The Science of Sleep (2006)

Dreamy, multilingual, funny and completely wacked! Stéphane Miroux (Gael García Bernal) moves back to his mothers apartment in Paris after his father dies in Mexico. Completely absorbed in his own fantasy world, Stéphane has serious difficulties adapting to the real world and fit in with his new job.

The love story between Stéphane and Stéphanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the two next door neighbours, is a journey through both fantasy and reality. As he can't figure out how to be close to Stéphanie in reality, he creates a relationship in his dreamworld, leaving Stéphanie confused and frustrated.

The childish innocence of this movie fascinated me, filling the movie with a warm humour, but still with a sharp undertone. As it gets more and more difficult to separate his dreams from reality, you really feel for both of the main characters. It's a well made, sweet movie with great actors, though a bit on the odd side.

Runtime: 105 mins
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat, Miou-Miou

Roman Holiday (1953)

High time for a classic! I adore Audrey Hepburn, and this one was no exception.

Set in Rome right after WW2, Hepburn plays the young princess Ann on a tour of Europe who suddenly stumbles over an adventure of her own. Running away from her bedroom one night she meets Joe Bradley (Peck); an American journalist. Both pretending to be someone else, they spend the most wonderful day together in Rome.

The only problem is, Joe happens to be a journalist, and Ann happens to be a princess, and the story of her 'wild day' in Rome could be worth a lot of money...

I did like her better as the less serious Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but as their day progresses her, pixie-like charm is irresistable also in this one. Plus I like her opponent too. Peck is the personification of the ideal man in the 50s; older, tall, dark, generous and charming. And honest, if only at the very end...

Runtime: 118 min
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert

An Education (2009)

Where to begin... I'm thinking more about the heavy rain outside my window than the film I just saw...

An Education is about a hard working girl (Mulligan) in England in the 60s (or so), studying to be accepted into Oxford. She is both smart and pretty, straight A's, plays the cello... Pretty much got her whole life planned out. Until one day she meets David (Skarsgaard).

It's the classic 'girl meets boy - boy's no good'. But it's also about living, enjoying and appreciating life. The pictures are beautiful, and if you can get over the slightly pedophile relationship, it's actually a really cute movie. Because sometimes an education isn't by the book.

Runtime: 100 min
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson