My Life to Live (Vivre Sa Vie)

— Too many years have passed since I routinely saw European Art Cinema in theatres. My days of feeling comfortable with Bergman, Fellini, and Antonioni have passed, as have my days with the French New Wavers—Truffaut, Renais, Godard, Rohmer, and Chabrol. Seeing “Vivre Sa Vie” (DVD) is a joy, reminding me how carefully framed Godard’s images are and how much he enjoys playing with the inside and outside of things, with the reality taking a backseat to truth. This is a spectacular film even if it is representative of a shift in filmmaking and Anna Karina is incredible. You literally can’t take your eyes off her, whether she’s posing in front of wall or emoting in a theatre. The film asks more of the viewer, but it reminded me that a believable storyline isn’t everything and B movies aren’t always a bad thing.

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[1962. 83 min. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Starring Anna Karina, Sady Rebbot, and Andre S. Labarthe]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-vivre-sa-vie--my-life-to-live-1963