| Midnight Court Film Society |
||
| Home | Services | Contact |
Oct-Dec 2010 Screenings
Amelie
2001 - Jean-Pierre Jeunet - 122 mins - France
Fri 22 Mar 2002 at 8.30pm
Joyce's Lounge, Tuamgraney, Co. Clare
Midnight Court Rating: 5.0 (2 votes)
Amelie understands our little insanities and appreciates us for them. A swift speaking narrator capsules Amelie's biography. The fisheyed, almost cartoony cinematography, attention to bizarre cherry-earring details and the silly tone of narration (like that of "Rocky and Bullwinkle") maintain a dizzy-dancy, tilted humor that will win your heart immediately and never let it go. I'd have been pleased as punch if these fruitatiously rich characters never spoke, the quirky story telling and images play so well together. Once we are brought to speed, though undoubtedly quiet comfortable being narrated, Amelie speaks for herself. Sculpted from a friendless sheltered childhood, adult Amelia eventually stumbles across two missions: 1) falling in love with a stranger as harmlessly eccentric as herself, 2) playing a sort of secret angel to the plethora of colorfully dysfunctional characters in her daily life. The former being so terribly frightening to her, she tends to both in a behind the scenes, strategic, yet playful manner. Unique and original, this film is simply charming.
Verdicts from the Midnight Court
I didn't actually see this film when it was screened at The Midnight Court, But so many people said how much they had enjoyed it that I bought it and have watched it several times since... cheerful and eccentric - delicatessan elbows you in the ribs while you're trying to laugh but Amelie strokes your cheek and tickles you!
stuart
Sat 31 Aug 2002