This week has been hectic and so I have only had time so far to enjoy two movies. No matter, the week is still young.
Election (1999) is an old favourite. Alexander Payne is one of my favourite film makers and whilst he is still honing his craft here, I adore his screenplay's use of tone and narrative voice.
For those who haven't seen it - Election is told through a number of different narrators, all of whom have views of the events that unfold throughout the course of the picture. Characters conflict one another's accounts and are unreliable, yet that is part of the joy and we always come to see through their self-deceptions.
It is the story of a girl who is the class priss. Who clearly thinks that she is streets ahead of her classmates and wants all of the attention. She is misguided, believing that success will beget friendship. It is her smarmy attitude that causes the vividly negative reaction that her history teacher, Jim McAllister (Broderick) develops to her. He wants her to fail.
What I find fascinating about this movie is that the characters understand each other more than they understand themselves. Well, except the jock who is played to dim-witted but affable perfection by Chris Klein who is now better known for American Pie.
The movie holds up to repeated viewing and as we are in election year seems particularly relevant. It is fast becoming a back catalogue favourite.
The Darjeeling Limited is another story by a film-maker I adore. Wes Anderson directed another movie that I have watched many times over, The Royal Tenenbaums, so I was always going to be looking forward to a new movie from him.
It was the cast that sealed it for me though - Jason Schwartzman always guarantees I will find something of interest in a movie. I love his awkward, thoughtful performances and even when I am not thrilled with the material he is given, stand up Marie Antoinette, I always find that I have enjoyed his performance and wished more screen time for him.
Couple the Schwartz with Adrien Brody, another great actor, and it made for a winning formula.
I love Anderson's directoral style. His meandering approach to showing a journey. His symbolism is sometimes obvious, such as at the ending of this movie, but he handles character so brilliantly that I can forgive him that.
Here he creates a universe filled with oddballs and quirky characters. It was less funny than I expected but far more poignant. Particularly the scenes when they encounter the family trying to cross a river in the second half of the film.
Although I suspect I will rewatch this movie less often than Tenenbaums I found it a superior work. The terrain is stunning (I wish I had seen it on the big screen), the sets intricate and the acting first rate. All in all I am glad that I finally managed to see it.