The Illusionist (2010)

Touches You

To me, this movie is perfection.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

As much as hand-drawn animation is being supplanted by computer animation, there are still artists who know the power of the art form and give us beautiful images that go along with great stories. Sylvain Chomet (LES TRIPLETTES DE BELLEVILLE) has done just that with THE ILLUSIONIST (aka L'ILLUSIONNISTE, and not to be confused with the 2006 Edward Norton film). The story is rather simple. It is about an out-of-work French magician/illusionist who goes to Scotland and meets this young woman who is convinced that his "magic" is real. Over the course of the film, you see a friendship develop between them as his livelihood becomes less viable as a means of support and she comes into her own as a woman. Aiming for subtlety, there is hardly any dialogue (intelligible dialogue, at least) and the images are the primary driver of the story. It's also quite touching and heartfelt. You really feel for this aging man who sees the life he's built for himself as a magician grow smaller and smaller as people now go to the music halls to see rock bands instead of illusionists, ventriloquists and clowns. By the same token, the woman has to discover that the "magic" isn't what it appears to be and, in a sense, grow up. From a technical standpoint, the animation was just beautiful and a sight to behold. Sylvain Chomet has a very distinctive, impressionistic approach to character design that makes each frame look like it could be a watercolor painting. Also worth mentioning is that the film is based on an unpublished script by Jacques Tati. Although I've yet to see anything by him, the comedic sensibility on display here makes me want to do so really soon. When all is said and done, THE ILLUSIONIST is a mature, wonderfully animated film with plenty of humor and heart that every animation fan should see.

This is one of those movies I don't know what to say about. Visually, it's one of the most beautiful animated features I've seen, it's a masterpiece for the eyes and its animation is exquisite. The plot is beautiful and sentimental but I felt it was a little pointless.This is a good film, but it's disappointing. It tells a story flawlessly without almost any words but it can't avoid being boring sometimes and senseless. The adult animation genre really has better things to offer, but I'm sure that only a few can be is as deep and cute as this movie. Remember: This is NOT for kids.

"L'Illusioniste" is a hand-drawn animation guaranteed to touch your heart in a highly infant, childish manner. The film's photography is simply stunning, kept simple but full of emotion in every line and color combination. Europe is comically portrayed in its stereotypes and particular habits and cultures.The storyline is touching, portraying the hard life of those who pursuit a living through the ways of art. The silver lining, though, is brightly highlighted, as the main character gets to travel through lots of places, as well as meeting new people. Parental love is later introduced, when the magician allows a little child to embark on his journey through Europe.Highly recommended, L'Illusioniste is a masterpiece that will bring your mind back to the early years of your childhood.

This is the animated film that should have won the Oscar it was nominated for in 2011. Unfortunately, the jury chose for -yet another- Pixar blockbuster, not for the originality and poetry of Sylvain Chomet's film. This is an unfair world, but so be it: I am convinced Chomet will get the Oscar some day, if he can keep the level of the Illusionist: a breathtakingly beautiful movie, the best of all animation I have ever seen on the big screen. The rhythm is different from the video-clip-like rhythm of most animation films these days; instead, the slower pace draws our attention on every single significant detail that we would otherwise be unaware of. The references to Jacques Tati as story writer are smoothly integrated. The backgrounds and characters are wonderfully drawn and typical of Chomet's scrupulously detailed and often half romantic, half realist style. I highly recommend this movie to be seen on a big screen, if possible in a theater, for it really deserved to be tasted like a "grand cru", a top ranked French wine.