10/20/2003 Entry: "Some cool foreign films..."
I do like non-US films other than anime and kung-fu flicks. Two have recently caught my attention. Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, which was released in the US as just "Amalie." It's a French film about a very shy and unfortunate girl who comes out of her shell and starts to meet people by doing good deeds that changes everybody's lives. I could really relate to this film, because it's sweet, slightly tragic, and reminded me of my own life at one time. The director is very good at painting portraits of characters and making them seem very real. This film moved me in ways I cannot describe, but I loved it. I will never look at photo booths the same way again. Fucking Åmål, or "Show Me Love," in the US. It's a Swedish film about a shy girl and a bully who both realize they hate their small town, and end up sort of falling in love. This film is almost like a documentary in its feel, and is a bit like reality TV, but is still fiction. What started out as a joke accusing the shy girl of being a lesbian ends up confusing the bully who kind of liked kissing her. She's forced to rethink her own life in the small town, and how small-minded her friends are, especially her boyfriend. It ends with making chocolate milk. How bad can that be?
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