Welcome to “Friday Favorites” which highlight some of my favorite movie-related things.

The Fifth Element is a divisive film.  People either love it or can’t stand it, and considering how often it gets shown on TV, it’s probably safe to assume that most people have seen at least part of it.  I’m on the side that loves it, as it’s right up my alley.  I love the style of the film, with some truly unique costumes and set designs and it’s unusual musical selections.  I like it’s tone, which blends humor and action in interesting ways, but also has some real pathos to the story in its emotional core.  And it’s super cheesy, which appeals to me immensely because there’s nothing I love more than a cheesy film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and it doesn’t get any cheesier than love being the ultimate power capable of defeating evil.  What I love most of all, however, is the film’s odd cast of characters, beyond just Korben and Leeloo, so this week’s and next week’s Friday Favorite will each focus on one of my favorite characters from the film.

The Fifth Element spends its first third as a quirky, bizarre sci-fi action comedy, telling the story of a mysterious perfect being who, through a chance encounter, ends up with a former special forces officer who now drives a cab for a living.  The two are sent on a mission to gather a weapon to stop an ultimate evil, and Korben is sent undercover as a contest winner in order to gain access to the flying hotel where he needs to pick up some magical stones.  As goofy as that sounds, the movie switches in an instant from silly to batshit crazy and fascinating in an instant, when this happens: Continue reading →