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The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet,2010)
In an era where most every film is laden by heavy-handed dialogue and exposition, Sylvain Chometʼs The Illusionist is a breath of fresh air–then again, so was his last film, The Triplets of Belleville. Chometʼs wonderful artwork and lively characters and worlds make for an incredible viewing experience. Itʼs not easy to create a film with no dialogue–not to mention an animated film–but heʼs made a career (however short itʼs been) out of it. His charactersʼ actions speak louder than their words ever could, and the bittersweet nature of The Illusionist–but never overwrought with sentimentality–is never once bogged down by superficial language. Chomet has really given us something special here, and he has given it to us with his heart on his sleeve, much like his protagonist, The Illusionist himself.
Originally written by the French filmmaker, Jacques Tati, The Illusionist follows an unnamed French magician who travels abroad performing his act to dwindling audiences. But, while traveling through Scotland, he meets a girl in her teens, who works in the inn heʼs staying at. The Illusionist notices her tattered clothing and worn, over-sized boots and takes it upon himself to purchase her new shoes. And from there on, she follows him to Edinburgh, where he seeks to find work performing his act. Unfortunately, at this point, interest in magic acts seems to be waning–people are finding more interest in television and rock music. Sad, but entirely true, so The Illusionist must find other work, however humiliating or unfitting. Alice is, however, smitten with the glitz and glamor of society in the city, and it ultimately takes a financial toll on the soft-hearted magician.
This is a story about broken people who have given all they can give, and The Illusionist is one of those very people. Chometʼs world is full of life and energy, yet there is an underlying sadness to it all. The Illusionist is caught on the cusp of an era with an obsession with rock music and television, where magic is hardly relevant anymore–in the conventional sense, anyway. Sylvain Chomet pokes fun at the theatrics of rockstars, and even lingers around television screens, where people either stand in front of the window watching, or steal glimpses as they stroll by. Alice and The Illusionist stay at a hotel filled with other individuals in similar situations; these people are stuck where they are, with one sole talent to give the world, and the world has moved on. Both The Illusionist and Alice show tremendous sympathy towards each downtrodden individual–-and even save a few of their lives, too.
The Illusionist is truly a work of art and delicacy that is rarely seen in cinema today, both in animation and live action. I have been unsatisfied with many animated feature films in the past few years (for the most part, but there are exceptions, of course..), but The Illusionist is the work of a director and animator who cares deeply about his characters. This film is also vastly different from your typical animated film, and also far better. There is a moment in the end (and youʼll know what Iʼm talking about when you see it…) that is one of the most bittersweet moments that youʼre likely to see in awhile. The Illusionist is one animated film that should be seen and will likely not be forgotten
In an era where most every film is laden by heavy-handed dialogue and exposition, Sylvain Chometʼs The Illusionist is a breath of fresh air–then again, so was his last film, The Triplets of Belleville. Chometʼs wonderful artwork and lively characters and worlds make for an incredible viewing experience. Itʼs not easy to create a film with no dialogue–not to mention an animated film–but heʼs made a career (however short itʼs been) out of it. His charactersʼ actions speak louder than their words ever could, and the bittersweet nature of The Illusionist–but never overwrought with sentimentality–is never once bogged down by superficial language. Chomet has really given us something special here, and he has given it to us with his heart on his sleeve, much like his protagonist, The Illusionist himself.
Originally written by the French filmmaker, Jacques Tati, The Illusionist follows an unnamed French magician who travels abroad performing his act to dwindling audiences. But, while traveling through Scotland, he meets a girl in her teens, who works in the inn heʼs staying at. The Illusionist notices her tattered clothing and worn, over-sized boots and takes it upon himself to purchase her new shoes. And from there on, she follows him to Edinburgh, where he seeks to find work performing his act. Unfortunately, at this point, interest in magic acts seems to be waning–people are finding more interest in television and rock music. Sad, but entirely true, so The Illusionist must find other work, however humiliating or unfitting. Alice is, however, smitten with the glitz and glamor of society in the city, and it ultimately takes a financial toll on the soft-hearted magician.
This is a story about broken people who have given all they can give, and The Illusionist is one of those very people. Chometʼs world is full of life and energy, yet there is an underlying sadness to it all. The Illusionist is caught on the cusp of an era with an obsession with rock music and television, where magic is hardly relevant anymore–in the conventional sense, anyway. Sylvain Chomet pokes fun at the theatrics of rockstars, and even lingers around television screens, where people either stand in front of the window watching, or steal glimpses as they stroll by. Alice and The Illusionist stay at a hotel filled with other individuals in similar situations; these people are stuck where they are, with one sole talent to give the world, and the world has moved on. Both The Illusionist and Alice show tremendous sympathy towards each downtrodden individual–-and even save a few of their lives, too.
The Illusionist is truly a work of art and delicacy that is rarely seen in cinema today, both in animation and live action. I have been unsatisfied with many animated feature films in the past few years (for the most part, but there are exceptions, of course..), but The Illusionist is the work of a director and animator who cares deeply about his characters. This film is also vastly different from your typical animated film, and also far better. There is a moment in the end (and youʼll know what Iʼm talking about when you see it…) that is one of the most bittersweet moments that youʼre likely to see in awhile. The Illusionist is one animated film that should be seen and will likely not be forgotten