Quick, First-Impression Movie Reviews

1. Marie Antoinette: I watched it last week, and had very few expectations, because all the reviews I'd heard were negative. A CBC radio reviewer complained that it needed "more story." But I didn't expect it to have a lot of story. I assumed that the story of Antoinette and Louis XVI and the French Revolution would be in there, but that it would be quiet and minimalist, like Lost in Translation. And would focus on troubled and young girls, like The Virgin Suicides. And therefore I was thrilled. I loved exactly what Sofia Coppola did. I loved the blend of historical detail with an attempt to connect emotionally, even anachronistically. And Jason Schwartzman was perfect. (I'm glad that I went with a fellow European cultural historian, and that we went on a quiet evening and drank tea during it. And then, afterward, we talked film theory and compared the female characters in Sofia Coppola's films.)

2. Stranger Than Fiction: I just got back. I'm still stunned. I will own this movie when it comes out on DVD. When I left the theatre, the only word that I could use to describe it was "delightful," and now that I've discussed it with both Chris and our friend Kat, I will add in both the words "clever" and "beautiful." And fun, for those who have taken more Creative Writing courses than necessary, as I have. I'm still processing it.