Rating: 
Summary: She's Cute, But...
Review: I love a good romantic/sweet comedy as much as anyone, but rather than feel glad or happy when these two young lovers got together in the end of the film, I felt uninterested and even slightly annoyed! I wondered why, thought about it, and this is what I came up with:The film is primarily based around Amelie's desire to form a romantic relationship with a young man, correct? In order for the audience to sympathize and be carried along with her in this aim, a certain amount of erotic or romantic tension, a dramatic arc, needs to accompany her desire for his attention. Sexuality is an important part of that tension, and if the the story gives too much away early on, that tension is nullified. By showing Amelie (none-too-subtly) having sex with another man early in the film, the spell was broken. Furthermore, the "sexual-tension bubble" was burst several times in other ways, from the "symphony of orgasms" scene, to her friends' loud sexual encounter in the bathroom, to the fact that her potential boyfriend works in a porno shop, continuously surrounded by rubber phalluses. The result of all this sexual frankness and anti-climax is that Amelie's cuteness no longer serves any sort of sexual or romantic tension...it's just annoying. The lovers' long-awaited kiss at the end of the film seems timid and dull after what we've been exposed to earlier in the film. This isn't a moral criticism...it's an artistic one. A peach doesn't seem as sweet once someone has taken a big bite out of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Compulsively Comic
Review: This is a French romantic comedy set in Paris and almost told as a fairy tale. Is this a postmodern version of Cinderella? Close, perhaps, but the slipper seems to be a picture. Yes, you get to actually see places in Paris you might have visited. I was especially delighted for that reason. I don't remember the last time I laughed so much while watching a movie. In fact, maybe it was when watching "What About Bob." Which proves psychological hilarity does appeal to my sense of humor to the extreme. First you have two obsessive compulsive parents who never fully develop into characters you can admire or dislike. They simply exist in this movie as some sort of semblance of balance for the dysfunctional life Amelie (Audrey Tautou ) has woven her fragile existence between until her parents are torn apart by death. For the first part of her life, she is not shown normal affection and finally retreats into her own imagination. Deprived of love and basic childhood pleasures, like friends, Amelie lacks social skills in various areas, while she seems to survive working as a waitress in an eccentric café. One day her life changes. She is watching the news and is so shocked by the revelation she drops something that rolls to a bathroom tile, that reveals a hidden treasure. She vows to return the treasure to the original owner. There is something beautiful about Amelie's character. She embodies an innocence long forgotten and therefore her vindictive side in regards to the corner grocer will have you rolling on the floor. The man (Mathieu Kassovitz) she falls for is of course even more eccentric than she is and well, he works in a place that might not delight you and there are a few seconds here and there of adult naughtiness. They could have left out the dancer and the shop where he works because technically those items are not really woven well into the story. A more hilarious view is taken of sex in this movie and there are no serious love scenes to be sure. His character is not fully developed and they focus more on Amelie's life and longings. Amelie sees herself as an angel/avenger. Half the time she is helping the eccentric characters find their way to happiness, while the hilarity comes from her attempts to "teach" other rather rude characters a good lesson. Then Amelie sends her father's garden gnome all over the world and this inspires him to travel. She seems to inspire others to follow their dreams. In the process she discovers that having heart only shows her half the real picture in life. She needs a soul mate to complete her. Being the completely innocent character she is, she would of course find someone who is rather a nonconformist in a way. He spends some of his time collecting torn up pictures from a photo booth and is seeking to solve the mystery of his life. Who is the man who keeps appearing to have his picture taken? Watch for a moment of pure spectacular creativity when water splashes all over the floor. There are artistic moments of bliss in this movie! Nostalgic in places and poignant scenes that will catch you off guard as you find yourself suddenly crying and maybe relating to Amelie in some intimate way as you realize that you too have had dreams that didn't always come true just when you wanted them to. Completely modern movie making and has academic nuances here and there to delight the poet in you. A cozy Parisian Soundtrack is included to match. A similar experience to watching Moulin Rouge because you have an intense desire to watch this over and over again. I think it is just so visually stimulating and the details can hardly be absorbed in one viewing. A feel good movie that leaves you with a sense that
there is still beauty and sweet innocence left somewhere in the world. Or maybe that is just a fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: The Best french Movie
Review: If you want to smell the perfume of Paris
You must watch this movie
Rating:
Summary: In Technicolor!!!
