What I've Been Watching #7

HATESHIP LOVESHIP (2013) » I'd never thought I could see Guy Pearce, Nick Nolte, Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Jason Leigh in the same film but well, it happened. Awkward and adorable, this is a nice so-called indie gem - a slow paced story about love, loss, grief, recovery and eventually, hope. You know the drill, ordinary people and modern world problems. 

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014) » This one is beyond brilliant! Not only it struck me as one of the most visually pleasing movies I've ever watched but also made me feel nostalgic in a bittersweet way, given its dramatically dreamy tone set in 1930s Europe. Phenomenal characters, eye-candy cinematography, a lovely storyline loaded with wit and an absurd sense of humour... Not to mention the stellar cast. How wonderful! It's sad. It's funny. It's quirky. It's Wes Anderson.

TOMBOY (2011) » Zoé Héran 10-year-old Laure, who pretends to be a boy (Mikhael) as she moves into a new neighbourhood. The film follows Laure's struggle to experience life as a transgender, hiding the truth from her friends. I think many people (parents and kids) should watch this coming-of-age French film, in order to understand a bit more about gender identity, social interaction, and the innocence present in every childhood, instead of hiding behind their own taboos.

GUINEVERE (1999) » Believe it or not, I loved this film. I know, it's full of clichés and it's not exactly a masterpiece... Harper (Sarah Polley) is a mousy young woman living in San Francisco, who turns down a Harvard degree for an older man, this Irish bohemian photographer named Connie Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea) who takes advantage of how impressionable she is. She becomes his pupil, protege and lover... Oh, and ego-feeder, of course. They embark on a free spirited lifestyle which obviously will end in tears, given the fact he's a self-destructive alcoholic sharing his dingy apartment with a vulnerable girl who's not sure if the experience of a lifetime means salvation or downfall.

NORA (2000) » Here's an incredibly underrated film with an insightful directing and ravishing acting. Ewan McGregor sings, Susan Lynch steals the show and the photography itself is reminiscent of an impressionist painting. Even if James Joyce isn't your cup of tea, his passion for Nora Barnacle has to be! She was his wild muse - just read his smutty letters to her. Their journey from Dublin to Trieste triggers inspiration in Joyce and also jealousy, resulting into an emotional chaos. Instead of focusing on the writer's mind and work, the film explores his intense love story with Nora loaded with steamy sexual content and emotional tension. The early 20th century costumes are to die for, I loved Nora's hats and dresses. In a nutshell, I loved it.

MARIE KRØYER (2012) » Another dramatic and fascinating biopic, this one about the Krøyers, insanely beautiful Marie and the famous Danish painter P.S. Krøyer. Directed by Bille August, this film narrates the marriage and adultery of Marie, Kroyer's manic depression and treatment attempts and the tragic consequences awaiting both. A tale of love, scandal and insanity, with a slight Anna Karenina vibe, featuring breathtaking Scandinavian scenery that made me google "copenhagen stockholm ryanair" right after watching this period drama.