Movie Reviews for Amelie

Amelie

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Movie Reviews of Amelie

Movie Review: Just watch it, you'll have fun.
Summary: 5 Stars

For those still reading, the first thing I noticed was the interesting cinematography, from the sped up shot of Amelie's mother's gestation (which was odd but cool), and the shots of our heroine's Montmarte (I think) environment. The film presents interesting camera angles, which work well with the suspense element, as well as showing the conflicting emotions presented throughout the film. Amelie's world is made up of vibrant colors, which fit snugly with her bubbly personality, and provide a nice contrast when she dresses in dark colors and since she has dark hair. Speaking of Amelie...

Audrey Tautou, never heard of her before, but I instantly fell in love with her after watching this film. The writers and directors did an excellent job of creating her character, with her heart melting shyness, intruging alone time, and her elaborate strategies, but I think the actress stole the show hands down. She did a flawless job of portraying her character, has that sweet little girl voice, and is so cute (pranking the phone repair people, in the theater, returning the book to the porn shop, the list goes on...) that I cant help myself. The other characters were definitely secondary, as many seemed one dimensional even though they had different emotions, but they are all well acted and each have their own unique placement in Amelie's life and times.

This movie had an uncanny ability to totally draw me in. I missed I think 2 phone calls while watching it, and totally lost track of time. I was cheering for Amelie during her two excursions, and vocalized my angst and sorrow when they didn't work out, much to the bewilderment of my family, who was home at the same time but not watching the film. With that said, you can probably imagine my reaction at the end.

I would rank this movie somewhere in my top 10 of all time, and it's the first real 'feel good' movie that really made me feel good for more than an hour after its conclusion. Everyone at my school and my work has been told to watch it, and now I am telling you to, as well. It's lovely, a truly astonishing piece of film. You will not be disappointed.

Movie Review: Enticing, Bold, Admirable.....I Can Go On & On!
Summary: 5 Stars

In this charming piece of award winning cinematography, Amelie is raised in a rather dysfunctional family by her parents. Her father, who likes to invest time in his miniature shrine, mourns over the loss of his wife, who was killed by a suicidal body from the sky near the doors of Notre Dame. During Amelie's skewed youth, she turns much to her imagination.

Life's simple pleasures come easy to Amelie--at least in her mind. Her newfound passion for helping others serves gratifying, yet her preference for publicity was unwanted. She plays the role of a female Zorro, helping strangers without adopting credit. She lashes her sword against an evil force whom maltreats a man's love for quality produce. Intrigued by what I mean? Watch the movie.

In time, her heart of gold crosses paths with another man, one whom seeks a mystery of his own. Amelie becomes a second mystery in the man's life by marking clues of her existence after retaining his research he had dropped while chasing his mystery entity in a certain scene. After returning his odd memoir, she leads him through her fantasy and falls in love. Both were dreamers. Both were seeking love. Both lived shadows in a seemingly different world. Still intrigued? Watch the movie.

If you are also a person who looks for the "art" in a movie, one can not help but notice the complexity of the cinematography to which it's most defined for amongst film critics and analysts. The use of 3 basic colors in the movie was a challenge which proved to be worth taking. Green, red, and a speck of blue was used in nearly every shot. As you will notice after watching the film, its colors and montage are bold. The use of the limited colors helped create a mystical, mesmerizing gold color in which was used in a few scenes to accentuate significant signs or emotions. The camera shots used were just as well creative and challenging, which deserves recognition as well.

This movie is not for those who are seeking action-packed drama with the high level of thrill and suspense one might expect from a highly acclaimed film. This film can be appreciated by those who enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer. It can be appreciated by those with colorful imaginations and avid art-lovers.

Intriguing? Watch it. :)

Movie Review: whimsical and story-bookish
Summary: 5 Stars

First things first, Audrey Tautou delivers a charming performance... she is much too-often compared with Audrey Hepburn, another small-faced gamine, but her aura is decidedly different. Where Hepburn was cool and chic, Tautou is childlike and imaginative. The film focuses a good deal on the colorful workings of her imagination and the fantasies it weaves.

The tone of the film perfectly followed with Tautou's exuberant performance: the colors are sparkling and vivid, the scenery is slightly dream-like, the shots are appropriately quirky and surprising. This is not the real Paris, this is a memory of Paris.

The narration and set-up of the films delightful cast of characters is very similar to The Royal Tennenbaums. I'm sorry to invoke a comparision here, but it is so striking that I have to say it. The narration is the kind you would find in a children's tale, and the characters are introduced by their likes and dislikes. Amelie approaches life with a wide-open fresh view that sees everything for the first time and the smallest of things are of the biggest importance.

