Mr. Hulot's Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953) (seen on DVD).
Of the three of us who saw Up in the Air, I was the only one who really liked it. Joyce was surprised at how "small" a film it was, and it was understated, quiet, and rather slow, but it's a mistake to think of it as a screwball comedy (as some commentators have deemed it). In fact, it's a very sad film, terribly sad. Clooney's best performance by far. Owen Gleiberman's EW review is close to my own take on the film.
Hulot was a subtle delight that rewards careful, very careful viewing. Roger Ebert has this to say (in his observant "Great Movies" piece) about my favorite scene:
The movie is constructed with the meticulous attention to detail of a Keaton or Chaplin. Sight gags are set up with such patience that they seem to expose hidden functions in the clockwork of the universe. Consider the scene where Hulot is painting his kayak, and the tide carries the paint can out to sea and then floats it in again, perfectly timed, when his brush is ready for it again. How was this scene done? Is it a trick, or did Tati actually experiment with tides and cans until he got it right? Is it ``funny''? No, it is miraculous. The sea is indifferent to painters, but nevertheless provides the can when it is needed, and life goes on, and the boat gets painted.
It's a shame that Tati made so few films.
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