Amelie by Miramax Home Entertainment

"Amelie", a French film from director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Delicatessen", "City of Lost Children") is a fairy tale confection that is sure to please most everyone who has the opportunity to watch it. Amelie (Audrey Tautou), a young waitress living in Montmarte, happens to find a small box of toys behind a loose tile in her bathroom. She decides to anonymously reunite the toys with their owner, now a man in his late 40s. After she tracks him down, she leaves the box in a phone booth that he passes every day. As he passes, she calls the booth causing him to stop and find the box. Amelie stops at a local bar and the man also stops there, talking about the curious events of the day. He proclaims that he will call his daughter and grandson, because he hasn't talked to his daughter in many years. Gratified, Amelie begins to do small anonymous favors for the people in her life. Her path crosses with Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz), a strange young man who collects discarded photo booth pictures. She is attracted to him, but completely unable to introduce herself. I think it would be difficult for anyone to dislike "Amelie". The story is so uplifting, the lead actress is so enormously appealing and likable, the supporting cast is so excellent, the production qualities are completely top notch. Jeunet has crafted a vision of Montmarte and Paris that is idyllic, picture book perfect, causing many intellectuals in France to denounce the film. In my opinion, these people are trying to find fault with the film because it is so good. They are jealous. This is a lovable confection for all ages. I'll address the all ages thing later. The film is washed in a sepia tint giving each frame the appearance of an old photograph. Set in 1997, the settings look like they were pulled from the 40s. With the exception of a modern video camera, pretty much the entire film is devoid of modern technology. None of the characters drive cars and only one of them uses a small motor bike to get around. This lack of technology only serves to make the film appear even more like a fairy tale. Amelie and her friends inhabit a Paris that is also extremely clean. No graffiti and little dirt appear in any frame as she travels to and fro. This helps attain and retain the idealized vision of life that in turn helps the viewer live inside this fairy tale. Amelie, as played by Audrey Tautou, is so kind, friendly and infectious that it is difficult not to like her. Tautou could pass as Audrey Hepburn's love child, the resemblance is so striking. She is a young woman that realizes she has a gift for helping people anonymously. With this realization, it becomes her reason for life. Amelie is a strange girl, quiet but pretty, unconfident with strangers but also looking for a relationship. She grew up in a strange family environment, which helps explain some of her behavior. This family history is amusingly, and quickly, presented by Jeunet at the beginning of the film. Audrey Tautou is very charming in this role and this film. I inadvertently watched a DVD of "French Beauty Institute" the same night. Tautou has a supporting role in the film, but barely makes an impact. Hopefully, she will be able to find the type of roles that will ensure a long and healthy career. The overall message of "Amelie" is so uplifting that it raised my spirits all day. Much like the disastrous American film "Pay It Forward", the film has a message that if we help strangers, our world will be a better place. The difference in the story between the two films is that "Amelie" does not rely on preachy storytelling or character martyrdom to get the message across. Amelie does her thing and the consequences happen, causing us to laugh and learn from her example. Another wonderful thing about the film is that not all of the consequences of her good deeds last for very long. Despite the fairy tale aspect of the film, this helps it seem more real and gives the message more resonance. I would think that "Amelie" would be a perfect film to take the entire family to, but there are a few things to be aware of. The film is subtitled, which will prevent the youngest kids from understanding it. Also, there are a few very brief images of nudity in a sexual situation. Two scenes are set in a sex shop and the characters price sex toys before displaying them, but they don't discuss them at all or put them into the context of what they are supposed to do. These few things will probably keep parents from taking children, but, in my view, that is a mistake. If they can read subtitles, they should see "Amelie". The film is great for everyone and should eventually be experienced by everyone. Wouldn't it be better for your child to see a film about a girl who does good deeds than some violent action film at every mutliplex? "Amelie" apparently caused quite a sensation in France. It is now the top grossing film in that country and has inspired people to do little good deeds for strangers. I have even heard that a tour company is offering a tour of the sights used in the film. Hopefully, "Amelie" will catch on here in the U.S. as well.

