GummoRabbit

I loved the subtleties and nuance in their expressions. When I view portraits in the form of a painting or photograph, I can appreciate it for it's technical qualities, like lighting, brush strokes, foreground/background, etc. but it's still just a moment frozen in time. The film adds lengthy minutes of watching a person close up; no selection, no editing allowed. The character in each scene had a choice to react to the camera's presence, which the director made no effort in concealing. I found it hilarious how some of the characters had such an issue with looking at it, one even turning their head more than 90 degrees away haha. This added a layer of complexity. This does make me wonder how the portraits would be different if they had not known they were being filmed. I must say though, some of the most powerful shots were when the person decided to look right into the lens..it's like they were staring into your soul. I found myself thinking all sorts of things in those moments: Why am I watching them? Am I violating their privacy and dignity? They knew back then that a future me was watching them right now! Which of the characters might have put on a front or a defense to their true expressions, knowing they were being watched?

I also found myself wondering whether or not the cigarettes were needed at all. In keeping with the realistic portrayal, why not just have them stand for a set period of time? On further thought though, it seems the physical act of having a task to perform was a great way in bringing out more natural expressions. There are so many choices to make: How long to drag, when to exhale, shaping the smoke, etc. And let's not forget the chemical relaxation of nicotine - each person grew noticeably less tense, and therefore more revealing, as time went on. There is also definitely something to be said about the atmospheric effect of swirling smoke around a head.

The younger male expressions were very different from the older ones, in that they seemed to harbor less worry, and were instead more jumpy, almost impatient, filled with a potential energy that seemed more depleted in the aged. Or perhaps the aged simply had something substantive to reminisce about.

I found myself wondering about my own projections of emotion onto the smokers. The fact is, they could very well be wrong. Without narration or dialogue, there is no knowing whether what I think they just thought, in a fleeting expression, is actually what they thought..I found this concept fascinating. Hell even with narration or dialogue, I still might not know for certain.

I watched this film sucking on a sugary lollipop the whole time. I found the act of engaging in something addictive while watching the smokers served both as an ironic amusement and a functional way to stay awake.

This is the story of a family falling apart. Close up shots of faces allowed me to dig deep into how the characters were feeling and reacting - I could see every wrinkle and twitch. A low string instrument was occasionally played in the background; used to create sounds invoking soft and sweet feelings, or a sickening trepidation. Plumes of billowing smoke were pictured throughout as a symbol for something; ironically, I don't have the words to explain what yet, but I understood it completely when I SAW it on the screen. The fact that film can do that fascinates me.

I've enjoyed films that portray the grit of a lower socio-economic class. Many shots seemed to allude directly to one of my all time favorite movies, Gummo. C'est déjà l'été shares many of the same techniques and overall style, but in a more wieldy sort of way. It was effective in and of itself - the scenes striking, memorable and even beautiful.