Featured Film Review
'Amélie' or *Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain* 2001 Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet Starring Audrey Tautou as Amélie Poulain and Mathieu Kassovitz as Nino Quincampoix (among other cast members)122 minutes. DEFINITELY an R rating.
We've been trying to catch up on both groundbreaking modern and influential older films lately, from the original Metropolis (1927), to La Belle et la Bete (1949) which was an obvious source for parts of the latest Phantom of the Opera movie, Wings of Desire(1987), Russian Ark (2002), and last night's Amélie (2001). I actually recommend most of these movies, but I'll focus on Amélie for this review.
There's just something about French films - a heightened sense of cinematographic depth, a richness of color, a je ne sais quoi that absolutely applies to this film. Stunningly shot, the colors are so rich and saturated and the camera work so lovingly done that it's like being a kid in a candy store - you just can't wait to see what happens next. The colors I noticed most were Green Fairy acid green and bright red, and they helped transition from one scene to the next.
The same director also created Delicatessen, which contains the famous sex scene where the entire apartment complex chimes in to become a symphony with a teakettle's triumphant climax - there's a nod to that in this film.
Though far-fetched at times, the plot was quirky and fun, and the actors did a great job. When it was over, I would gladly have watched it again!
The subtitles are okay, but not all the words are translated, so if you can speak French it'll add an extra dimension and meaning to the film. If not, the subtitles are okay and convey the majority of the meanings.
So, if you haven't seen it and need something that is charming, impish and fairy-tale like for grown-ups, this is a good choice.
Reviewer: Andrea
If you would like to join in on a discussion about this film, please go to the forum here: Amélie