I love Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film, AMÉLIE. I already owned the Amélie 2-DVD set and have been in love with the movie since my friends took me to see it at a French movie theater back in the early part of 2002 (BTW it is in French with English or Spanish subtitles). If you haven't seen it, AMÉLIE is a wonderful story about two lonely people who've been dreaming about one another since they were children. Both Amélie (Audrey Tautou) and Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz) wished they had another person in their life, being such lonely children, and one day as adults, their paths cross. In the meantime, both acquire quirks and Amélie, after finding a tin box filled with a boy's childhood treasures, decides that she's going to reunite the owner (now a 40+ man) with the lost keepsake. After proving a successful and joyous reunion, she vows to become a crusader for good helping all the other lonely people around her. However, no matter how many good deeds she accomplishes, Amélie cannot escape the cold loneliness that she feels inside and around her, until she's finally forced to help herself and take that flying leap of faith and letting someone else in. Perhaps that's why I enjoy this movie so much. It isn't just a boy-meets-girl type of film; it explores the angst that comes along with meeting someone that you feel a connection with and that period in-between, especially if you've been alone for a long time, and you just don't know how to take the next step. Another great thing about this film is the use of special effects. This has to be the first movie that I've seen that uses special effects and it isn't in the science fiction/fantasy genre. The use of the effects really punctuate the story and gives it a whimsical feel. Although it does paint a romanticized view of life and of Paris, it's used to great effect throughout and I love the visual style of it. The BLU-RAY edition of AMÉLIE is gorgeous! The saturated colors really pop and the clarity makes the movie a feast for the eyes. I am however a little disappointed that there wasn't any new special features added to this BLU-RAY edition. In fact, several extras on the DVD are gone from here: the TV Spots, the French language trailer, and the cast and crew filmography. Not a big deal though since all the important specials were ported over and everything is on one disc. ****** SPECIAL FEATURES ****** "Audio Commentary By Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet" - in English "Look Of Amélie" - 12:48-minutes English Director Jeunet and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel discuss the use of special effects and visual style used in the movie. "Fantasies Of Audrey Tautou" - 2:07-minutes Bloopers. "Screen Tests" - Play All or One At A Time - French w/English subtitles Audrey Tautou - 01:58 - interesting to note that Tautou was not Jeunet's first choice for Amélie Urbain Cancelier - :38 - the grocer, "Monsieur Colignon" Yolande Moreau - 03:52 - Amélie's downstairs neighbor, "Madeleine" "Q & A With Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet" (English) - 24:37-minutes Filmed at a screening at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA, and audience get to ask questions at the end. "Q & A With Director And Cast" (French W/English subs) - 05:55 Another screening Q & A with the director, Tautou, Kassovitz, and Jamel Debbouze (Lucien). "Storyboard Comparison" - :58 short clip of the fun house scene with the storyboards. "An Intimate Chat With Jean-Pierre Jeunet" - (French W/English subs) - 20:48-minutes Charming and funny, Jeunet talks about the film, the idea etc. and how it came to be, and the controversy surrounding the Cannes Film Festival. "Home Movies: Inside The Making Of Amélie" - 12:46 Interesting behind-the-scenes footage of Tautou getting her hair cut and styled into the famous bob; showing the extras that took the pictures in the photo-booth for Nino's photo book; test shots for camera angles; Serge Merlin "Dufayel aka the Glass Man" rehearsing lines; Debbouze (Lucien) preparing to shoot his scene etc. Trailers - English Scrapbook - includes behind-the-scenes, French Poster concepts, Storyboards, and the Garden Gnome's Travels (which I swear Travelocity stole the idea for their roaming Gnome ads). Anyway, if you already own the 2-DVD set of AMÉLIE and don't really need the 1080p high definition makeover, you could probably skip this Blu-Ray edition. But if you'd like to see it in hi-def and own a high definition TV, plus you love the movie, I highly recommend AMÉLIE on BR.

A fun story with quirky characters, colorful visuals with green and red color-grading, a wonderful musical score by Yann Tiersen, and great casting! It’s such a delightful French film, you won’t mind that it has subtitles!

