Embracing Summer

I never used to have any particular fondness for summer. Sure, school was out, and that was always fun. But other than that, the season didn’t have much going for it, in my opinion.

It wasn’t until I became deathly ill in 2020 that I began to appreciate it. The worst months of the illness were in April and May, so as I slowly came out of that period, the world was emerging from the darkness right along with me. We were learning to grow again, together.

Yes, autumn and winter are still my favorites, but summer now brings its own joy, too. It’s no longer a dead end—instead, it feels rich with discovery. The movies I watch in summer now bring about a certain nostalgia, even if I'm watching for the first time.

Of course, my film-related finds also come with music finds. I’ve stood in our warm kitchen, chopping greens for a salad or frying garlic, while listening to playlists I’ve made. So I’ve included a Spotify link to the songs I’ve been looping lately. It includes songs from the soundtracks, as well as a couple related ones by the same artists. You can find the playlist at the end of this post!

Some movies (and music) currently defining my summer

Jacques Tati’s Films

I guess the kids these days would say I’m in my “Tati Girl Summer.” You can see my ranking of his films here, but the two that most define this current season are Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday and Mon Oncle. I’ve watched the latter several times now—and sometimes I’ll just pop it on in the background so I can hear the music while I work. I don’t know how humour can be so simple, yet sophisticated at the same time, but Tati has achieved that balance in his movies.

Music:

From Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (Alain Romans):

Générique début - Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot

Quel temps fait-il à Paris?

From Mon Oncle (Frank Barcellini):

Mon Oncle

Adieu Mario

Le Vieux Quartier

The Three Themes

From Playtime:

Sambanella (Francis Lemarque)

From Trafic:

Theme from Trafic (Charles Dumont)

From Parade:

Berceuse (Charles Dumont)

Dogfight

My best friend from college introduced me to the musical (any fellow Derek Klena fans here?), and ever since, I’ve been wanting to see the film it’s based on. Funny how things just click all of a sudden, and something finally (pushes) you to actually cross it off your list.

Dogfight feels so far removed from a typical Hollywood movie. While there’s some drama to it, I would still call it a romcom; albeit a very different sort of romcom. It’s well done; yet feels unpolished in a charming way. Nancy Savoca masterfully blends harsh humour with sensitive warmth, creating a film that’s really special. 

It also has one of those trailers that’s so immensely satisfying to watch. I’ve watched it at least 20 times.

Songs:

Shake Sugaree (Elizabeth Cotten, Brenda Evans)

Travelin’ Man (Ricky Nelson)

Poor Little Fool (Ricky Nelson)

Wimoweh (The Weavers)

Before Sunrise

Although this had been on my list for a long time, it wasn’t until Greer of Mise en Scènt encouraged me to watch it, and released a limited-edition candle based on it, that I finally saw it. I can’t wait to see the other two films in the trilogy, but I’m also a little nervous because the first one is so perfect! Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have exquisite chemistry. Their relationship is so completely believable, that you can see them falling in love almost solely through conversation. Sure, they go to record shops and play arcade games, but they don’t go on any wacky adventures. They mostly get to know each other by talking and asking questions. (Imagine that.)

Before Sunrise and Dogfight are in similar, very specific categories for me. Yes, one of them takes place in November (a very pivotal time in November, in fact), but sometimes a movie is as much about the season of life one discovers them in. And these both feel like hot summer nights. They’re slow-moving portraits—moments in time the characters will never be given again.

Songs:

Come Here (Kath Bloom)

I Wanna Love (Kath Bloom)

The Life of Chuck

I saw this movie in theaters a few weeks ago, and it was one of the most wonderful moviegoing experiences I’ve ever had. I was delighted by the appearance of the film Cover Girl (one of my favorite Gene Kelly movies!), as well as the sequence where Chuck and his grandmother watch several VHS tapes of various musicals.

The dance numbers brought me the same joy I receive when I watch The Band Wagon and Singin’ in the Rain and Hit the Deck. Films evoking those feeling of comfort and delight are rare nowadays.

Is it just me, or has the current entertainment scene been dominated by horror movies? It used to be mainly around October that they would make regular and consistent appearances in theaters and streaming services, but it seems there’s been an influx of them year-round as well. It’s ironic, then, that the most beautiful and joy-filled film of the year is based on a story by Stephen King, and directed by Mike Flanagan. I applaud them both for using their talents to create something that has filled the world with light. I think more filmmakers should take note of that.

I'll be posting a full review soon, because I'd love to focus on the many individual performances that made this movie so wonderful. Stay tuned!

Songs:

The Parting Glass (Gregory Alan Isakov)

Gimme Some Lovin’ (The Spencer Davis Group)

It's good to be back on the blog. I've missed you all! As promised, here is the playlist with the songs mentioned above. Enjoy!