Review: Amelie is a brilliant movie for a number of reasons. It is beautifully shot, excellently edited and wonderfully acted. Audrey Tautou's smile and presence made her every scene a keeper. But perhaps the greatest reason to see this movie is the colors! Do you remember the awestruck feeling that you felt when you saw The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy entered Munchkinland? Or when you first saw Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory? There are scenes in this movie that will give you that same feeling. It is the reason movies are made, to draw emotion from the audience and give you that rollercoaster experience...
Rating:
Summary: Wow, worth the wait
Review: I missed this in the theaters and just saw the DVD. Wow, is this a good movie, most likely the cutest, most adorable little movie I've ever seen. Not a kid's movie at all (Strong sexual content, but only for very brief moments. This is a French movie after all) Audrey Tautou has all the wonderment of a small child, yet in the last scene transforms into a glorious beautiful woman. Wonderful cinematography, a sweet plot, infinitely likable characters. It's a fable and fairy tale for adults. I don't giggle, but the first 15 minutes had me te-he'ing non stop. The movie just makes you feel good, and it's a wonderful piece of work.
Rating:
Summary: What a lovely movie
Review: This DVD was a blind buy for me-- I haven't seen this prior to my purchase, but purchased it anyway due to many great reviews. After watching this film, I have no regrets at all in purchasing it. In fact, this DVD is now one of my favorites in my entire collection! I love the excellent mix of comedy, beautiful cinematography, a wonderful musical score, and the rich, vibrant colors used in this film. I recommended this movie to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful and enchanting candy for the eye and heart
Review: The most compelling part of AMELIE is the way that it tantalises the eyes. While the viewer knows in his or her heart that Paris never really looked this clean or beautiful, the film nevertheless manages to delight every second of its 122 minute run time. The colors, the light, the imagery, the fantasy: all blends together to entrance and excite the viewer. In this way, the film harkens back to the earliest films made, those by another resident of Paris, Lumiere. There was no real point to those little films except to startle and delight the viewer, and in that sense the film follows very much in that tradition. Audrey Tautou is a wonder! I hope that she makes very many films. She is utterly adorable, and a delight to look at with her black hair and apparently matching eyes. With a lesser actress, this film might have been fun to look at, but would not have engaged the viewer emotionally. As it is, we care very much for her to find happiness in addition to helping others to find it, because we come to like her. The rest of the cast was also very enjoyable. I especially enjoyed Serge Merlin as "The Glass Man," socalled because he has especially brittle bones. The film conceit of having him constantly work on hyperrealistic copies of paintings of Renoir works marvelously, though he shouts so loudly a couple of times that I was surprised that he didn't break a couple of ribs. Everything in this film conspires to make it an enjoyable experience. Visually, as I have mentioned, it is utterly stunning. The cinematography and the art direction is just extraordinary. I loved the soundtrack, and for the hour or two after seeing this the strains of the accordion kept playing through my head. All in all, this is as enjoyable a piece of eye candy as I have encountered in a long, long time. It is as visually arresting as another recent film set in Paris, MOULIN ROUGE, but I personally found the film as a whole far more enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: The BEST "Good Feeling" Film
Review: You will fall in love with Amelie after you are finished with the film. If you dislike subtitle/foreign films, you will still fall in love with Amelie...It's THAT great! The performances, directing, screenplay, score, and the cinematography is INCREDIBLE.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: This was the best movie that I've seen in years...usually subtitling bothers me, but it didn't seem to be an issue at all because the camerawork, the effects, the story, and the acting were so flawless. Buy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Why not for everyone?
Review: I rented this movie with high hopes. And in many ways it did deliver. The cinematography is fantastic. The storyline is certainly fanciful and charming. Audrey Tautou is gorgeous and well cast for this film. It had everything I look for in a movie. For all of these I give 5 stars.
The disappointment for me is the fact that this is not a movie I can share with my kids, (ages 17,15,12). This is the type of film I would like to foster an appreciation for in my kids, but I can't own it. Why?... The sexual content is extreme by even liberal accounts. Over the top... the most sexual R rated movie I have ever seen. There seems to be no need for such extreme sexuality in this storyline. I would love for film makers to understand the importance of making artful presentations for everyone. I think our society could benefit greatly by such imagination, and good hearted humor. Give me the PG version of Amelie any day.
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