One of the most beloved and popular works of all modern French cinema world wide, Amélie (2001) is director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's infectiously eccentric romantic comedy that has a certain I don't know what ... perhaps it is simply its wonderful French-ness. Certainly one the most glamourous, beautiful, and beautifully glamourized portraits of the Montmartre neighborhoods of Paris, used as a showcase setting for the tale of a quirky young waitress, the undeniable charming Audrey Tautou in the iconic role as the title character. A delightful, highly stylized and energetic fantasy, with superb cinematography, editing, and direction. When this movie was first released I was not overwhelmed by its magical/poetic realist romantic storytelling- yes, sad but true- now over 20 years later I find it magnificent entertainment, and a definitive inspiration for a feeling of an ideal Parisian culture, much more so than the film Paris, je t'aime (2006) which translates as Paris I love you. Highly recommended. Also recommended: director Jeunet's wild Delicatessen (1991) and The City Of Lost Children (1995), as well as the works of Patrice Leconte, and this may also be appealing to fans of Baz Luhrmann or Wes Anderson films.

I love this movie! I was so excited I found it in Blu-ray!

This is a movie like no other. Fun, whimsical, silly. A journey of a strange girl looking for the strange man that finds her.

The movie: I won't belabor the point. Either you "get it" or you don't. The movie is loaded with emotion, charm, mystery, excitement, and quiet beauty. It's the story of an unusual French woman who is trying to find happiness, while not losing her quirky nature. Amelie is utterly charming and engrossing, due in part to the performance of the lead, Audrey Tautou, but also due to the really spectacularly beautiful cinematography, color palette, and shot compositions. It's in French, and that's the only audio track on this disc. So know that you will have to read subtitles. But it's worth it. The Blu-Ray: OK. What do we want in order to induce us to buy a movie on Blu-Ray that we already own on DVD? In my book, there are three things: 1. A reasonable price 2. All of the extras from the previous release 3. A video transfer that offers an easily appreciable improvement. Long review short, Amelie on Blu-Ray delivers on all three counts. Encoded onto a single BD-50 disc, this release contains a 1080p transfer of the film itself, and all special features. The special features are all in standard definition, 4:3. This is a disappointment, but is par for the course on a catalog re-release like this. The point is, they're all here, so you can ditch your DVD. The video transfer is truly wondrous. Detail is through the roof, displaying facial pores, cloth textures, and individual hairs that just were not evident on the DVD. The amped-up, slightly hot color scheme from the DVD and theatrical presentations is preserved accurately. There are no compression artifacts or color banding evident at any point. There appears to be no visible edge enhancement, and no digital noise reduction to interfere with detail. Blacks are dark and solid, but not crushed. If your brightness and gamma are set properly, you will be rewarded with loads of detail near black, especially on Tautou's dark hair. The audio sounds pretty much like the same DTS track from the DVD. I did not notice any changes or improvements, but then, I'm not much of an audiophile. It is a dialogue heavy movie, with atmospheric surrounds only at key moments. I will say that Tatou's performance is very softspoken, so sometimes the balance between these moments required more fiddling than I would like. But it's not awful. OK - so why am I giving this 4 stars instead of 5? My main gripe is the 14 full minutes of preview material at the front end of the disc - which cannot be skipped by pressing "Top Menu." Instead, you have to manually advance through each stinking one, every single time you want to play the disc. There is a rudimentary "resume" feature, but this only saves your bacon if you failed to watch all the way through on your previous viewing, and if your player has continuous power and storage. Whenever you pop the disc in for a fresh viewing, here come the previews. It never ceases to amaze me how certain companies, and Lionsgate/Miramax is chief among them, punish their customers for purchasing their movies. I can't stand it, and it sours an otherwise lovely experience. My other gripe, which is more minor, is the paucity of subtitle options. On a 50gb disc, only having English and Spanish subs available is pretty lame. My wife had wanted a disc with French subtitles, so she could listen along with the French also being displayed on the screen. At least the titles aren't "burned" onto the transfer, meaning you can turn them off if you like. For those with constant-image-height front projection screens, you will be happy to know that the titles are entirely within the image field, not the letterbox bars. Conclusion: If you love this movie and have a Blu-Ray setup, it's hard to argue against this package. Cheap, beautiful, and comprehensive, it delivers on all fronts. If it weren't sabotaged by irritating decisions on the part of marketing boobs, it would be five stars all the way. As it is, it's still a must-buy for fans.

