100 Films -- Days 17 and 18

Time for some European classics. On Sunday we watched The Bicycle Thief and tonight's movie was Breathless. These critically acclaimed films are milestones in cinema; the former the epitome of Italian Neorealism, the latter the beginning of the French New Wave.

I really liked both of these films. They are very European. Breathless is the sort of thing that I would think of if someone said the phrase "French film". They are very much of their time and place, yet also timeless and profound. Here I'm thinking particularly of Thief -- it doesn't conclude the way you would expect. Much like real life it just continues on. This is not a modern Hollywood movie where you know how it will turn out before the last reel. But that is OK, and there is a message there for those who look for it.

I'm very glad I finally got to see these movies, and both are highly recommended.

Still one day behind on viewings. I'll have to catch up this weekend.