Piratical Monday - Amelie

Ah, the first Piratical Monday. This week I've delved into the wonderful world of foreign language films. For some reason whenever I mention one of my favourite films, Amelie, there seems to be a look of surprise when people realise it's in French. Sure subtitles take a short while to get used to, but once you're five minutes or so in, you'll most likely be reading and watching no problem. And it's a shame that films such as these can get neglected. Just like any other film they can be both good and bad, but sometimes you'll find a real cracker. And so this week my hidden gem is Amelie.

Amelie Poulain has led a sheltered life - educated at home by over-protective parents, she retreats into a fantasy world of her own. When she finally leaves home and finds work as a waitress in a Parisian cafe, life is pretty uneventful until a chain of extroadinary events lead her to the discovery of a tin box containing a schoolboy's long forgotten mementos. It is then that Amelie discovers her true vocation in life - helping others find love and happiness - which she sets about in her own unique and magical way. When Amelie falles in love herself, she realises that making neat solutions is not always as easy as it seems...

This film is a light-hearted story, full of essentially unimportant but nonetheless fun side plots. No you won't have great revelations during this film but enjoy it for the sweet romance that grows between Amelie and Nino, the man who it seems, spends most of his free time digging out thrown away photos from under the photobooths. (Yeah, it sounds creepy, but somehow the film manages to evaporate what would otherwise be considered a pretty worrying hobby.) Particular highlights include Amelie's delicious revenge upon the cruel greengrocer and the small pleasures strewn throughout the film. All this is told in beautiful cinematography and accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack by Yann Tiersen.

So there you have it. At only £4 or so at Amazon you can't really go wrong.

P.S. Sweet Romance/Comedies not your cup of tea? Try Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth if you fancy darker fare.

This is Scamp, Peruser of the tomes Part-Human, Part-Mallard.

HAPPY VIEWING!