I Recommend This Week
I am often asked for recommendations for the serious film lover, and with the holiday season fast approaching, I will be recommending gift ideas for the like-minded cinéaste in YOUR life! This week's recommendation: The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki: The Influences and Inspiration Behind the Iconic Films (Hardcover)
"For those who love Studio Ghibli movies, the legendary Hayao Miyazaki is a master of his craft. Fans will be able to learn about the rich mix of cultural, historical and artistic influences that shape Miyazaki's storytelling. Furthermore, as the synopsis notes, "From Japanese folklore and childhood memories to architecture, classic cinema, literature and political commentary, it reveals how Miyazaki's deeply personal vision creates layered worlds that somehow feel both fantastical and grounded in truth."
Look for this lovely tome at your local bookseller!
Jack Hanley is a film scholar, podcaster, and critic based in Boulder, CO. He is a programmer with the Chicago Underground Film Festival, Slamdance's Indies Awards, and the Boulder International Film Festival. He is one-half of Blindspotting: A Film Discovery Podcast and the founder of the Reel Horrors Short Film Festival. Find him at Kinophilia on Medium and at HanleyOnFilm.com