Something old, new, blue

after Materialists

A recent A24 interview with the ternary main cast of Celine Song’s upcoming Materialists asked for films under categories following a bridal wedding-tradition. As a devout Letterboxd-list-maker, their answers inspired me to share my own below.

---

Something old:

Marie Antoinette (2006)

I credit Tumblr for my introduction to Sofia Coppola’s body of work. Like many a teenager in the mid-2010s, I was developing my sensibilities, discovering what I liked in a picture and what facets of a story interested me most — my elements of style. Kirsten Dunst ruled my reblogs, from paparazzi images of her street style to gifs of scenes from Virgin Suicides and Bring It On. I particularly fell in love with a film photo of her in full Marie Antoinette costuming while apparently listening to a song on a Mac held by Jason Schwartzman.

This image reflects Coppola’s stylistic use of contemporary music to subvert the story of an 18th century monarch, translating a teenage protagonist for a 21st century girl. Modernity paired with antiquity — wholly original, ineffably feminine, aspirationally edgy.

The materialism (pun intended) of Coppola/Dunst’s teenaged Marie Antoinette contrasted with the growing pains and awkwardness of her new title and its necessary baggage formed a coming-of-age story that gave me comfort then, as a teenager adjusting to my family’s move, and nostalgia now, as an adult living in my own city apartment. I owe the contours of my girlhood to the shaping that this film did on each rewatch.

Something new:

Bonjour Tristesse (2024)

I have been drafting a review of Durga Chew-Bose’s film adaptation of the book of the same name for nearly a month. I expect to be finished with it later this week, so comprehensive thoughts and reflections in that post, but for now, I’ll broadly appreciate the way this film took a novel direction without materially (pun also intended) altering its core. The elements of the story that earned the green Francoise Sagan literary stardom remain at the center of this adaptation.

I’ve always been fascinated by films that explore misery, whether that’s a byproduct of characters’ choices or a mood that permeates each scene. With a name like Bonjour Tristesse, a viewer can assume it’s a matter of when, not if. As with the book, this film leaves viewers with a feeling of melancholy, feeling a particular brand of sympathy that acknowledges, too, accountability and regret. Aren’t we all looking to be absolved of our sins?

Something(s) blue:

Blue Giant (2023) (final pun intended)

Great jazz movies are few and far between, but 2023’s Blue Giant earns a spot in that particular canon for me. The story, unexpectedly sad in many ways, tells the struggling artist narrative from an Eastern perspective. Greatness at all costs, without the American Dream as the motivator. As an East-Asian, the ways in which sacrifice and pursuit are illustrated through this story resonate with me more than in some of the freedom-oriented Western stories of pursuing one’s passion.

Yuzuru Tachikawa approaches the topics of tragedy and friendship with great sensitivity and emotional depth. The animation adds to this, with moments of levity and intense feeling captured in few strokes. Not only does the story explore the complexities of young musicians navigating their industry with a delicate authenticity, the music is truly excellent: one of the modern titans of jazz, Hiromi, scored the film. The soundtrack is one I continue to visit in my regular listening.

Perfect Blue (1997), another animated classic and aptly-suited film for this category, similarly explores a character’s journey to merge the fantasy and reality of being a performer. I’ve referenced this film on my platforms repeatedly, so in this list I’ll just note it as a continued strong recommendation of mine.

“Nice to end on a blue note”

— Pedro Pascal

---