Amelie
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Movie Reviews of Amelie
Movie Review: "Luck is like the Tour de France"
Summary: 5 Stars
AMELIE is an enchanting film that Jean-Pierre Jeunet creates with artistic mastery. The film depicts a young woman who grapples with her past but confronts her guileless shyness, and shows the psychological intricacies in her life where she intermingles those complexities with unpretentious encounters with others. Amelie is almost like Alice in Wonderland.
Audrey Tautou plays Amelie, a woman who suffered traumatic experiences during her childhood with the death of her mother, the loss of her goldfish, and a father who keeps a sanctuary for his wife and has a fetish for ceramic gnome figures. Then suddenly, after watching news reports about Princess Diana's death, and by accident, finding a little cubbyhole in her bathroom, which has hidden a box of someone's childhood treasures, she believes it is an epiphany to do virtuous deeds and to find the rightful owner of the box.
Jeunet shows a montage of humorous quick cuts and quirky facial expressions. The film is lively and fast-paced with a tinge of subtle moments. An interesting part of the film shows Amelie and her neighbor, Raymond Dufayel (Serge Merlin), though during individual occasions, watching TV and flipping from one channel to the next where in several instances they view unusual vintage clips, such as a black woman playing an electric guitar with a gospel choir in the background and a man dancing a jig with his wooden leg on what looks like a southern dirt road as well as reflections of their own lives; the images are somewhat surreal and dream-like, but may possibly speak towards a type of inventiveness on the part of the participants in the scenes.
The film is enticing with an array of fascinating colors and images that should be contributed to the impeccable cinematography and artwork. Indeed, it has a Salvador Dali-quality, and also captures a picturesque French landscape, which looks like a framed portrait. The animated portion of the film is charming. In addition, the musical score contains various moods from a music box to a pumping accordion, which evokes the French ambience that weaves in an out of the film.
The two-disc DVD is an interesting package, which includes bonus and background material about the film. Viewers have the chance to understand the story behind the making of the film with several interviews of Jeunet and the actors and discussion of the storyboard. In addition, there are screen tests of Audrey Tautou, Urban Cancelier (Collignon--The Grocer), and Yolanda Moreu (Madeleine Wallace--Concierge) and the film's trailer.
If you are looking for a unique and unpredictable film, I recommend AMELIE. It will make you smile.
Movie Review: Amelie
Summary: 5 Stars
Amelie is the most wonderful breath of loveliness to cross the big screen in many years. I chuckle at some of the reviewers who try to treat it as flawed art in some misunderstood tradition. . Let's get back to the basics of life, which is where art comes from. The director of this film followed his spirit, not Hollywood, thank God. This is a French movie, not an American movie; I restate the obvious because I have not seen anything emerge from Hollywood in a decade or more that is this uplifting, this entertaining, this funny, this poignant, this beautiful, and which leaves one feeling so wrapped in love. I don't know whether we Americans have lost the touch, or if we never had it. Oh... wait... Moulin Rouge comes close. I stand corrected. But Amelie reminds me of a long list of movies in the French tradition which leave me smiling and reassured that the world is not spinning off its axis and careening into the fearful abyss. Love and sweetness find their ways through any obstacles, however primitive or modern, and Amelie somehow connects the old and the new with that joi d'vivre wherein the most pathetic of human existences are all revealed to be golden at the core--all respond to the spirit of Love. Amelie is entertainment that massages your spirit. Yes, I know I've used that word already; it's intentional--this movie works on the level of the human spirit! The vistas of Paris, from downtown to Montmartre, to the suburbs, will bring you wonderful memories, and if you haven't been to Paris, the movie will GIVE you memories. The trains, the stations, the streets, the cityscapes, the people... oh, and the music. Then let's not forget the charming Audrey Tautou, who delivers a character so sweet it aches in the solar plexus where you crave to know her. If you're dead to the world, you might not like Amelie, but if there is some spark in you that you remember once having but can't seem to find; I promise Amelie will find it and blow on it and set it ablaze again. If you, like me, find yourself looking at the current waves of movies to wash up on the surf from Hollywood, shaking your head and walking away empty handed and wondering if they've simply made all the good movies already and nothing worthwhile is left, this is the movie to spice up that malaise and set your mouth watering again.
I will spare you another plot synopsis; one really cannot do it justice here anyway, but hear me--from my spirit to yours (oh my, there's that WORD again!) --I can't recommend this movie enough. As the original review stated, this is one of the most charming movies of all time. A classic. If you ever do one thing that ol' Shooshie recommends, do this one.
Shooshie
Movie Review: As sweat as chocolate
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is just right, like the warm cup of tea on a cold night, or the first sunny day after weeks of rain. I own the DVD and have seen it several times, and each time it fills me with a kind of wonder. It is the kind of timeless and pure story that made Hollywood great, but that Hollywood doesn't make any more.
Aside from a handful of cynics, I can't imagine anyone who won't enjoy Amelie. But here's a test: if you, like the films main character, can take joy from life's simple pleasures (like the way your hand feels sinking into a sack of dried beans, the way street markets sound and smell, the absurdity of a horse running with the Tour de France), then this is a simple pleasure you don't want to miss.
As far as the quality and value of this film, I can't add much to the hundreds of reviews already posted here except to say "Yes! Yes! Me too!"
