Description

Nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, this magical comedy earned overwhelming acclaim nationwide! A painfully shy waitress working at a tiny Paris cafe, Amelie makes a surprising discovery and sees her life drastically changed for the better! From then on, Amelie dedicates herself to helping others find happiness ... in the most delightfully unexpected way! But will she have the courage to do for herself what she has done for others? ... Read more

Reviews (807)

A heart-shaped French delicacy!!!
Amelie is a rare delight. The title character is a painfully shy loner who discovers a small box filled with a little boy's keepsakes. She seeks the rightful owner of the box. The charm of this film is that Amelie wants to perform her little miracles, hiding in the shadows, with no recognition for herself. The characters in this piece are fascinating, each one reflecting back a facet of Amelie's personality. In the end, Amelie's compassion ends up being her own salvation - and that is what makes the film so much of a joy to watch. Hollywood has pretty much exchanged emotion and subtlety for rudeness, crudeness, and over processed digital special effects. Like a good French wine, this motion picture is an experience to be savored - not devoured. Amelie has a look and feel that stands out from anything I've seen in recent years. So many modern films are filtered with a grayish or orange tint, which tricks the viewer's eye into thinking it is watching a stark, gritty documentary. Steven Soderbergh seems to be the reigning master of this technique. Amelie by contrast, with it's deep reds and fluorescent and forest greens accented by cobalt blues and electric yellows, transports you to a world full of magic and hope. The effect is enchanting.

The DVD package is complete with commentaries and documentaries on the making of the film. These added features make it clear that this film was carefully planned by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, much like "The Sixth Sense." Shots were storyboarded, set up, and orchestrated months in advance. And any extra footage of Audrey Tautou is always welcome in my home. A blend of the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn, the humor and physical skill of Charlie Chaplin, and the vulnerability of early Winona Ryder, and the sultry elegance of a sixties European model. Her method of using her eyes, facial expression, and body language (relying less on verbal expression) to create a character is what helps makes Amelie transcend language barriers.

I was a little disappointed there wasn't a version with dubbed English, but after 15 minutes or so, I didn't even notice that I was reading subtitles. There were more than quite a few belly laugh moments, and it became very apparent that this is one of those rare films that is so good it completely transcends culture, language - the universal message is "The good you do for others returns - especially when you don't expect it to." A French delicacy. I just hope we get to sample more of Jeunet, Tautou, and the rest of this team's products soon. Thanks, Miramax.

A Mainstream Hit Dipped In Euro-Sauciness!
The lack of any decent films from the English lingo countries of England and America has given rise to an increase in recognition of some of the finer foreign language exploits into cinema. Earlier this year we had "Amores Perros", and in England we had Japanese shock-fests "Audition" and "Battle Royale" (the latter has to be seen to be believed). The most successful foreign language film this year, bar "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" obviously, was this French trifle that whilst appealing to the fickle tastes of mainstream audiences superbly serves up its romantic hokiness in a touching and cute way. Over-hyped, to be sure, but not without its pleasures.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "The City Of Lost Children", which he co-directed with Marc Caro, bears the most resemblance to the look of "Amelie", which looks different to any other film this year with all of its rich, antique-looking cinematography as well as its inclusion of several effects shots that help to render Paris as paradise on Earth. Visual coups include Amelie herself collapsing to the ground as a puddle of water and the titular garden gnome that travels the world much to the chagrin of its owner, Amelie's father. Everything smacks of resplendence in this movie and no cinematic trick is left not utilised.

In all respects, "Amelie" is likely to play better in America than it should in Europe, where its cute benevolence will be welcomed by many, especially after September 11. If you are one of those people who can't help but giggle as bug-eyed little girls stare into the camera with a cheeky smile, then this film is for you (indeed, Audrey Tautou is bug-eyed, cheeky and very good in the title role). If you are like those who criticised "Amelie" for its lack of interracial characters, then don't bother: this beguiling trifle is a fantasy, pure and simple, like "Amelie" herself.

Green and Red beauty and smiles
A beautiful movie about a simple, and pretty weird girl. Pay particular attention to the beautiful color selection and Audrey Tautou's flawless acting. Amelie is the feel-good movie of our times and is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.

really, what's so great about this?
Its quirky and pretty and all, but then it turns into a typical love story in the end. Dissapointing, I would rather it be a film where she makes everyones lives nicer, and this importance isn't placed on her Only Being Happy If She Gets The Guy. The actress is really pretty, there are nice scenes and ideas, parts are funny, but I don't understand why it has this cult status.

