Amelie
Participants: Blair, Chris, Kara, Sara, Andrew and Shane
So, first let me explain my rating scale (at least how I'm using it now, as I'm sure it will evolve as this blog continues). I think if I'm going to give something an A range rating, I'll have thought about the movie, specific scenes, characters, etc days after watching. It will make me think, question, critique, etc. A C rating is just that - it's average, I would watch it again, but it's maybe not thought provoking. An F would have to be a long the lines of "Bachelorette" something Netflix just "suggested" to me (I think I Fail Netflix). It was horrible and nothing redeeming in it and if I watched it again, it would be punishing myself.
On with the review: I haven't thought much about Amelia since the movie viewing, other than, "oh, I need to write my review," and then I've spent a few minutes thinking about how weird - in a good way - the characters were. After finishing a film, I will often think, "damn, that was good/interesting/etc, I need to watch that again!" I did not think that with this movie...
So, it sounds like I'm about to give Amelia a bad review, but that's not the case. I must say first that I actually should watch this movie again - I'm a terribly slow reader and it took me more than a minute to get used to reading the English subtitles. Somehow I did not realize this movie was in French (idiot!); because of this and my inability to read quickly, this film was at a disadvantage. I should also note that I was thoroughly thrown off by the opening credits/ intro story with the pregnant belly growing and the cheesy baby...yuck. I HAVE thought about that.
What I loved - the dry sense of humor was awesome and thoroughly enjoyable throughout. I liked the weird characters, no one was "normal," they all had weird quirks, which I liked. I loved all the little stories of her helping people and the give/take relationship she had with the old dude and her eventually helping herself. What I thought was missing - some meat to these characters. I don't know why they do what they do, or how they've arrived in the places they are in. I see how they fit together now, and maybe that's the point. I'm sure the movie is purposely vague and I'm the dummy who is not getting the real story here, but help me out! I want more depth.
With these thoughts, I rate Amelia a C+/B-, I would watch it again and enjoy it, but it's not something I would think to bring up over dinner to discuss. It is however, a good movie to have in the books, I feel like classy people must have watched this film and liked it.
