Micmacs

I've just watched
MICMACS | A Film By Jean–Pierre Jeunet
And I've really liked it.
If you liked the quirky humour, the photographic palette and some of the visual and humorous themes of Amelie, then there's a good chance you'll like this. The plot is fun, there's a nice use of slapstick humour and there are baddies who get their comeuppance. Some lovely,rich visuals, nice artistry of various kinds and a bit of romance. All round a fun film.

I enjoyed spotting reprises of visual motifs and gags from Amelie, including filming using the same sort of palette (the green of the water, the late-afternoon sun shots, the Paris buildings, the return of the moto and even about 4 members of the cast). In addition the carefully unexplained build up of the constituent parts of the denoument, structured like a joke, is nice and rather like Amelie in style too. So while you may think I'm making it sound formulaic, it doesn't come over that way; it is the re-acquaintance of old friends.

The funnest thing for me was the way that the denoument incorporates an expose of the arms trade, not in some heavy-handed, 'worthy', way but in a way that has you thinking, 'Actually, this is sick and immoral ...and wouldn't it be great if the amoral people promoting could be exposed and de-clawed like that'. There was something of a heterotopic dimension to it. I trust CAAT will be promoting showings!

Oddly, I realised that the bits of Paris used in this film have surprising resemblances to the Quayside in Newcastle ... or is it vice versa?