I hadn’t seen “Amelie” since its release 20+ years ago. It’s cute! On this viewing, I appreciated the sound design, the dialogue of the older man who has “glass bones,” and how Amelie is a complicated anti-hero serving vigilante justice.
I wonder if Parisians hate this movie. It’s very French, of course, but the characters live idealistic lives. They have all the time in the world to dream big or stalk crushes.
Perhaps this is the alternate reality that Levittowns, with their HOA-mandated grass lawns, were meant to prevent: When people have too much time on their hands, they’ll theoretically check out communism for the hell of it. (There’s a great Half as Interesting video about this called “Why American Lawns All Look the Same.”)
Oh! Just a heads up… there are two suicides in the first five minutes. I’d forgotten all about that 😳