Amelie spends the whole film trying to bring happiness into others lives in imaginative ways. Ultimately, she must do the same for herself. The film's message is an uplifting one of innocence and optimism. Fairy-tale like, destiny always seems to take a large hand, and The Glass Man is the fairy godmother (father?) of the film, finally bestowing upon Amelie the courage to seek out happiness for herself.

Viewers will find this lovely fable easy to relate to, as Amelie is such a fresh and unique character. We all have a bit of her spirit in us as well as her shyness to face happiness head-on.

There are lots of great minor performances in this which add greatly to the local color. Amelie's knuckle-cracking coworker and her paranoid boyfriend who stalks her at work and makes notes of her every move into a portable tape recorder... The sad concierge at Amelie's apartment who loves and hates her dead cheating husband... Amelie's cold, serious father who longs to travel but never will... All these characters are magically helped by Amelie who seeks to breathe new life into their simple lives.

This film will do the same for you. It is a joyful little modern fairy-story of chasing down true love when you find it.

Movie Review: the surprising romance of photobooths
Summary: 5 Stars

Instead of taking rather ugly situations and insisting without any particular proof that they are adorable or romantic, "Amelie" shows the effect that a particular mindset can produce, making the very ordinary into something magical. While not exactly an advertisement for the Power of Positive Thinking, the advantages of a mischievous, curious approach to life are certainly amplified here.

"Amelie" is not all sweetness and light. Despite her appeal, the character Amelie is sly and secretive and has an unsettling disregard for the consequences of her actions. Her playfulness takes on an air of cruelty in her treatment of the mean-spirited greengrocer, and I began to wonder if she orchestrated the romance for her co-worker out of friendship or spite... However, it is her playfulness that, for better or worse, makes things happen.

Unlike most movies meant to entrance audiences (i.e., like those named above), "Amelie" takes place in a recognizable world where all the ordinary rules apply. Except for the contrivance of Amelie's occasional asides to the camera, demonstrating the workings of her busy mind, nothing happens in this movie that could not happen in real life. The charm of this film rests on these practical underpinnings, and it is Amelie's imagination which provides the glow.

Having never been to Paris, I can only say that the Paris of this film looks and feels exactly like Paris is supposed to: twisty little streets, tilty old buildings, wheezy accordions, and ample evidence of le chic which happens to be very shabby. And so far as the look of Amelie herself, so much has been said about Audrey Tautou and her doll-like, anime-eyed darlingness that I needn't say anything more on the subject. Oh, OK, one more thing: she makes a very sexy Zorro!

So Amelie's love interest works in a porn shop. So people in France have (not-very-graphic, actually) sex. The sexual content is minimal and struck me as being mostly farcical - it's romance that is taken seriously here. I have no kids, but I think many would find it OK for older children, especially since there's so much else to enjoy - I would be more concerned about a child's ability to read the subtitles and keep up with the story!

Movie Review: Sparkling: Ally McBeal in France
Summary: 5 Stars

Jeunet carefully planned the film, using storyboards to plan down to the minute details of exact camera angles and film speeds. The added commentary on the DVD is an eye opener as it is described how the digital imaging now allows for the filmmaker to tint the colors and control the look of the film. Amelie represents a great technological achievement.

The story is touching and carried me along to the end as if the movie passed in an instant. Just as Jeunet paid great attention to the look of the film, he has cast and shot the supporting characters with detailed attention. Even Jean Darie who walks across the screen for about a minute as a blind man Amelie whisks through the city describing the city scene is memorable, without uttering a line. Serge Merlin who played Drefayel the artist with the breakable bones who paints the same Renoir painting each year for the last 2 decades is marvelous and propels Amelie to go for the gusto, so to speak. Isabelle Nauty as Georgette the tobacconist that Amelie falls in love is wonderfully dense and neurotic.

The themes of the picture are also playfully and entertainingly represented. The innocence of Amelie and Nico is a touchstone for the picture. This is contrasted by the world around them: Nico works in a porn shop where Amelie bravely walks in to find him. And while Amelie does try to make those around her happy, she also metes out justice as she sneaks into the apartment of the cranky grocer and puts foot cream where his tooth paste should be and shorts out an electrical cord sending sparks.

Finally, I enjoyed the romance of this picture. Mathieu Kassovitz is wonderful as the Nino. The final scene where Amelie wordlessly and tenderly kisses his eyes and neck with him returning the caress so gently was quite beautiful, and reflects the sweetness and innocence at the heart of the film. I found the picture a complete joy and look forward to revisiting it again. Bonjour!