The Man Who Fell to Earth – 6.6 – Directed by Nicolas Roeg

This film falls under the cult classic tag. It is a well-made meditative film that has a few plot issues but it provides an interesting view of how we treat people that are different from us. I cannot, willfully, recommend this to everyone as it can be slow at times and occasionally uncomfortable. If that is not a bother for you it is a very well made, and beautiful, film.

Blind Chance – 7.6 – Directed by Krysztof Kieslowski

Blind Chance is a movie that happens at you; whenever you start to feel comfortable with how everything is going and who everyone is it will quickly change up on you twisting your feelings for the main character. The base idea is about different outcomes from a single moment in someone’s life. This is a very, very good film that I think that everyone needs to witness and this is not an uncommon feeling given the director being Kieslowski who seemed to create only the highest quality films.

A Propos de Nice – 6.0 – Directed by Jean Vigo

I finally had a change to watch the remaining films by French anarchist Jean Vigo, which came in a set with L’Atalante. Each gives a slightly different idea of who the man is or could have been. A Propos de Nice is a short documentary showing the difference in life between the classes in Nice, France in the early 30’s. It is a well show film that it worth the short running time.

Jean Taris, Swimming Champion – 5.6 – Directed by Jean Vigo

Taris is not for many people. It is a film that was brilliantly shot, but it is also a nine-minute film about learning how to swim. Take it for what it is worth.

Zero de Conduite – 5.9 – Directed by Jean Vigo

In contrast of Taris and A Propos de Nice, Zero de Conduite tells a narrative story mirroring Vigo’s experiences in boarding school. Truffault says that The 400 Blows would probably not exist as it does without Zero which should probably be a more than sufficient reason to watch it.

The Blood of a Poet – 6.5 – Directed by Jean Cocteau

I am very pleased to finally be able to watch The Orphic Trilogy. Director Jean Cocteau is an artist on every level, novelist, poet, and painter as well as filmmaker and this shows clearly throughout these three films. The Blood of a Poet is the most arthouse of the three and shows Cocteau flexing all of his artistic muscles to learn what he can of the art. It doesn’t leave you with much aside of a moving painting of his impressions of the Orpheus mythology.

Orpheus – 6.5 – Directed by Jean Cocteau

If you have to chose between Orpheus or The Blood of a Poet then you should choose Orpheus. The two are very similar in story about Orpheus has more of a standard narrative tone and was produced twenty years later after Cocteau has more experience in the craft. Functionally they are similar, but structurally you know more of what to expect.

Testament of Orpheus – 6.9 – Directed by Jean Cocteau

Similar to Blood of a Poet the final film of the Orphic Trilogy is a beautiful art film that will bend your understanding of time. There are a few times when I couldn’t tell of the movie was coming or going throughout. I feel that Testament is the strongest of the trilogy that is really worth your time of you are interested in arthouse films.

The Hundred-Foot Journey – 6.5 – Directed by Lasse Hallstrom

The Hundred-Foot Journey is one of my favorite modern family films. It has very strong acting and presentation with some very gorgeous shots of rural France that I have seen in a while. I can confidently recommend this to everyone who likes comedy/drama films.