Lithe and awake.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet makes a welcome return to his home country after the loud but pedestrian 'Alien Resurrection'. In 'Amelie' Jeunet seems to have taken as much influence from Danny Boyle as Francois Truffaut. The accelerated jump-cuts, tracking shots and zooms all make for high-octane energy even if most of it is artifically created. Although 'Amelie' herself is almost too twee to identify with, many of the other characters' faces simmer with restrained intensity (increasingly becoming a Jeunet trademark.) The acting is above average (exception being the always good Domnique Pinon), but it's the quality of the storytelling that shines. Trust the French to be able to remind us that cinema is still relevant in it's second century, that evocative minor epiphinies such as running your hand through grain or the sights and sounds of a market are not just the preserve of the written word but can actually be rendered on screen (and still find an audience!). Through imaginative editing, camerawork and a little help from CGI, Jeunet's film packs in more incident and wonder than most of today's novels are capable of producing. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

All around perfect film-making
This is such a complete movie...The soundtrack is great with some hip hop raggae french mix and the three kids act so natural that it seems like a documentary...I've seen the movie numerous times and pick up more each time...This film is so great that it really bothers me that I don't know french so I can pick up on the real cliches and phrases that they use even though the subtitles are done very well...I highly recomend this film to anyone, both teens and adults...Very enjoyable and dramatic and thought provoking...Just an all-around perfect film...

Strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged bat
Hate is a strong film about lost youth where the apparent message strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged baseball bat. The story is set the day after nightly riots in a Parisian ghetto after the young Arabian man, Abdel, was brutally assaulted by the police. Vinz, Said, and Hubert are three friends of Abdel that are set adrift in anger toward the police as they try to find reason and justice within their social environment. The impulsive Vinz, performed by Vincent Cassel, acts tough as he knows that he has a gun that he found after a police officer had accidentally lost it in the riots. Said is the follower who glorifies the violence and strives to be respected as he has a twisted view of what respect is. Hubert dreams of getting out of the ghetto as he does not glorify the violence within the ghetto while his two friends do. The audience follows these three characters throughout a full day as they are sitting around, getting into trouble, and learning through their errors. Kassovitz creates an authentic and explosive atmosphere which becomes the grounds for an exhaustive examination of the socioeconomic milieu of young adults in a poor Parisian ghetto. In the end, Kassovitz succeeds in developing an excellent persuasive and disturbing cinematic experience.

Meaningful
Three friends (Vinz, Hubert and Sayid) are from the ghettos of France, living in the projects and there is seemingly no way out of that life for them as the society and especially the police discriminate against blacks, arabs from the projects... At least that is the message the movie seems to project to me. I had a really hard time following the things the actors say because the movie is in black and white and the subtitles are in black and white AND they overlap the movie picture... needless to say, many words are unreadable most of the time and taking the time to guess what they said is perhaps most exasperating when in this sort of low budget movie, the conversation between the characters matters A LOT! However, the movie's plot was easy enough to follow... police beat up their friend Abdel during a riot, who dies in hospital, and Vinz who is not too intelligent or able to control his temper gets ahold of a police pistol during the riot. He vows to shoot a police if they piss him off (actually he will shoot anyone who dares piss him off). These 3 boys take the train to Paris where they look for a friend who owes Sayid a bit of money. I will not go into details here but basically their voyage into Paris was a disaster as these boys from the 'hood cannot resist doing something "naughty" every hour. They miss the last train and spend the entire night finding things to amuse themselves, including breaking into people's cars and starting a fight in a classy art exhibition and also later a scuffle with skinheads in the streets. It all end in tears eventually, with at least one of them dead and maybe one police officer dead too, I shan't say who. The movie was, on the whole, thought-provoking for someone like me who grew up in an urban environment but never lived in a ghetto and can only empathise with what the central characters (or anyone else living in that situation) feels. If that's what the director set out to do, he certainly succeeded, so I am giving the movie 3 stars for making some impact. It could have been a better viewing experience however, if only something was done to make the subtitles more readable. The movie is shot in semi-documentary style so it might not appeal to those who prefer something more like your usual run-of-the-mill drama movies.