An interesting side note: the more I watch the film, the more little cultural references and word plays I catch. I'm sure the film is full of them, but I think it would take a native French speaker or long-time Paris resident to catch them all (understanding them is not necessary to enjoy the film; they're a bonus).
One I caught on the most recent viewing on TV (my French is sketchy, but seeing it with Italian subtitles rather than the English helped) is a play on words by Hippolito, the failed writer in the cafe, who comments that the cafe's regulars speak about the weather out of fear of the passing time. In French, "temps" means both "time" and "weather."
Similarly, the grocer Collignon tells Amelie to contact his mother to discover the name of her apartment's former tennent. He says, "Elle a une memoire d'elephant, un elephant de mer." That translates to "She has a memory like an elephant, a sea elephant" -- a reference to a manatee or an seal. But the point is the way Collignon stresses "mer" (which means "ocean"), which sounds the same as "mere" (which means "mother").
I also noticed that the voice over used when Amelie imagines the television retrospective of her life is from the same person who does the television commentary for the funerals of France's rich, famous, and powerful. I peaked at the credits and found that he is Frederic Mitterrand, the nephew of the late prime minister.
The last might be a stretch, but on my last trip to Paris I noticed a old-time chocolate brand called "Poulain", which is Amelie's family name. Maybe that's just a coincidence, but with a film as sweet as this one, assuming they come from the same source is an easy mistake to make.
Movie Review: Best picture of 2001
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw all the 5 nominees for best picture for the academy awards (including A beautiful mind) and also the picture who won best foreign (no man's land) and this one has my vote for the best picture, american and foreign, of 2001. First of all it has a great look, not your typical color movie but more like a beautiful painting. You have a lot of green and red colors which makes it look different and particular but it works and the film look more artistic. One thing that makes a film work usually is the relation you develop with the main character(s), let me tell you I was in love with Amélie (Audrey Tautou) 5 minutes after I've seen her for the first time. She reminded me of the other Audrey (Hepburn) who you fell in love with everytime you see her on the screen. This Audrey Tautou has the charm and the beauty that I can't find anywhere today (Julia Roberts...don't make me laugh). Her character has such a beautiful soul and so many sweet qualities that you love and root for her even more as the story goes along. The other characters surrounding her during this wonderful story are all very colorful and all different in their own way which makes for a richer movie. Since I am a big fan of silent movie, I like the way the story is told, the screenplay is great but a lot is told by images. This is a visual film and I'm not talking about explosions and major hollywood special effects, the emotions of Amélie are often seen visually and this way of telling a story is not seen or not enough seen today. The great HBO series six feet under does that. The storyline is simple, Amélie tries to make everyone happy around her and not thinking about her own happiness, the magic is the way the story is told and the high caliber performance of Audrey Tautou. The director tell, in one of the interview that you can see on the disc 2 of this double disc DVD, that he wanted Emily Watson (the english actress) for the role of Amélie but she declined. She's a great actress but good for us cause Audrey Tautou is more than perfect. I've been waiting a few months for the US version of the movie (because here in Quebec we had a french release since june) and the wait is worthwhile. This is the ultimate version, you can see the french version with or without subtitles, 2 audio commentaries one in french (for me) and one in english and the second disc is full of interesting special features. Many interviews, screen tests, photos of the production, home movies and more. Thanks USA for this ultimate version which is much better than the single disc produced here.Movie Review: A heart-shaped French delicacy!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Amelie is a rare delight. The title character is a painfully shy loner who discovers a small box filled with a little boy's keepsakes. She seeks the rightful owner of the box. The charm of this film is that Amelie wants to perform her little miracles, hiding in the shadows, with no recognition for herself. The characters in this piece are fascinating, each one reflecting back a facet of Amelie's personality. In the end, Amelie's compassion ends up being her own salvation - and that is what makes the film so much of a joy to watch. Hollywood has pretty much exchanged emotion and subtlety for rudeness, crudeness, and over processed digital special effects. Like a good French wine, this motion picture is an experience to be savored - not devoured. Amelie has a look and feel that stands out from anything I've seen in recent years. So many modern films are filtered with a grayish or orange tint, which tricks the viewer's eye into thinking it is watching a stark, gritty documentary. Steven Soderbergh seems to be the reigning master of this technique. Amelie by contrast, with it's deep reds and fluorescent and forest greens accented by cobalt blues and electric yellows, transports you to a world full of magic and hope. The effect is enchanting.The DVD package is complete with commentaries and documentaries on the making of the film. These added features make it clear that this film was carefully planned by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, much like "The Sixth Sense." Shots were storyboarded, set up, and orchestrated months in advance. And any extra footage of Audrey Tautou is always welcome in my home. A blend of the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn, the humor and physical skill of Charlie Chaplin, and the vulnerability of early Winona Ryder, and the sultry elegance of a sixties European model. Her method of using her eyes, facial expression, and body language (relying less on verbal expression) to create a character is what helps makes Amelie transcend language barriers.
I was a little disappointed there wasn't a version with dubbed English, but after 15 minutes or so, I didn't even notice that I was reading subtitles. There were more than quite a few belly laugh moments, and it became very apparent that this is one of those rare films that is so good it completely transcends culture, language - the universal message is "The good you do for others returns - especially when you don't expect it to." A French delicacy. I just hope we get to sample more of Jeunet, Tautou, and the rest of this team's products soon. Thanks, Miramax.