You've probably never seen Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 film Le Samouraï. I'll wager you've probvably never even heard of it. I barely heard of it a month or two ago when The Criterion Collection released a DVD of the film. After reading a brief synopsis, I immediately put in my Netflix queue. I was beat to the punch, though, when my boss came back from lunch one day in December with the DVD in her possession.
Anyway, I saw it tonight. And if you've never heard of it, seen it, whatever, you need to. Rent it or put it in your Netflix queue or do whatever it is you do to see films, but go see this one.
It's about a lone wolf assassin named Jef Costello (Alain Delon) with all the right moves and an air of silence that makes you want to scream or die or I don't know what. He's so cool I could barely contain myself and the movie is a taut, achingly intelligent thriller. Awesome. See it now.
More complete thoughts on the Academy Award nominations tomorrow. Sorry, but I was up early to see them and I've been processing them all day. I could have blogged earlier, but my student showed and we did about two hours of work and then Le Samouraï beckoned.
Briefly, though: Amy Adams!!!! and William Hurt!!! Both of those nominations delighted me. The New World picked up one nomination, which is one more than I expected, frankly, though it is my favorite film of the year. Other exciting things: Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow and "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" (who thought that would be nominated?) Congrats also to my second favorite film of the year, Brokeback Mountain, which leads with eight nominations and will handily pick up the big trophy on March the fifth.
More tomorrow...
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