Thursday, March 10, 2011

THE ILLUSIONIST



Directed by: Sylvain Chomet

The title can make you confused with the title of the same movie title released in 2006. The difference is the one released in 2006 is a live action starring Edward Norton and this one released in 2010 as an animation movie but the similarities is one; both portraying a magician.

With pictures as if it sprung up from watercolor painting, The Illusionist manage to deliver the story with minimum dialogue as possible. The beauty of the animation will remind you of Miyazaki's animated movies (although this one is a bit dark in theme) and this one doesn't need any translation at all, anyone can understand the story.

The story is about an old magician named Tatischeff who lives in the 50s. He performs standard magic tricks like pulling bunnies of a hat and flowers out of thin air. He fails to amuse audience from halls to halls. Eventually he ended up in Scotland, amusing some villagers, especially a young woman named Alice. They both strike a chemistry and Alice follows Tati everywhere he goes even to Paris.

But Tati's carreer doesn't get much better, he still fails to amuse broad audience. Staying with Alice in a hotel, Alice helps Tati with daily chores and Tati buys her shoes and dress. Soon the paternal relationship grows.

Money is still a problem, Tati has to work night shift at the garage and since he is inexperienced, he got fired. Does Tati manage to enchant Alice to stay by his side? Does Alice enjoy her choice being embedded with Tati?

In a poetic but silent conclusion, the audience can get the central theme of this film; that sometimes even magic cannot face the face of change.

Beautifully animated, in the age of sugar coating CGI, this one is a reminder that classic animation look can still triumph. In my opinion, this one deserve to win an Oscar instead of that over rated Toy Story 3.

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