Tag: Jacques Tati

Mon Oncle Year: 1958 Rating: Not Rated Length: 116 minutes / 1.93 hours One tragedy of the end of the era of silent comedies of the 1930s is that few have taken on that mantle in the modern era. The closest we get is something like Mon Oncle (1958), a French film by Jacques Tati that pokes fun at “modern” technologies and avant-garde art with very little dialogue. It’s basically slapstick that makes fun of the conveniences that get in the way more than they help automate everyday life. That it feels applicable even today is a testament to its critique of “the next big thing.” The film follows M. Hulot (Jacques Tati) as he visits his nephew and has to endure the geometric and impractical design choices of the nephew’s family. The entire lifestyle is shown to be performative and is as far from the comfort that Hulot experiences in his cozy city apartment. Still, Hulot is offered a job at a factory which...