Amélie (2001)

The film enchants with nostalgic optimism, glorious visuals and ceaseless invention after Jeunet's earlier nightmarish fantasies. Tautou's Amélie is iconic in her selfless joie de vivre, though the rose-tinted Paris vision has some conservative undertones.

The review calls it the quintessential subtitled film for those who dislike them and an eccentric one-of-a-kind work reflecting Jeunet's unique sensibility. It praises the cheeky jokes and oddball observations but notes it feels overlong and saccharine at times.

Amélie is a self-indulgent, smug fairy tale whose aggressive style and contrived whimsy make it unbearable art-house eye candy. Jeunet's flashy techniques and cutesy coincidences overwhelm any genuine feeling, resulting in something to chew on with a barf bag handy.

The critic finds the film overly sweet and whimsical, likening it to being forced to eat an entire dessert trolley while being serenaded, though it has charm in its fantasy elements and lead performance.

The film is described as a small, dippy, consoling pick-me-up with trick shots and visual busyness reminiscent of Chagall or Dufy, but the critic notes it fidgets and fusses too much, risking frittering away its joy despite contributing to gaiety.

The film is a visually striking but ultimately wearisome contraption centered on a whimsical heroine who meddles in others' lives. Jeunet's style prioritizes clever ideas over emotional engagement, leaving the whimsy feeling stretched and detached.

The critic calls it one of the most joyous films of recent years and the dictionary definition of feel-good, with a golden heart and irresistible charms that brighten lonely characters through Amélie's positive force. They single out its magic realism filtered through the heroine's imagination and the affectionately drawn eccentrics.

The critic finds the film a sugar-rush of meticulous visual clutter and hypnotic romance, praising its fable-like quality filled with longing and a heroine who flirts with failure. Jeunet's affection for the medium shines through in the funny curlicues around the action.

The review praises it as Jeunet's best and most accessible picture, a schmaltz-free feelgooder that reminds viewers true love and beauty exist in mundane places. It highlights the quirky supports, Tautou's elfin lead performance, and the contemporary Parisian fantasy setting free of tokenism or agenda.

Jeunet's fresh, funny, exquisitely bittersweet tour de force is ambitious yet intimate, defiantly personal yet gleefully universal, with every frame an instant lesson in design and charm that leaves viewers feeling they have borrowed an artist's eyes.

The critic finds the film delightful and quirky, with Amélie discovering secrets in little things amid an atmosphere of magic created by Jeunet's imaginative approach. Eccentricity is celebrated as a quality needing protection, with love remaining elusive and Tautou perfectly cast in the lead.