#5, The City of Lost Children

I want to open this by plugging Ron Perlman, who stars in this film. He's a terrific actor, but apparently has difficulty getting work, especially in leading roles, due to his abnormal facial structure. Lame.

I'd always wanted to watch this film all the way through, and this was my chance. I really wasn't disappointed. If you've never heard of it, The City of Lost Children is a lesser-known visual masterpiece by the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the man responsible for Amelie (as well as Alien: Resurrection, but we don't need to speak of that). In my opinion City is actually superior to Amelie. The visuals and tone of the former are far more touching than the latter, and the fact that the Paris of Amelie seems to have been ethnically cleansed has always bothered me. The former simply does not get too caught up in itself. I'll even go so far as to say that the combined performances of Perlman and Judith Vittet, who plays the girl Miette (but seems to have, unfortunately, disappeared entirely from cinema afterwards), surpass that off Audrey Tautou. Yes I said it. But I digress.

The City of Lost Children is held up entirely by its wonderfully colorful characters and visuals, and the dystopic yet strangely beautiful atmosphere of the city that much of the film takes place in. The story, involving Perlman, a circus strongman, in a quest to rescue his adopted little brother from the clutches of a scientist that would steal his dreams to restore his youth, is both simple and imaginative. My only regret is that some of the characters disappear from the film far too quickly and are not referenced again. I would have liked to see some elements of the story elaborated upon or at least closed up, especially in terms of the Cyclops Cult and the orphan children. It felt like there was some potential there that was not fully exploited. Otherwise, however, the imagination, emotion, and combinations of wonder and terror contained within this film are truly beautiful. Even with the imperfect rating, this is another personal favorite.

Highlights: Breathtaking visuals, an atmosphere you could cut with a knife, inventive characters, and fantastic performances from Perlman and Vittet.

Downers: Moments that were all too fleeting or not expounded upon. Fascinating characters that would appear and disappear sooner than I would have liked.

8.5/10