10 essential movies TO WATCH before going to PARIS
Nine movies and one TV season to get you in the mood for Paris, France. Watch these before you travel to Paris!
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1. Paris Je t’aime2. Moulin Rouge3. Sabrina4. Midnight in Paris5. The Da Vinci Code6. Amélie7. Hugo8. Ratatouille9. Something’s Gotta Give10. The Last Season of Sex and the CityThey say life is like the movies, with its dramas, funny moments and cheesy lines. But you haven’t really lived the movies until you go to PARIS.
Choose from the never-ending romance of the Eiffel Tower or the adventure of the old ruins, get the vibes of mystery in the winding backstreets and yeah, if you want horror, there’s a bit to find somewhere, too. But to give you an idea of what to expect, we give you our top 10 screen picks with connections to PARIS: nine movies and one TV season. Some are set mostly in Paris; others take us there for only part of the story.
See also: How to Learn French with Movies in 7 Easy Steps
1. Paris Je t’aime
If you want it romantic, chic, and glossy, this is the film to watch. This is a collaboration of 18 short stories, made by different directors and all set in the city of love, PARIS.
Each story is set in a different arrondissement (ah-ron-dee-smahn), one of the municipal districts of Paris, and the stories are linked by images of the city, so you better be acquainted with it to know what to look out for. This flick is really heart-warming (or sometimes heartbreaking) to watch and experience. So if you’re a die-hard romantic, sit back and enjoy the ride.
2. Moulin Rouge
Need I say more? Okay, if you haven’t seen it yet–under which rock have you been hiding?! This probably is one of the most entertaining movies ever set in Bohemian Paris. You have never seen Nicole Kidman strut until this movie. If you’re a fan of musicals, this is definitely a movie to see—it was nominated for Best Picture.
The movie itself was nominated for huit / eight (8) Academy Awards, and won two: Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The story revolves around a young writer named Christian who came to the district of Montmartre, which was then a center of the Bohemian movement. There he was able to write for a team of performers and got to present it to the owner of the Moulin Rouge.
When the time came to pitch the script, he then met the star performer played by Nicole Kidman. Satine (Nicole Kidman’s character) first mistakes him for the duke, but the two fall in love. When the duke finally came, he meant to fund the show, so long as only he can see Satine. The cat and mouse chase started from there with the best musical performances by an international cast.
Warning for tourists: the Moulin Rouge in real life is not quite as glamorous or large as the one on screen!
3. Sabrina
Now if you’re a fan of Paris, as well as Audrey Hepburn, this adorable movie should be on your list. This culturally-rich heartwarming flick both boasts the beauty of Audrey Hepburn and of Paris.
This 1954 movie is a story of a poor girl who has a crush on her father’s boss’s son. She went to study in Paris for a while, then went back to the love of her life. However, as she chases after the guy, she was surprised to find out that love actually lies in the most unlikely of places.
You should really watch this flick, even if you’re not a fan of Audrey. The film captures the charm and glamour of Paris, plus it’s a feel good movie—just the right vibes you need before you go to Paris.
4. Midnight in Paris
Apart from the writer and director (Woody Allen) who’s rather impressive, the movie also showcases an immense star power cast including Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard and Carla Bruni, the former French first lady. The story starts when our protagonist (Wilson) goes to Paris with his fiancée (McAdams), but ends up falling in love with the captivating city as he spends more and more time on the streets of Paris rather than with his fiancée.
Watch Paris in its most enchanting beauty as the movie takes us all on an adventure, and a search for true love.
5. The Da Vinci Code
If you happen to be a Dan Brown fan, you might want to check out the movie version of his best-selling book adapted to the big screen by Ron Howard in 2006.
While some would argue that Tom Hanks is not really the right fit for the role of Robert Langdon, this action-packed mystery plays around the Louvre, and the subsequent shots of Paris are incredible. Audrey Tautou shines opposite Tom Hanks as they try to solve one of the biggest mysteries of all time.
6. Amélie
Now if you’re into movies that have great meaning, you’d find a lot of that in Amélie. This charming French film is about getting the best out of life. The story of Amélie surely captured French and Paris aficionados worldwide, through all ages. You will be captivated by the beauty of Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur in this award-winning movie shot mostly in that neighborhood.
7. Hugo
Now, if you’re a sucker for adventure, this just might be the movie for you. Martin Scorsese, a cinema fan, creates a movie that would pay tribute to the role of Paris in the art of cinema. And to top that, he not only made a movie about the role of Paris in cinema, he also set the story in the city itself.
The story is about an orphaned child who lives in the walls of a train station in Paris in the 1930s. He knows how to fix clocks, as taught by his father and uncle, and puts those skills to use maintaining the station clocks. He also has an automaton that he and his father had tried to repair, but he needs a special heart-shaped key to make it work.
On his search, he met a shopkeeper in the train station whose goddaughter is as much an adventure-seeker as the boy. He discovers that she wears the very key he needs as a necklace, and adventure follows.
8. Ratatouille
Okay, if you’re one of those animation lovers but hate rats, this might give you a totally new outlook on rats. Set in the lovely kitchens of Paris, the movie will make you fall in love with Rémy. He’s a unique rat who, instead of loving to destroy things, makes food that tastes good.
You’re going to love this movie not only because of the cute protagonist, but you’ll be enchanted with the way Paris cuisine works. Just like nothing in the world.
9. Something’s Gotta Give
This crazy movie might just capture your taste buds in the rom-com scene. This is about a wealthy New York businessman who dates women 30 to 40 years his junior. When his latest girlfriend invites him to her mother’s beach house, he (Jack Nicholson’s character) has a heart attack while they were having a steamy make out.
Consequently, the girl’s mom (Erica) was there and had to take care of her daughter’s guy friend while he recovered. It was then that they fell in love with each other, adding the doctor (Keanu Reeves) to the rowdy mix. The final scenes, especially the one that is shot in Le Grand Colbert, really capture the spirit of Paris’ boisterous dining scene.
10. The Last Season of Sex and the City
If you’re a fan of the Sex and the City Girls, you’ll love the final season, which had parts shot in Paris. Carrie Bradshaw’s diary takes on a new level. Here the mix of fashion, passion and Mr. Big is captured in one giant crazy mix that is PARIS.
And I have a question for you, which movies related to France did you enjoy?
Want to know how you can use movies to learn French? Check out this article!
