Frames and Fools: Film, Filmmakers, and Foolishness

This week we discuss ‘Beau Travail’ (1999), directed by Claire Denis. It’s a gorgeous and spare story set in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa and follows a group of men in the French Foreign Legion, one of whom becomes gripped by jealousy and wields his power to disastrous results.

This week’s movie isn’t a film noir...it’s a pinot noir. ‘Sideways’ (2004) follows two friends on a trip to California’s central coast in search of wine, good times, and one last fling before Jack’s wedding. Jack is the has-been actor whose electric smile is a few watts dimmer than years past, while Miles is the wine aficionado and the sad one. He can’t find a publisher for his book, but that’s something to worry about after the wine country adventure of a lifetime. Right now he’s got to worry about Jack doing something regrettable and about how he’s going to impress Maya, the wine aficionado love interest. It’s early 2000’s buddy comedy with a vin twist and, yes, there is male nudity. Grab the corkscrew for this screwy romp about friendship, depression, and merlot.

What if keeping your blood alcohol content at .05% made your life better? ‘Another Round’ (2020) follows four friends testing that hypothesis...to wildly varying effect. This Danish export starring Mads Mikkelsen (of Hannibal, Dr. Strange, and Casino Royale fame) is, by turns, hilarious, tearjerking, and uplifting. It defies expectations and lives up to all of them simultaneously, telling a story of drinking in one of the countries that does it best. Or most. A mix of both, it’s safe to say. The movie is bookended by glimpses of student revelry—the graduating class at the school our four heroes work and teach at—and it’s with much revel and relish that we get to watch the wheels come off in glorious fashion. You’ll learn a little, think a little, and drink a lot. Join us for another round. 

Who is ‘The Illusionist’ (2010)? Is he a magician, bringing small miracles to life for the entertainment of a willing audience?  Is he an old man, watching the world pass him by? Is he the guilt of an artist who put their craft before all else? In this case, anyway, he is not Edward Norton, Christian Bale, or Hugh Jackman. He is Jacques Tati, Monsieur Hulot himself, a character playing a character across a watercolor Europe. Created from Tati’s previously unproduced script, ‘The Illusionist’ is a beautiful and melancholy tale about time, growing up, and the relevance of rabbits. The story behind the story is a sad one, a tale of regret and pain. From that place came the inspiration for an exquisitely rendered journey from Paris to Scotland. Edinburgh has never looked more lovely and wistful. We continued our Tati twofer to see if his unmistakably visual humor translated into another medium as well as we expected. Did the creative minds behind ‘The Triplettes of Belleville’ (2003) pull it off? Tune in and see.

It’s ‘Playtime’ (1967). We went classic this week with the intriguing and influential Jacques Tati. He was a master of physical comedy, starting off as a mime on the European vaudeville circuit before moving into film, where his instincts served him well. Famously not a fan of closeups, Tati worked in wide—letting the legs and body do the work instead of the eyes. His Monsieur Hulot character (a predecessor to Mr. Bean and Monty Python) was a man watching the progress of modern society, present to observe the absurdities of humanity no matter the setting. ‘Playtime’ is widely regarded as Tati’s opus and is certainly his most ambitious film, with massive sets and a huge cast, all individually choreographed for maximum gags in the final half. It’s not always laugh-out-loud funny, but there are layers of intention and wit in every frame. Have fun realizing how many filmmakers and comedians Tati has inspired over the years as you watch this unusual story unfold in a Paris that never was.

“Most happiness comes from like, dumb things.” One of the best things about movies is how varied they can be. It’s all moving lights and synchronized sound but there’s no end to the stories you can tell of the things you can portray. This week we talked about ‘Kajillionaire’ (2020), a curious and funny film written and directed by Miranda July. The story follows Old Dolio, a 26 year old kid raised to be a petty thief and professional opportunist by her seriously paranoid parents. Their paths cross with a woman named Melanie, whose entry into their lives (and their ridiculous schemes) marks a turn for the better, the worst, and the strange. It’s an odd film that requires some trust in order to fully be enjoyed, but it’s well worth the watch. The small cast puts in a mesmerizing performance, and several sequences will stick pleasantly in your brain for days after viewing. It’s the big one!

Sailing for adventure, we went to ‘Muppet Treasure Island’ (1996) this week! It’s a wild and dangerous place filled with all manner of well-crafted sets, fun musical numbers, and a healthy amount of Tim Curry. All your favorite Muppets are here, the main character’s Mullet is here, and all is right with the world; we love this goofy world where anything can happen and physical comedy is the name of the game. This was the fifth Muppet movie, following the still ridiculously funny ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992), which we contend may just be the best adaptation of Dicken’s Yuletide tale. Both are a hard-to-beat recipe of ‘familiar story meets zany antics’ that breathes new life and good gags into beloved tales you wouldn’t have pictured as starring frogs, bear, pigs, and gonzos. I’m sure we found a few things to critique, but strap in for a Chris Farley episode cuz we love this shit. You could say this movie cured our cabin fever and set us adrift on an ocean of laughter. We really do treasure a good slapstick voyage, it can really bury your sorrows and raise the mainsail of your spirits. Alright, enough of this. Ahoy!

Again Tyler joins us to finish talking about ‘Wildlife’ (2018), a quietly wild movie about humans being quietly wild. The film explores the idea that we don’t stop being individuals when we get married and our needs don’t disappear just because we have children, but that, uh oh, those children have got some individual needs themselves. How do we make it work? Who knows! We watch the story unfold through Joe’s eyes—he’s the young son with seemingly limitless patience for his parent’s struggles—and learn along with him that people are much more complicated than the roles they’re made to squeeze into. Tyler’s real smart and we had a great time diving deep into not only the filmmaking but also the ~themes~ of this quiet and wild directorial debut. Let’s fly with the geese, shall we?

This week our buddy Tyler is back to discuss ‘Wildlife’ (2018), Paul Dano’s directorial debut. It’s a lush, restrained look at family and what holds it together, centered around a couple and their son who have recently been uprooted to Montana, where a raging wildfire looms on the horizon. Their lives as a unit and as individuals become more complicated when Jerry (played by Jake Gyllenhal) decides to sign onto the dangerous job of fighting the fire, taking him away from his family for months at a time. His decision causes Jean (played by Carey Mulligan) and Joe (played by Ed Oxenbould) to shift in their familial roles, taking care of one another as something else looms on the horizon: doubt. It’s a film full of noteworthy performances directed by a noteworthy actor and it gave us a lot to think about. Enjoy part one, look forward to part two. We had a lot to say, what can we say? We’ll head home when the first snow appears.

This is part 2 of our Twilight Saga (2008-2012) mega episode! Check out the first part or just jump right into the thick of it. Come along with us and our good friend Kate (resident Twilight scholar) as we search for truth, meaning, and a good answer to the eternal question: how did they manage to make a series centered around Bella into a sexy grudge match between two gorgeous and moody dudes? We talked at length about the first Twilight movie in Episode 8 and went even further behind the scenes in our first bonus episode, but now we’re tackling the whole damn bunch. It doesn’t get more sparkly than this. Punch off a vampire head in Episode 39 Part 2.