Movie 1- Amelie

My Rating: 5/5 stars

I chose to begin with one of the few movies on the list I have already seen. As I watched it today, I fell in love all over again with the exceptional cinematography and unspoken emotion portrayed so cleverly. The film, which is entirely in French, begins with the story of Amelie's childhood. She lives alone with her father who is not affectionate, though he is kind and loving. Amelie (played by Audrey Tautou) grows up to be a beautiful, quiet, introverted French woman with little interaction with those around her. From there we watch as she attempts to fix the lives of her neighbors and the curious object of her affection.

As I watched I tried to really grasp what made this film so special. It is after all one of my favorites.. So why did it make the list? I think there are a number of reasons. First as I mentioned previously, the cinematography is fabulous. The careful use of vibrant green and red throughout gives the film an almost surreal feeling. The talking photos and paintings, the moment when Amelie melts into the cafe floor with a splash, or my personal favorite the day dream sequence towards the end, all create a magical and dream-like quality which help to personify and develop Amelie's character in the most intimate ways.

Aside from this, the film is honest in many ways. Perhaps most evident would be the brilliant casting. The entire cast consists of average looking people (and some less than average) whose physical appearance make them more credible. Ultimately I think this is the most important piece in creating a good movie. If the viewer can relate to the characters, they feel the emotions as the actors portray them. The viewer is simply more involved, and the movie becomes memorable.

We all day dream.. we all hope or imagine something we want will come true. That is how we relate to Amelie. I felt a personal connection with her as she imagined Nino coming back from the market with the yeast for her famous plum cake... And as the curtain moves my heart leaped with hers in hopes her dream came true... but when she turns to see it was only the cat.. I felt the despair as her heart broke. The scene portrays the joy we all feel when it comes to love... and the contrasting pain of loneliness.

I think this explains why Amelie made the list. We as viewers are able to see ourselves in her. Combine that with the dream-like cinematography and quirky casting and you have a magical recipe for entertainment.