Be Kind Rewind (Michel Gondry, 2008)

I've always admired Michel Gondry's childlike sense of imagination and wonder. The Science of Sleep's dream/fantasy sequences were the best part of that wonderful movie; stepping into Stephane's mind was clearly stepping into Gondry's, and it was wonderful what you found there. Be Kind Rewind takes all of the wonderful, sweet aspects of Gondry's filmmaking and distills them into the real world. Mos Def plays Mike, who works at Mr. Fletcher's (Danny Glover) Be Kind Rewind video store -- "1 Video, 1 Night, 1 Dollar, Every Night." Jerry (Jack Black, in surprisingly non-annoying mode) is Mike's best friend who accidentally becomes magnetized after trying to sabotage the power plant he thinks is controlling his mind. His newfound magnetization erases all the tapes in Be Kind Rewind's all-VHS stock, so when customers come in asking for movies, they decide to remake them themselves. That's a plot that could get old quickly, but Black and especially Mos Def are so darn likeable that it doesn't. They remake Ghostbusters first, then Robocop, The Lion King, Rush Hour 2, and more. It's knee-slappingly hilarious at times, and sweetly touching at others. The Onion's AV Club described it as completely apolitical, but I think that it's subersively, personally political in its message that your own entertainment and happiness should come from yourself, not what you have or can get. Plus, there's that stuff about the New Jersey town the video store is in kicking the black-owned store out to the projects, but it's not made an issue. The AV Club also described Mos Def as Danny Glover's son in everything but name, and once I thought about it, I realized it's definitely true -- both men are incredibly talented in both comedy and drama and are so darn likeable. Be Kind Rewind is a great, sweet movie about the importance of creativity and friendship. It's nothing earth-moving, but there's no better time at the movie theater right now. 8.5/10

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Science of Sleep (Michel Gondry, 2006)

Since I am a huge Gael Garcia Bernal fan, and quite dug Eternal Sunshine, I have been looking forward to Science of Sleep for a long time. I was not disappointed. I would say that Science is better than Eternal Sunshine, more thoughtful, sadder, and says more about the nature of love and human friendship than his other movies have. Since everyone has something to say about this movie (and I want to hear what you have to say!), I'll make my review rather brief, but I could talk forever about this movie. Bernal plays Stephane, a Mexican who returns to France, his birthplace, to his mother after his father's death. He meets Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg, who looks a lot like Keith Richards, a friend pointed out to me), his neighbor, while helping move her piano. She thinks he's a mover, and the first half of the film more or less revolves around Stephane trying to pretend he doesn't live next door. She finds out, of course, and they become involved. Well, sort of. The second half is much stranger than the first, with Stephane's dreams almost completely taking over his life, and he becomes obsessed with Stephanie and her love, even after they are together. The real joy of this film is the visuals. The dream sequences so closely reminded me of my own dream world that it was amazing to see it on the big screen. Gondry playfully weaves Stephane's dreams in and out of his life, and even gives the viewer pause many times to figure out if the actions are actually happening or not. Bernal is, as always, amazing in his performance; even though Stephane is actually a child in an adult's body/world, you empathize with him and his desire for real world to be more like a dream world. Gainsbourg is also good, and I appreciated Gondry's casting of a non-gorgeous actress in the role of Stephane's femme fatale. The ending made me seriously depressed, but I could see how one could also interpret it as optimistic. That's how open-ended the film is, and how love is. Very highly recommended. 9/10

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