Geek of Oz

Belle and Sebastian , the latest film from Nicolas Vanier, has all the nourishing warmth of a bowl of hearty stew in the depth of winter. It has a wholesome charm that is very welcome in this season of super-sleek blockbusters, and serves as a timely reminder of why it’s worth getting out to see the smaller flicks which sadly never seem to hang around quite long enough on the big screen. Set during the second World War in a picturesque village nestled in the French Alps, this is the simple story of Sebastian (Félix Bossuet), a spirited young farmhand under the care of world weary farmer César (Tchéky Karyo), who befriends a gigantic stray dog suspected by local villagers of preying on their livestock. The two form an inseparable bond which leads them on many adventures in the surrounding countryside. While Sebastian and Belle are frolicking about, the village is dealing with the increasingly intrusive actions by Nazi soldiers, who are attempting to uncover agents within the villa...