Watching films in French with either French or English subtitles can help to improve your language skills. Plus, these flicks are just fun to watch.

The other evening, we enjoyed an apéritif which turned into an impromptu delicious meal with friends. The conversation turned to our favorite French films and with the magic of modern technology, we were soon streaming a very young Gérard Depardieu in the 1986 film, Jean de Florette. We didn't have English subtitles so I had to pay close attention to understand the plot. It wasn't too complex. Some man wants to purchase the adjacent land to his farm in order to grow his nephew's flowers. His neighbor's property contains a precious hidden water source. The owner doesn't want to sell. Owner dies. The heir, Jean de Florette, has a plan to create a profitable farm that involves rabbits. Lots of rabbits. This makes the greedy neighbor scheme in an attempt to take Florette's land - and spring - from him. The evening became late and we decided to watch the film in two parts. I have to confess that I'm definitely worried for the rabbits. This film has all the makings of a tragedy with human greed at the center. But it holds your attention and the movie is filmed in Provence with all its provincial eye candy. I couldn't stop studying the old mas house and its furnishings. Swoon. Maybe I'm wrong and there will be a happy ending. But there is a sequel, Manon de la Source, which leads me to believe that the daughter, Manon, will see to some justice in the end. This visually stunning flick is worth a watch. I'm giving it two thumbs up . . . unless the rabbits die. French films are a great way to learn a language. They help you to develop a feel for the rhythm and pace of spoken French which is hard to do with a language app. You learn practical vocabulary and if you come across something you do not understand, you can stop and rewind and listen to it again. If you are a beginner, you can watch the film in French with English subtitles. Reading the subtitles while listening to the French will build help to build your vocabulary. As you rewatch the film, you will begin to notice words that you recognize. Then try watching the film with French subtitles and build your understanding of grammatical structure. And for kicks, watch the film without subtitles. Just let the dialogue wash over you. As you watch the film over and over, you will begin to pick up entire phrases and sentences that are useful in everyday conversation. So here we go . . . My Top 10 French films to help improve your language skills: One of my favorite films of all time - not just for learning French - is Les Intouchables (2011). It's a touching story about a relationship between a young man who is a caretaker for a wealthy quadriplegic. The blend of everyday French with "high-brow" French makes the film excellent for beginner to intermediate language learners. It's funny. . . sweet . . . and I have a bit of a crush on François Cluzet (and his house ;) In my opinion, this is a way better film than the American remake, The Upside (2017). . . and - well - no François Cluzet. Another personal favorite is Les Choristes (2004). It is a wonderful story of the arrival of a new teacher at a remote boys' school in post-WWII France. There is the strict, old-fashioned headmaster, rampant disciplinary problems, and a sense of despair felt by the students. It is within this context that Monsieur Mathieu decides to introduce choral singing as a way to bridge the gap with his students and build their sense of self-worth. You'll love the soundtrack and the story of the power of music. Based on a true story, Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont (The African Doctor, 2016) captures the tale of Seyolo Zantoko, a Congolese who escaped the Mobutu dictatorship in 1975. Zantoko immigrates to France, completes his medical degree, and takes on the position of a physician in a small, rural village - Marly-Gomont - in northern France. The movie centers on Dr. Zantoko and his family's struggle to become a part of the community and the villagers working through their own biases and assumptions. The movie will remind you of the core goodness of others and make you never want to move to the rainy region of Picardy ;) I Am Not an Easy Man (Je ne suis pas un homme facile, 2016) is the story of a womanizing man who suffers a traumatic head injury and wakes up in an alternative reality where traditional male and female roles are switched. Women now dominate the economic, social, and political spheres of society. The protagonist finds himself the sexual object and his every action scrutinized. The movie renders visible those things made invisible by our social conditioning. It's not a gut-punch but a critique wrapped in an easy rom-com. This is not your usual Blind Date (Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglément!, 2015). Instead, the couple never sees each other until the very end of the film. Their relationship develops behind an adjoining wall between their two apartments. One is a puzzle inventor who needs complete silence in order to work. The other is a pianist who cannot live without music. Predictable and corny but I still enjoy this movie every time I watch it. It is an easy film for beginning French learners. Plus, you get to listen to some amazing piano playing. I adore a good period drama and Lady J (2018) does not disappoint with its 18th-century France setting. The candy-colored costumes, the gilded furniture, the architecture and gardens, and even the extremely coifed "updos" keep you engaged even if the dialogue moves too quickly. The film surrounds the idea that revenge is a dish best served when the victim has no idea it's happening. Mademoiselle de Joncquières is as good at arranging flowers as she is betrayals. You'll love this one - over and over again.  