zzzorf
If it wasn't for having to watch this movie for completion purposes for a movie challenge I am doing I would have turned it off probably 10 minutes into it (yeah I know I could have changed to so many other choices but once my decision was made of the challenge movie then I feel like I should stick to it). I honestly have no idea what I just watched, I mean I get the basis of the story, even if it made virtually no sense to me whatsoever but honestly the whole thing seemed ridiculous. Now don't get me wrong, I can deal with ridiculousness in a movie but there is a limit. The over the topness just took away from the movie and put me way out of place, not allowing me to emphasise at all with any character or even care in the slightest what was going on. I really don't recommend this movie.
trancenational
I don't know. Been trying to find words for a long time and I still cannot describe accurately what is wrong with this movie. It is like someone was pathologically obsessed with Gilliam (esp.Brazil) and vowed to develop his style to perfection. And this perfectionism led to the point of absurdity - it is so overly polished that the final result is utterly irritating beautiful empty shell without any life inside.
billcr12
Jean-Pierre Jeunet has an interesting directing resume, with Ameile(I loved it), and Delicatessen(lost me), and Micmacs(funny). City of Lost Children is another fantasy with a mad scientist abducting children and stealing their dreams. The cast is wide ranging and the usual odd ball characters portrayed in Jeunet's other works. I was exhausted by the visual throw everything up on the screen and try to follow this marathon of strange behavior. The most interesting role is that of the circus strong man, One(Ron Perlman), who is a good guy trying to rescue the children from the bad doctor. The sets are intricate and colorful but the twists and turns of the story are overdone, without Amelie's wit and charm to save it.
Luciano Marzo
This is really one of the best movies I have ever seen, and it is one of my personal favorites. Its imaginative and powerful premise is brought to life by a creative story, excellent acting, skilled direction, innovative special effects, dreamy visuals, and a surreal atmosphere. The City of Lost Children also has a gloomy and chilling soundtrack that suits the movie perfectly. The movie takes place in a corrupt, dismal town filled with orphans, villains, and miscreants. Most of the adults are portrayed as evil, while the kids are the heroes. However, there is one good adult, who befriends the orphans. His brother is one of the many kids to have been kidnapped by the mad scientist named Krane. The scientist is incapable of dreaming, and makes a machine that connects his head to the heads of children. He uses this contraption to haunt the kids' dreams because he cannot dream on his own. He believes his lack of dreams is causing him to age prematurely. But the kids are stuck on the "island" that is his laboratory. That is a simplified, condensed summary of the movie. It is sometimes hard to follow, though, because of its intricate plot. Many critics have praised its originality, though some have complained that many of its fascinating concepts are not fully developed, or explained. They seem to think that the movie needed to be longer to offer a full explanation. While this argument does have merit, I believe that the movie would have lost momentum, had it been longer. The City of Lost Children is not perfect, but it is a rich and vivid fantasy that is otherworldly, evocative, and moving. It is not for everybody, though; some will be turned off by its nightmarish mood and complex narrative; however, that does not change the fact that it is an engaging and refreshing film in that it is totally original. The City of Lost Children showcases enormous talent and ability, in so many areas: story, direction, characterization, visuals, music, and acting are all top-notch. It is certainly one of the most original movies of the decade, and one of the most imaginative and compelling films I have ever seen.
AD
