Inexplicably well-reviewed (if little seen) animation from France (feature debuts for directors Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han), best described as Whimsical/Creepy.* Told largely thru little Amelie's POV as she passes from two to three years-old in the 1970s at the lux pagoda-style house her Belgian family (Mom, brother, sister, house helper) live in while Dad works a year in Japan. Discovering some new natural wonder every day, Amélie develops a kiddie God Complex, getting into trouble with every adventure. Mom weirdly unconcerned with safety in spite of near drownings and spills. No matter, that local housekeeper serves as surrogate while late developer Amélie coos in wonder before finally starting to walk & talk. If she’d only shut up! A regular French philosopher manqué! Now, we’re supposed to coo. Short and stocky compared to her family, as if she were being shown thru an anamorphic lens or was sculpted by Botero. The family does share unnaturally round cat’s eyes, just not the feline kind. More Cat’s Eyes marbles. Yikes! Though not the villainous landlady, a war survivor who hates Europeans. But it’s Amélie you’ll want to slap. The film like one of those over-sized child’s picture books your Grandma thought would make a nice gift, but which you never took out of its shrink wrap.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Hard to get behind a film that uses White Chocolate as Proustian Madeleine.
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: *TURNING RED/’22 director Domee Shi needs only eight minutes to land a lot of the ideas being messed with here in the hilarious child/parent horror of BAO/‘18.
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