Another Menage -- Paris, Paris, Paris

Today i stayed home from work due to not having any chargeable work (true story) and a horrible snow storm (not a true story). I watched 3 movies; the common theme was Paris.

Movie #1: An American In Paris
This is a classic Hollywood musical from the 50s. Despite the fact that it won like 100 Oscars and features Gene Kelly's cute butt and choreography and Gershwin's music, I really did not get into this movie. In the story, Gene Kelly is an American painter, living in Paris after WWII. He is torn between a rich American "sponsor" and a young French girl, who is engaged to another man. At the very end of the movie, there is a 15-minute dance sequence choreographed by Kelly that I did not find all that thrilling. To see some amazing choreography, watch something of Bob Fosse's, i.e. Sweet Charity. Or, Singin' In the Rain is a better Gene Kelly movie in my opinion.

Movie #2: Paris, Je T'Aime
This is an independent film that's actually a collaborative effort of many directors, bringing together a collection of about 20 5-minute mini-films. Each story takes place in a different neighborhood/district of Paris, and each is a love story of some sort. Some are in French, some are in English. Watching the film is basically like reading a short story book. The directors I recognized were Wes Craven and the Coen brothers. Recognizable actors included Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Gerard Depardieu (he is in every single French movie ever), Steve Buscemi, Juliette Binoche, and Maggie Jyllenhaal. The Coen brothers'/Steve Buscemi short was memorable -- Buscemi is a tourist who gets into an altercation with a young French couple in the metro. This film is not something I would probably watch again, but it was different, and I enjoyed it.

Movie #3: 2 Days in Paris
Another indie film -- a romantic comedy. An American guy and his French girlfriend visit Paris for two days on their way home to New York from Venice. He meets her crazy parents as well as an assortment of ex-boyfriends, which inevitably leads to jealousies. I don't know if many other people would like it, but I thought this movie was pretty funny.