A fantastic version of a Parisian classic that will see no sequel due to the cultural shift in the country the film was shot in. Long gone are the romantic vistas, and city locales of old. Long gone are the peace loving people going about living their dreams. All that's left now is a third world tragedy that could not house a proper sequel to this beloved cinematic masterpiece. Buy it for nostalgia sake. To remember a world that will soon be forgotten.

Il favoloso mondo di Amélie [Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain - 2001] del regista francese Jean-Pierre Jeunet è un film autobiografico e realista. Le vicende narrate trovano riscontro nella cronaca già dalla data di inizio della storia, quel 30 agosto del 1997 segnato dalla morte di Lady D. Scenario del film è la Parigi turistica da cartolina illustrata ma filtrata attraverso una fotografia da sogno assicurata dal costante ricorso alle tonalità del verde, il colore dell'onirico. E sono i ricordi di Jeunet fatti di situazioni, oggetti, persone, spazi urbani e locali pubblici, e le sue passioni ed idiosincrasie a dettare i "mi piace" e "non mi piace" che caratterizzano i personaggi del film. Anche il tema portante del film, l'"occuparsi della vita degli altri", scaturisce dal vissuto del regista: è il ricordo di un invalido, privo delle gambe, sempre pronto ad aiutare il prossimo girando su un carretto spinto a mano per le vie di Parigi. "Occuparsi degli altri" e compiere le conseguenziali "buone azioni" sono i comandamenti osservati da tutti, protagonisti e comprimari; perfino il dispotico e sgarbato droghiere Collignon [Urbain Cancelier] aiuta Amélie Poulain lanciata nella sua prima impresa: trovare e restituire al proprietario una scatola piena di giocattoli, ricordo di un'infanzia lontana nel tempo ma di nuovo presente nella mente dell'interessato. Ed i conti con un'infanzia difficile fatta di solitudine ed emarginazione continuano a farli i due protagonisti del film: Amélie Poulain [Flora Guiet Amélie da bambina, e poi Audrey Tautou] e Nino Quincampoix [Amaury Babault Nino da bambino e poi Mathieu Kassovitz]. Amélie si vede come la "madrina di tutti gli emarginati" o addiritura come la "Madonna degli indesiderati", in effetti una via di mezzo fra madre Teresa e un boy-scout sempre pronto a far attraversare la strada al vecchietto di turno, qua nel film anche non vedente. Etichettata come "bella no, carina", "carina nel suo genere", la ventitreenne Amélie Poulain si presenta con un look da Mary Poppins di fine XX secolo ma di rosso vestita, una Woman in Red che va ad infrangere il "mare di verde" imperante nella pellicola; eh sì perché sembra proprio un film... bicolore in Verde e Rosso! Dunque, Amélie Poulain ha lasciato l'opprimente casa natia per andare a Parigi a fare la cameriera al "Café des Deux Moulins"; la giovane conduce un'esistenza solitaria ma animata dai suoi "mi piace" preferiti: 1. Far rimbalzare sassi sul pelo d'acqua del canale saint Martin. 2. Occuparsi degli altri inclusa un'esilarante vendetta ai danni del droghiere Collignon. Introversa ed inveterata sognatrice, Amélie rifiuta di confrontarsi con la realtà ed affronta le situazioni con strategie e stratagemmi contorti ma anche vincenti. Uguale a Amélie ma più diretto e concreto nell'agire è Nino Quincampoix [Amaury Babault da Nino bambino e poi Mathieu Kassovitz]; è commesso di un sexy shop e fa lo scheletro ululante nel "Trenino dei Carpazi", un'attrazione della Giostra del Trono. Ovviamente anche Nino vive in un mondo tutto suo fatto di fotografie alle orme impresse nel cemento, di registrazioni di risate variegatamente isteriche e soprattutto del suo vitale "mi piace": rintracciare foto uso tessera scadenti, strappate e gettate via da clienti delle cabine di fotografia per poi ricomporle ed archiviarle in un enorme album; sarà questo hobby - "mi piace" di Nino a fare entrare in contatto i due indubbiamente "caratteriali" ragazzi, ma come? 1. Amélie scova Nino intento a frugare sotto una cabina fotografica ovviamente a caccia di frammenti e foto da salvare nel suo librone. 