My Godard frenzy continues: BREATHLESS, ALPHAVILLE, and now, VIVRE SA VIE; seems to be this year's iteration of my "why didnt I dive into their oeuvre sooner oh right I didnt have Criterion Channel until the once-in-a-century plague" Bergman frenzy of 20-21, another year of making up for that lost time when I was too young and stupid to fall in love with their work when I was too young and stupid to fall in love with their work.

Immediate impressions: feels like a spiritual successor to BREATHLESS, from female POV, though Belmondo was an ass from the start (not that Karina wasn't of a similar lacking at her start either – though whereas Belmondo's tale felt like Godard channeling Hammett, Karina's brought to mind a Godard-channeling of Edith Wharton, particularly Lily Barton from HOUSE OF MIRTH, and its relentless heartbreak throughout), down to the brutality of the end.

Godard's work rewards rapt attention to the little details, to the little fuck yous to film form throughout: the artistry of how he makes them work together nothing short of amazing.

Planning to continue writing these little things after each Criterion viewing and after each viewing of something non-Criterion worth writing about. Rebuild those review chops a bit or, at the very least, record a legible version of my impressions to the ether.

Have to continue on with the Varda frenzy too.

Written and directed by Jean Luc Godard; starring Anna Karina, Sady Rebot, and Andre S. Labarthe. Released 20 September 1962. Currently available on Criterion Channel.