As we head into June and the year’s midway point looms (I know, how did that happen?), my mind inevitably goes into cinematic stocktaking mode, reflecting on what 2009 has had to offer thus far — and at this stage, the reflections aren’t too pretty.
In any given year, I usually like to earmark at least one title as the best of the first six months, if only to set the minimum standard for the year’s busier latter half. 2009 has yet to present such a standout to me, which gives me precisely one month to fall in love with something, the way I had with “In Bruges” or “Happy-Go-Lucky” by this time last year.
If I lived across the ocean, however, this issue would have been solved already. Playing by the rules of U.S. release dates, Olivier Assayas’ “Summer Hours” would easily be my film of 2009 so far — a woozy, wistful comedy of filial disconnect that seems to have found a deserved following in the American critical community. (Rather more so than it did here, in fact.)
The problem? Well, I already fell hard for Assayas’ gem last summer, upon its July 2008 release in the UK — and consequently already included it in my own “best of ’08” round-up, sandwiched between such compatriots as “A Christmas Tale” and “The Class.” It may be a wonderful film, but asking it to fill two years in my cinematic diary is just greedy.
Still, I felt compelled to mention it today for a couple of reasons, and not just because the luscious weather we Londoners have been enjoying of late made me receptive to the sun-dappled delights of Assayas’ very seasonal film. Rewatching “Summer Hours” on DVD a few days ago proved an extremely rewarding exercise: all the pleasures I had initially found in the film reappeared in far sharper focus, from the precise sensual textures of Eric Gautier’s lensing to the minute expressive shifts of Juliette Binoche’s atypically nervy performance.
A spare, classically designed story of three siblings dividing their mother’s estate, the film marks a major departure from the flashier, more concept-heavy narratives for which Assayas (“Demonlover,” “Les destinées sentimentales”) is known.
On a first viewing, I was perhaps too thrown by this change in register to note all the subtler details of its construction. A second viewing confirmed my suspicion that it is the director’s best film to date — and might have retrospectively snuck from the ‘honorable mentions’ category into my 2008 Top 10. (As if my take on that year wasn’t Franco-flavored enough.)
Having been released Stateside a fortnight ago, the film is still relatively new to American audiences, even if it isn’t to me. Speaking as a viewer with the rare luxury of hindsight, I urge you to see it for the sake of your own mid-year lists. Mine, meanwhile, still awaits something of a similar caliber.
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10 responses to “‘Summer’ loving”
I saw Summer Hours last weekend and it is right at the top of my 2009 list. I also love Everlasting Moments. Both of these are from IFC (as is the wonderul Lemon Tree) who, along with Sony Pictures Classics and a few other distributors are making it possible for us to still see great foreign language films in the US>
Hey guys, how are things going? Just checking up from the beautiful city of Valparaiso. Good to hear that Pixar is still batting 1000 with Up.
Any of you seen Antichrist yet?
***reflecting on what 2009 has had to offer thus far — and at this stage, the reflections aren’t too pretty.***
I hear this every single year. Literally.
“Adventureland,” “Star Trek,” and “Up” provide more than worthy candidates.
I too saw 2009’s best film so far in 2008 and that is Sugar. But other calendar releases I can get excited about so far include Medicine for Melancholy, Adventureland and In a Dream.
“Samson and Delilah”.
Unfortunately, ‘Summer Hours’ hasn’t made its way over to Toronto (except for at TIFF, where I stupidly missed it), but if I was forced to make a top ten at this juncture in time it would look like this:
1. Hunger* (A-)
2. Three Monkeys (A-)
3. Up (A-)
4. Two Lovers (B+)
5. I Love You, Man (B+)
6. Afternoon (B+)
7. Gomorrah (B+)
8. Jerichow (B+)
9. Sin Nombre (B)
10. Tulpan (B)
*Released here in March.
I was actually disappointed with a lot of the films last year. This year is a major improvement IMHO
Sugar
Two Lovers
Coraline
Drag Me To Hell
Up
Are all worthy of a look.
“Sugar” was a 2008 film for me too. Otherwise it’d be a no-brainer.
I actually meant to restrict my Best of 2008 list to Stateside releases (or at least films with qualifying runs) that year for the sake of parity, which is why “Sugar” isn’t on it. I didn’t realise then that “Summer Hours” was still awaiting release.
And Speaking English: You may hear this every year, but I specifically said that I normally have at least one pet film by this point, while this year I don’t really. And “Star Trek” and “Adventureland” aren’t special enough for me to hold that place in my affections. “Up” I have yet to see.
Chad: I’m really looking forward to checking out “Medicine for Melancholy.”
Guy – Have you seen The Hurt Locker or Bronson yet? They haven’t been released yet, but will be out later this summer here, and are currently my two favorite movies of the year.
I have seen “Bronson.” Good film, but I don’t quite love it.
I’ll be seeing “The Hurt Locker” at Edinburgh before June is out, so I’m pinning a lot of hopes on that.