Recently, I've been renting movies from the library. I got "Jules et Jim" (1962), a French New Wave film by Francois Truffaut. It stars the incomparable Jeanne Moreau as Catherine. The film exemplifies the goals of the New Wave movement, namely that they do away with techniques of "classical" film. The directors, therefore, often take risks in new and innovative ways of lighting, holding the camera, and in cinematography. Along with film, they also incorporate news reel, animation, fast forwarding, and other types of media. Their films often feel rushed or hyper-realistic. Jules et Jim was engaging, and although it was long before our time, the film still feels fresh; it's easy to see why it was so influential, especially in the time when films like "Bonnie and Clyde" were waiting to kick down the doors of old Hollywood. The concept of the film, the idea that 2 men could easily love and live with one woman, was also controversial for its time; you could say they were the original "menage a trois". The character of Catherine was also controversial: for a woman to live, say, and act the way she wanted, without a care for consequence, feelings, or even within the norms of predictability was simply unheard of. And as the film spirals from the ideal friendship and romance of three's company to the haunting ending, it's also sad and devastating. It's a long film, but it rushes past like a tornado. Current films like "Amelie" pay homage to this one, everything from the fast, objective narrative and odd script, to even refrencing one famous scene with the bug in the background (Amelie likes to pick out odd things in movies that no one else notices). 4 out 5 ****

Finally, I'm not going to jump the gun, but I am nearing number 2 on my list, getting a car! I will fill in the details tomorrow...