Before Sunrise & Before Sunset

So, I watched both of these movies last night after the thought of a double-feature entered my mind.  I'm glad to see Brandon and Jason writing a bit about them as I was unsure whether or not I should make a post about this.

First, Brandon, you've never seen Before Sunrise but loved Before Sunset?  That's awesome, but I feel a bit sorry for you since you will never get the chance to wonder what happened after Jesse and Celine leave each other in Vienna that morning in June.  You remember the beginning of Before Sunset when Jesse mentions that how you interpret the end of the "book" determines whether or not you are a cynic about love?  Yeah, guess we will never know about you.

I also absolutely love the ending of Before Sunset, Brandon.  It could not be more perfect.  So much is said in Jesse's bright eyes and Celine's little dance.  Everything in the apartment scene was perfect.  It was as if they both knew what was going to happen once they entered the apartment and were finally able to settle in and embrace it.  Everything kind of falls from their shoulders and suddenly all is right with the world.  (Yeah, I think he stayed and missed his flight.)

One of the things that I find absolutely fascinating about the character development between the movies is that Jesse seems to be less cynical and more wide-eyed while Celine seems to have went the opposite direction.  But it's a natural progression for their characters and they still compliment each other so well.

I think that these movies both fall into the category of an emotional love first rather than an enjoyment of Linklater's style or anything else.  Jesse and Celine are people that I want to know in real life.  What appeals to me is that they both live in a world of ideas and have interesting things to say while holding on to passion and contradiction and everything else that makes them so intriguing.

At the risk of sounding sappy, I've looked for a Celine all over the place.  You know, a person who lives with her ideas and passions like I do.  Who can talk about interesting and mundane things with equal vigor and intelligence.  I think that is why these movies delight while making me just a little bit depressed as well.

Though I'm sure there are some, I've never actually met any females who liked these movies.

I thought I was going to write something a lot more profound about these two films.  Turns out that everything I start to write seems too personal, which is actually a result that I think Linklater would appreciate.



Also, did anyone else not know about Untitled 12-Year Richard Linklater Project?