what a joy it was

[wizbit9]

Chocolat is an enchanting, moving and heart-warming tale of love and temptation, a big-budget movie with its roots in European art house cinema. Magical and almost fairytale-like in theme, it's the story of the mysterious Vianne and her arrival in a quiet, old-fashioned French town at the end of the 1950s. Gradually her attitude to life and the delicacies that she prepares in her chocolate shop have a marked effect on the local people, bound as they are by the twin forces of religion and politics.

Juliette Binoche is perfect in the role of the sensuous, captivating Vianne--a masterstroke of casting matched by the performance of Judi Dench as the splendidly grumpy but ultimately inspiring matriarch Armande. Very much an ensemble piece, the whole cast are indeed excellent, with Johnny Depp (making a fair fist of an Irish accent) superb as the drifter Roux, the one man capable of unlocking Vianne's own desires. From its majestic opening swoop to the final, joyous scene, Lasse Hallström's film, based on the bestselling novel, is nothing short of a masterpiece

 

[peachykeen]

It was really good. And I don't normally go for 'beautiful' men like Depp, but for him I can make an exception. I saw him once in a shop here in London and my god is he breathtaking, it's almost supernatural.

 

[wizbit9]

the line that did it for me was when they were looking across the courtyard at the local mad women and judy dench remarked that she "waltzed to her own tune" fabulous

if you like this you will also like the film amiele

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie could have been marketed as a simple love story, but this would be missing a huge part of its appeal. It is in fact only the second half of the movie where romance begins to blossom, and even then it is in an unconventional way. With its use of special effects to express the main character's internal emotions, this could also have been mistaken for a French version of Ally McBeal; however, unlike Ally "woe is me for I cannot find a man" McBeal, Amelie is not distressed by the lack of men in her life, in fact the whole idea of sex seems to amuse her no end. Basic pleasures such as cracking the top of a Crème Brule offer her all the sensual satisfaction she needs and her existence in the "Paris of Dreams" is the stuff of fairy-tales. Indeed, this cinematic treat must have worked wonders for the Paris tourist board; Jeunet's beautiful interpretation of Parisian life includes all the vibrant colours you would expect from the director of Delicatessen.

But Amelie is much more than a simple "feel-good" movie. The pixie woman herself is a shining symbol for our times. Set at the time of Princess Diana's death, Amelie is struck with a plan to offer goodness back to the world--to become the Mother Teresa of France. The film never offers a motive for this do-gooding--like all great martyrs Amelie simply is and does as she pleases to please others. She demands no thanks for her offering of love, simply hiding in the shadows and gaining the warm glow of satisfaction from the knowledge that she has managed to change someone's life. Her selflessness is a breath of fresh air in a dog-eat-dog world where we ignore our neighbour's troubles, and each other's loneliness. Featuring a strong supporting cast who play fully rounded characters, as well as the beautiful imagery and typical French humour which borders on the black, Amelie will leave the viewer feeling like the happiest person alive.

 

[DéjàNu]

2 very good movies Wizbit. I love them.

I didnt know that Amelie was in english, I'm wondering how it sound.

 

[wizbit9]

subtitles are a wonderous thing

 

[Guest]

Another good one