I'm not familiar with Leos Carax's work but having seen Annette now, I'm very interested to watch his previous films.
Annette follows Henry McHenry, a stand up comedian, and Ann Dufrasnoux, an opera singer, whose lives completely change after the birth of their daughter, Annette.
This is so far the strangest film I've seen all year but it's also the most unique. What Leos Carax and The Sparks Brothers have created is something very ambitious and whilst not everything works in the film, it's still a film I have respect for. What I really loved about Annette was its style. Carax's take on a musical is something I've never seen before. He includes many strange shots and scenes that'll leave you gasping. The film literally opens up by breaking the 4th wall with Leos Carax starting the film which I thought was pretty creative. Experimental moments like this throughout the film is what made me enjoy Annette and Carax as a director. I love the production design with the colour green being dominant during many scenes. There is a theatrical atmosphere Carax creates with many sequences of Annette, like a scene on a yacht, and it works considering the story. Visually, it's one of the best films of the year. The music in this film was helmed in a way I didn't expect. Rather than having dance numbers, a lot of the dialogue is said in a musical manner. I didn't really find any of them to be particularly memorable and it also came across as repetitive with how many times they repeat the same lyrics. The long runtime didn't feel fully justified either. I wasn't bored at any point but it could've definitely been shorter to ensure a smoother pace.
All the acting was solid. Adam Driver has been consistently impressing me and his performance as Henry McHenry is fantastic. His singing could use some work but for the most part he did well in that department. Where I really liked him was during his stand up routines. There are some impressive long takes of him performing comedy on stage and he owns it. Marion Cotillard is excellent as usual and brings forth the angelic presence of Ann very well. Simon Helberg also does a great job for the time he's on screen.
I really admire the ambition of Annette. It's a very weird and unconventional musical, unlike any I've seen before, and Carax's abstract vision is something to behold. Not everything gels as well as it could've but it's an experience that you won't get very often and, for that reason, Annette deserves a watch.
Annette follows Henry McHenry, a stand up comedian, and Ann Dufrasnoux, an opera singer, whose lives completely change after the birth of their daughter, Annette.
This is so far the strangest film I've seen all year but it's also the most unique. What Leos Carax and The Sparks Brothers have created is something very ambitious and whilst not everything works in the film, it's still a film I have respect for. What I really loved about Annette was its style. Carax's take on a musical is something I've never seen before. He includes many strange shots and scenes that'll leave you gasping. The film literally opens up by breaking the 4th wall with Leos Carax starting the film which I thought was pretty creative. Experimental moments like this throughout the film is what made me enjoy Annette and Carax as a director. I love the production design with the colour green being dominant during many scenes. There is a theatrical atmosphere Carax creates with many sequences of Annette, like a scene on a yacht, and it works considering the story. Visually, it's one of the best films of the year. The music in this film was helmed in a way I didn't expect. Rather than having dance numbers, a lot of the dialogue is said in a musical manner. I didn't really find any of them to be particularly memorable and it also came across as repetitive with how many times they repeat the same lyrics. The long runtime didn't feel fully justified either. I wasn't bored at any point but it could've definitely been shorter to ensure a smoother pace.
All the acting was solid. Adam Driver has been consistently impressing me and his performance as Henry McHenry is fantastic. His singing could use some work but for the most part he did well in that department. Where I really liked him was during his stand up routines. There are some impressive long takes of him performing comedy on stage and he owns it. Marion Cotillard is excellent as usual and brings forth the angelic presence of Ann very well. Simon Helberg also does a great job for the time he's on screen.
I really admire the ambition of Annette. It's a very weird and unconventional musical, unlike any I've seen before, and Carax's abstract vision is something to behold. Not everything gels as well as it could've but it's an experience that you won't get very often and, for that reason, Annette deserves a watch.