Who doesn't love a good Edith Piaf story? Daughter of a street singer and a circus acrobat, she was abandoned by her mother and dumped by her father at a brothel. One day when her father's sidewalk act was going badly, he demanded she do something. Edith sang La Marseilles and her career was born. La Vie en Rose (2007) loosely translates to "life through rose-colored glasses" and stars the talented Marion Cotillard. She does a brilliant job of moving us through a mosaic storytelling style of Piaf's life, capturing the moments of applause to desperation. Each stage of her life contained joy and heartbreak. The film moves between the chapters in her life but not in an expected linear fashion but in an artful way. The soundtrack? Mais oui. C'est Edit Piaf! Two of my favorites, Coco Chanel and Audrey Tautou come together in Coco Avant Chanel (2009). Gabrielle Chanel lived countless lives as a woman, entrepreneur, designer, liberator, lover, philanthropist. From her childhood in boarding school to her first dressmaking gig in Paris, Chanel was a non-conformist who liberated women with her sleek, straightforward jersey-knit clothing. This film looks at her life before becoming the fashion icon to better understand the individual behind the House. It is an elegant and moving film that illustrates the style of this woman beyond her fashion sense. You won't find any old black and white French films on my list. I'm not much for the oldies; they often do not age well with more current cultural sensibilities. Take Le Bonheur est dans le Pré (Happiness is in the Field, 1995). It is about Francis, the owner of a small company that manufactures toilet brushes and seats. He is unhappy with his business, finances, wife and family. Francis is mistaken for a man who disappeared 28 years ago and he decides to leave his unhappy life in the Jura mountain town of Dole and take on this new identity in the beautiful countryside of Gers. (Those who know me well know that the film had me at "filmed in le Gers.") The tagline is: "Life is like a box of pâté and you're the duck." It's silly at first but becomes unpleasant to watch as your French improves. It is very misogynist as the male characters have great disdain and contempt for the women that reject them. The first time I watched it I was enthralled by the scenery of the southwest French countryside and found some scenes funny. The second and third time, I'm thinking this film promotes violence against women and it made me very uncomfortable. See . . . Your French language skills will improve as you watch French films. So don't watch this one unless you have a slipper in hand to throw at the television. Otherwise, skip it. Let's end my "Top 10" list with something outrageous. In La Cage aux Folles (1978), Renato, the owner of a club, and Albin, a star drag queen performer, are lovers. They agree to hide their lifestyle when the ultraconservative parents of Renato's son's fiancée come for a visit. This comic film based on the 1973 French play by the same name reminds us about the importance of nonconformity and being true to oneself. I love the original French version as much as the American remake, The Birdcage (1996) starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.  Sure. The original film is over-the-top, slapstick, and predictable but it's also ahead-of-its-time in its social message. It's just good fun to watch and use as a tool to improve your French. Pourquoi pas? Learning a new language is more than just discovering new vocabulary and grammatical structure. You find yourself embracing a whole new culture. There is a big difference between watching a film in your native language and watching a foreign one: focus. You have to engage and pay close attention to every word that is being said by the characters. But the more you focus, the more you will learn.  I also enjoy watching episodes of Les carnets de Julie on YouTube because she speaks clearly (there are no English subtitles) and I enjoy learning a new French recipe or two. Check it out. There are some evenings that I just want to enjoy a favorite film set in France. I turn to A Good Year (2006) for it's setting in Provence and my mad love for Albert Finney. Chocolat (2000) which takes place in one of my favorite Burgundian villages, Flavigny-sur-Ozerin. Or Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011) because - well - Paris in the 1920s. One film you might have noticed did not make it on my list - Amélie (2001). It's because I have never seen it.  It's true. But it's on my list for this weekend . . .    Time to pop some corn and snuggle under a blanket and watch a fun French film.  À bientôt mon amie, Karen 😊🎬🍿🇫🇷     Please feel free to share this email with those who might appreciate a few French musings in their inbox every Friday. Just click here. Merci beaucoup!