Before Sunrise / Before Sunset [DVD] [1995]

I saw both films at the cinema many years ago & I loved. Wanted to watch again so I bought the DVDs!

If you love romantic films you need to order this now - it will blow all your expectations out of the water. Strip away the CGI and the superficiality, what do you have? A surprisingly humane take on human interactions and connections. These are films far more than just about love. Celine does not go with Jesse because she has suddenly fell madly and hopelessly in love, but because she feels a spark of connection just in the one conversation she has with him.Before Sunrise would have to be my favourite of the (sublime) trilogy. I suppose that's because I'm 16 but it really captures that exciting feeling of young love. Jesse seems so boundless, the way he just asks Celine to leave the train with him, even if it does sound crazy, he still asks. He is also heartbroken which is why I think he seeks the company of Celine. Celine, as well is promising with intellect, she is certainly not your damsel in distress. She is opinionated and is not afraid to disagree with Jesse. I think in a way, they challenge each other to revise their views of the world. I just love their conversations. Both films never feel like films, it just feels like watching two people have a frank and open conversation. On the surface that may sound banal but is the exact opposite. I never seen a director with such an original idea. Linklater himself conceived the premise of the film based on a similar interaction he had with a woman called Amy. I love the fact that he has transferred his own experiences onto the screen. More directors should be inspired to do that. Of course, there is joy to be found in the fantastical and watching your favourite book brought to life ( think Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter), but there is a also a joy to be found in shared human experience and that is honestly, the essence of both films.On a side note, Before Sunset ( as well as Before Midnight, which you should definitely check out) is an excellent continuation of Before Sunrise and again, the fact that each film is 9 years apart highlights the outside thinking of Linklater (although he probably was not the first). The evolution of Celine and Jesse becomes more apparent as well; they never stagnate. The Celine and Jesse in Before Sunrise are still present in Before Sunset, but they manifest in different ways. Those 9 years apart did away with their hopeful view of life and while they are not as cynical as in Before Midnight, they are not as impulsive. There is no kissing but there is still is an intimacy so profound you can see it in their eyes. While their time and money may be invested in someone else, their hearts still belong to each other. Being exposed to the world through other has made them bitter (particularly Celine) and lost. The ending encaspulates this because it just seems they cannot let go of each other, no matter how far apart they seem.On the whole, these films, this trilogy is utterly breathtaking and I recommend everyone of all walks of life experience its wonder.

I watched Before Sunrise and Before Sunset back to back over the weekend while I was ironing and thought they were magnificent. I thought the dialogue was wonderful, the settings were perfect, the moment in the first film when they go into the listening booth in the record shop, wow, I had a lump in my throat.Julie Delpy was fantastic, exceptionally sexy, very believable, however Ethan Hawke I thought was the wrong guy for the role*. He looks like an actor rather than a student or an author, he looks as if should be playing a tough cop in a Noo Yawk action movie not swanking around Vienna quoting Auden or signing his latest bestseller in Paris, he just wasn't believable. His reaction in the second film when she sang him the song she'd written for him was completely wrong, clapping and whooping for her to play another... Listen Hawke, a bird has just sang and played a song she wrote about you, the correct reaction in that situation would be to sit there in stunned silence for a minute then get up and kiss her, once, on the lips, not to whoop and holler for her to play you another. You're not at a Pearl Jam concert.*Yes of course it should've been me in that role, I'd have been perfect.

The first 'Before' was a classic, funny and romantic, but, unusually for a sequel, the second one was even better. There is real chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and the banter is non-stop. But avoid the third one, 'Before Midnight' which basically decides to destroy the franchise!

In my opinion, both these films are incredibly beautifully produced and would appeal to any romantics out there! I found that both actors - Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke were mesmerising and gave very memorable performances, especially as they made it all seem so natural, and that paired with the clever filming of the gorgeous scenery of both Vienna and Paris, just adds to the whole wonderful experience, and makes you feel like you are actually there - or at least that you want to be!. Also, sometimes when films have been "mostly about the chat", I have felt my mind wandering, but not at all with this film - I was totally drawn in right from the start, and that's where I stayed, hanging onto every word and eager to know how the story ends. I've discovered that I totally adore Julie Delpy, as not only is she beautiful, but I could listen to her gorgeous accent for hours (and when she sings the song in the second film to Jessie, it is just gorgeous), and Ethan Hawke is very nice too look at too! ;) I also now want to visit Vienna, and would like to re-visit Paris - all because of this film! lol.Anyway, make sure you watch both films, so that you can see how it all ends!! I'm definitely adding these films to my "best film" list now lol. Hope you enjoy watching as much as I have! Take care :)

Works well with my TV, quality is good

A friend loaned me these dvd's and they sat in my house for months until I finally settled down to watch them. I had to warm up to the characters a little at first when they first meet on a train to Vienna but as they get to know each other and wander through Vienna and get to know each other, the film becomes very engaging and I even paused the film to write down some insightful things they said. At the end of their roughly 18 hour wander, you're left wondering what will happen between them in the future. The second film tells you what happened later and is very clever, I thought. Written partly by the actors themselves, it is in real-time and draws together in 70 minutes as much as two people could manage to realise and articulate in a short window of time to make life decisions. I watched it a couple times in a row and then had to get my own copy to share with friends!