2. Impegnato nell'inseguimento di un misterioso personaggio che alla fin fine si saprà essere "solo" il tecnico delle cabine fotografiche delle stazioni ferroviarie parigine, Nino smarrisce la borsa contenente l'album eh... perde o... lapsus freudiano ovverossia "amo" lanciato ad Amélie? Sea lo que fuera la restituzione del librone diventa per Amélie la "buona azione" culmine del film. Dopo un'arzigogolata "caccia al tesoro" [il premio è sempre l'album] degna di una festa barocca per il parco di Montmartre, Amélie restituisce l'album fotografico ma si perde in mille dubbi e timori; sarà Gina [Clotilde Mollet], la sua amica cameriera, a far realizzare il decisivo incontro dei due, già innamorati, ovviamente sempre all'insegna dell'"occuparsi degli altri". Ovviamente Amélie si disobbligherà liberando l'amica Gina dalle soffocanti attenzioni di Joseph [Dominique Pinon], fin troppo fedelissimo avventore di "Café des Deux Moulins" ex fidanzato della cameriera ma ancora geloso compulsivo. Come? Facile, con l'efficace tattica del "chiodo scaccia chiodo": convince Joseph di essere l'uomo dei sogni di Georgette [Isabelle Nanty], l' ipocondriaca e stralunata tabaccaia del "Café des Deux Moulins" e grazie ad un astuto stratagemma riesce a far accoppiare nel pieno senso del termine i due "caratteriali". Il 28 settembre Amélie Poulain e Nino Quincampoix sono finalmente una coppia felice. Dunque vicende e personaggi minimali ma resi spettacolari dalla minuziosa e barocca regia di Jean-Pierre Jeunet e dalla bravura degli attori tutti, dai protagonisti ai comprimari. Il mio preferito? Dominique Pinon che regala al suo personaggio, Joseph, mordaci commenti debitamente immortalati dal suo registratore, misoginia latente e sardonici ammiccamenti da... patologia psichiatrica. Ah, stavo dimenticando il deux ex machina del film, chi, cosa? Ma come... l'album di foto tessere di Nino Quincampoix. In ossequio al relismo del film librone e suo autore esistono nella realtà, il secondo è lo scrittore Michel Folco, mentre l'album originale è stato pubblicato in Giappone con grande successo di critica e di pubblico; in Francia non è stato possibile, la ricerca delle persone fotografate e le pratiche per l'autorizzazione alla stampa delle immagini hanno fatto desistere Jean-Pierre Jeunet tanto che per il film è ricorso a fotografie di comparse. In pratica non ha trovato nessuno disposto ad "occuparsi degli altri" cioè di se stesso ed a compiere la conseguenzale "buona azione"! Càpita nel mondo... reale! Bravi tutti, 110 e lode!

Todo perfecto y buena calidad. Pero cuidado que solo viene en francés y sin subtítulos.

Belle histoire ! Vues de Paris qui donnent envie d’aller les voir sur place !

Der ewig romantische tolle Film, ein Traum. Von 2001, aber zeitlos anschaubar.

A classic movie, to have in a private collection. This is a great French movie, with the Great French and International actress: Audrey Tautou, and a cast of many more Great French actors. The French title is: Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulains, which literally translates to: The fabulous destiny of Amélie Poulains. As per internet description: Despite being caught in her imaginative world, Amelie, a young waitress, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love.