Tweedpipe

As an avid cinema-goer here, I occasionally comment when I see an exceptional French film. And here are two which imho merit to be shared with others, both currently playing at your local cinemas.

L'Ecole Buissonnièr. This was a film that captured my attention from the moment I first saw the trailer. It tells the story of a young orphan boy who begins to learn about life by growing up in a forest and learning all it's secrets from a gamekeeper & poacher. There`s a heavy secret about the domain he's been brought to, and for good reason.......
A good underlining story and excellent outdoor nature filming, with another great role for Francois Cluzet. Not to be missed.

And - completely different, another film I'd been awaiting the release of, Au Revoir La Haut.
Nov 1919, two survivors from the trenches, one a genius draftsman, the other a modest accountant, decide to mount a scam to the war memorials. France in the Roaring Twenties, dangerous, weird and spectacular.
In it's weirdness this film reminded me of Delicatesen and The City of Lost Children, both films that I've watched & re-watched on dvd with pleasure.

bhamham

My wife came home last night raving about how much she liked 'Au Revoir La Haut'. I wished that I had gone too, but will see it later.

Have you seen 'Otez-moi d’un doute'? This quirky gem is delightful. About a bomb disposal expert in Brittany coming to terms with his 'true' parentage, and that of his pregnant daughter, while his romantic interest may be an incestuous affair!

'Just to Be Sure' ('Otez-moi d’un doute'): Film Review | Cannes 2017 | Hollywood Reporter

Tweedpipe

Hi,
Yes, we saw Otez-moi d’un doute as it's a film that Mme TP particularly wanted to see. Not exactly my cup of tea, but can understand why it pleased the critics at Cannes. Not only that but Cécil de France was in it - so that was ok with me!

For others that may be interested and haven't already seen it, HERE's the trailer for Au Revoir La Haut. Horrifying opening scenes in the trenches, followed by excellent scenario and musical sound track.

I remember well the first time I went to a cinema in France. Easy Rider had just been released (no, not the silent version.......), and due to the hype I particularly wanted to see it. Trouble was, at the time my French was just about limited to ordering a sandwich and a Ricard, and the film wasn't in VO, neither was it dubbed.
To say I came out of that cinema with my head pounding would be a slight exaggeration, but needless to say it was a fascinating experience and I learnt a lot. It also motivated me to start watching the French tv news regularly, and that same year I went to see another blockbuster, may have been the Wild Bunch or Women In Love, I can't remember which. Women in love must have certainly motivated me even further, but that's another story.........

Garble

Intouchables The Intouchables (2011) - IMDb

Les choristes The Chorus (2004) - IMDb

Tweedpipe

Yes, watched these in-cinema when they first came out. Both excellent.
I believe The Untouchables is on record as being one of the highest grossing French films ever (and well deserved), running alongside Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis. Didn't see the latter as I'm not a great fan of Danny Boon - he's certainly talented, but can only take him in small doses. Imho Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis was no match for Le Diner de Cons, another exceedingly popular French comedy film which I frequently re-watch on dvd.
Last night on France 2 we watched a re-run of Les Femmes du 6e étage, another delightful French film, where Fabrice Luchini excelled. Suggest it be watched in VO, as the Spanish ladies - and especially Luchini - would loose a lot in a dubbed version.

uk_grenada

Romauld & Juliet - very cute love story

Menage - hilarious - the very concept of gerard depardu as a homosexual cat burglar..

Ménage (1986) - IMDb

http://www.hds.to/films/romuald-et-j...-streaming.php

FabRe

A lot of good suggestions! Less recent but film with the actor Louis de Funès are very famous and some are very good like "La folie des grandeurs", enjoy!

south_bound

I went to watch Au Revoir La Haut with my wife on the weekend, but she got the time wrong from the programme and we ended up with Epouse moi mon pote - lets just say I feel cheated. As our town's cinema is a single screen and try to run as many films as possible, they are each only on for a few showings so I will have to wait until available elsewhere to see the right one!

dmu

Have to agree - that, and "La Grande Vadrouille" and "Le Corniaud". We watch them again and again whenever they're shown on the TV.

Tweedpipe

With one of the 'giants' of French cinema such as Louis de Funès it's difficult to know which to recommend first. My top 4 would be:
i) The French comedy par excellence! With the marvellous Bourvil.
ii) Another great comedy duo with Bourvil.

Le Corniaud

iii) And the presence of Colouche greatly adds to the interest)
iv) And for it's zanyness, soundtrack and Jacques Villeret as the totally unbelievable alien


Enjoy.

And then there's that other 'giant' of French cinema Jean Gabin, which almost merits another thread.......

DMU's comment beat me to it!

scrubbedexpat095

Here are a few of my favourites...

8 Femmes
Au Revoir les enfants
Garde a Vue
J'ai toujours reve d'etre un Gangster
Je detest les enfants des Autres
Le Diner de Cons
La nuit Americaine
Le Placard

dmu

While we're on the subject of "giants", let's not forget Lino Ventura, esp. in "Le Clan des Siliciens" with Gabin (and Delon), and "L'Emmerdeur", with Jacques Brel who could act as well as sing.

DandNHill

Talking about Jacques Brel, how about “les risques du metier”? And if you want something silly try “la soupe au choux “
Then you have all the movies that the US stole and pretended were their idea- Le retours de Martin Guerre ( Somersby), Les Visiteurs (Just visiting) for example...

Charentebound

For off-the-wall comedy (with a touch of cannibalism), spectaculary good photography and inspired performances by Luchini, Binoche et al, I've never seen anything quite like Ma Loute (Slack Bay). It's a bizarre gem from Bruno Dumont.

Tweedpipe

Agreed. Both excellent films.