I've been feeling pessimistic about things recently, so I'm happy to share 3 good French(ish) things I discovered recently.
1) Le premier jour du reste de ta vie
This is a movie from 2008 I watched this weekend, and I really enjoyed it. The film presents 5 important days over a 15+ year period that were pivotal for a family of 5. The ups and downs of family life and the difficulties of growing up as well as the beauty of life are presented tenderly without any of the Hollywood cutesy. The ending is typically French, but I highly recommend this movie.
2) Bioseptyl abonnement
About a year and a half ago we saw the documentary Made in France, which follows a journalist who tries to consume only products made in France for one year. One of the products he investigates is toothbrushes, and he interviews the people working at Bioseptyl, which is the only remaining toothbrush factory in France. After seeing the documentary B and I were motivated to switch from grocery store brand made-in-china toothbrushes to French ones, but they only seem to be available in Auchan in the Toulouse area (and we have to make a special trip to Auchan). This meant I was really happy to discover that they now offer an "abonnement" where you can receive toothbrushes in the mail at 1, 2, or 3 month intervals.
3) Presque Normal
We have a net-top computer hooked up to our TV which allows us to surf the net on our TV, or more specifically watch YouTube. Saturday night's entertainment was Presque Normal, a short comedy series similar in format to Un Gars et Une Fille or Kamelott. The show is about the "adventures" of a comedian from Quebec who lives in Belgium. Each 5 minute episode ends with part of his stand-up routine similar to Seinfeld. The first episode is maybe the least funny, but stick with it because it's worth it to watch all 15. The Quebec accent mixed with Belgium phrases like "nonante-neuf pourcent" is to die for, and the jokes about relationships and becoming an adult are really funny.
2 comments:
I will look up that first movie, as I'm always on the lookout for good French films. Although you've got me wondering about the typical French ending, ha ha... I hope that doesn't mean it's sad.
@I Say Oui The ending isn't sad, it's just not exactly a conclusion to the story. French movies often leave you hanging, without a neat "they-lived-happily-ever-after". Le Goût des Autres is a good example: the movie ends but the story is no where near finished.
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