Friday, April 15, 2016

Movie Recommendation: Amelie

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Hi Everyone,

I have been thinking about this movie quite a bit lately. 'Amelie' is a French movie (I don't speak French, but I can read subtitles) that was released in 2001. It stars Audrey Tautou (the beautiful lady who is known for playing Gabrielle Coco Chanel in the movie 'Coco Avant Chanel') and is directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. 'Amelie' is an interesting movie that never fails to amuse me or inspire me.

I know that this movie is definitely not unheard of and that a lot of people have seen it. I just think that it is such a great movie that more people should watch it. Unfortunately if you don't speak French, you will have to "read" the movie through subtitles, but I found after a while that I got so used to reading them that it didn't feel like I was reading. I thought one of the advantages of it being a French movie were the added beauty of the way the language translates to English. I have noticed with the few french movies that I have seen, that they have some unique ways of phrasing things, which can sometimes add to the drama or the humor in a scene.

Audrey Tautou plays the main character Amelie who is a bit of a dreamer. She is the kind of person that I feel like I can relate to. She a bit of a loner, she has an overactive imagination (hence being referred to as a "dreamer"), she cares about others and she sees the good/bad in people. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to these traits and I think this is the perfect movie to watch if you are feeling like a bit of an outcast. 

In the movie Amelie finds something in her apartment that leads her to change her own life. The movie really enforces the idea of karma and that everything is connected. Even though Amelie goes about doing good deeds in a secretive manner, her generous nature does not go unnoticed by her wise old neighbor who encourages her to live her life to the fullest. In the film Amelie meets many characters living with regrets which positions the audience to embrace this idea.

If you are an arty type, I think you will enjoy this film because of the way that it is made. The movie has its own colour scheme going on and it has some very quirky exaggerated scenes that I think would appeal to artists and writers alike. It definitely is the kind of movie that can inspire creativity.

I must admit there were some parts of the movie that I found a little too crude. Well, not exactly crude, but definitely a bit "in-your-face". So don't go putting this one on when there are young kids around! I think it was supposed to add to the humor and go with the style of the film, but I actually didn't enjoy those bits. I think there are a lot of funny moments in the film. While Amelie is a bit of a dreamer, you can see that all of the characters are unusual in their own way, And, most of them are too caught up in their own lives to see the bigger picture.

'Amelie' isn't just a movie that will make you laugh, but it is the kind of film that will encourage you to think a little deeply about life. If you haven't already seen 'Amelie' I highly recommend it. I think it is the perfect movie for someone who identifies themselves as a bit of dreamer. Or, for someone who is not feeling the greatest I think this movie would be a perfect pick-me-up. 

And now for the pictures:

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If you would like to view the image source for a picture, click on the little star underneath.

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

1 comment:

Witchcrafted Life said...

Really lovely post. This movie shines for its mix of whit, insight and whimsy. I remember seeing it way back in the day and was almost startled when I was reminded here just how long ago that would be now. What a fast decade and a half that's been. I feel like I should watch Amelie again, with adult eyes, and see how it speaks to me at this point, pretty much half my (present) lifetime later. Thank you for the engaging reminder of this delightful French film.

Many hugs,
♥ Jessica