Simply a masterpiece!
If 6 stars could be given for this film, then I would not hesitate to offer it just that. La Haine (aka HATE) is a superb film about 3 urban Parisian youths who have one common link : an unrelenting displeasure for the police and what they symbolise. This film is full of exciting scenes and explosive performances from all the 3 main actors (Vinz, Said and Hubert). It focuses on the gritty and harsh other side to the Paris that most people are not accustomed to. At first sight, it might seem hard to get into but after a few moments, you become so absorbed in the film, you forget that you are watching a film and feel part of what Said, Hubert and Vinz are experiencing.

In my view, this is ground-breaking cinema that should not be ignored by anyone.

So Far, So Good.... Is That A Cow?
La Haine is basically a day in the lives of three guys from ghettos on the outskirts of Paris. After an apparently race-motivated police beating/murder, the ghettos are rife with looters, rioters, and many bigoted and intrusive police(or pigs, as the characters fondly refer to them), suspicious of anyone not caucasian or under 30. In its most reductive form, it's about a flawed society whose seams are bursting under the pressures of ignorance, intolerance, and various -isms. In the movie itself, this tends to remain below the surface of the characters' existences, but for in a few moments (namely encounters with police and skinheads) and brought to the forefront with a bathroom scat anecdote and repeated reference to a (very bitter) joke involving society, man, and rabbit jumping off a building (the movie is frequently funny). Although it takes place in France, where these issues are perhaps less closeted (what with Le Pen getting 15 percent of the vote...), any close examination of pretty much every "modern, 1st world" nation will reveal just how ingrained these problems are in the present state of the world. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman)and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. --Geoff Riley ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Reviews (807)

A heart-shaped French delicacy!!!
Amelie is a rare delight. The title character is a painfully shy loner who discovers a small box filled with a little boy's keepsakes. She seeks the rightful owner of the box. The charm of this film is that Amelie wants to perform her little miracles, hiding in the shadows, with no recognition for herself. The characters in this piece are fascinating, each one reflecting back a facet of Amelie's personality. In the end, Amelie's compassion ends up being her own salvation - and that is what makes the film so much of a joy to watch. Hollywood has pretty much exchanged emotion and subtlety for rudeness, crudeness, and over processed digital special effects. Like a good French wine, this motion picture is an experience to be savored - not devoured. Amelie has a look and feel that stands out from anything I've seen in recent years. So many modern films are filtered with a grayish or orange tint, which tricks the viewer's eye into thinking it is watching a stark, gritty documentary. Steven Soderbergh seems to be the reigning master of this technique. Amelie by contrast, with it's deep reds and fluorescent and forest greens accented by cobalt blues and electric yellows, transports you to a world full of magic and hope. The effect is enchanting.

The DVD package is complete with commentaries and documentaries on the making of the film. These added features make it clear that this film was carefully planned by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, much like "The Sixth Sense." Shots were storyboarded, set up, and orchestrated months in advance. And any extra footage of Audrey Tautou is always welcome in my home. A blend of the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn, the humor and physical skill of Charlie Chaplin, and the vulnerability of early Winona Ryder, and the sultry elegance of a sixties European model. Her method of using her eyes, facial expression, and body language (relying less on verbal expression) to create a character is what helps makes Amelie transcend language barriers.

I was a little disappointed there wasn't a version with dubbed English, but after 15 minutes or so, I didn't even notice that I was reading subtitles. There were more than quite a few belly laugh moments, and it became very apparent that this is one of those rare films that is so good it completely transcends culture, language - the universal message is "The good you do for others returns - especially when you don't expect it to." A French delicacy. I just hope we get to sample more of Jeunet, Tautou, and the rest of this team's products soon. Thanks, Miramax.

A Mainstream Hit Dipped In Euro-Sauciness!
The lack of any decent films from the English lingo countries of England and America has given rise to an increase in recognition of some of the finer foreign language exploits into cinema. Earlier this year we had "Amores Perros", and in England we had Japanese shock-fests "Audition" and "Battle Royale" (the latter has to be seen to be believed). The most successful foreign language film this year, bar "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" obviously, was this French trifle that whilst appealing to the fickle tastes of mainstream audiences superbly serves up its romantic hokiness in a touching and cute way. Over-hyped, to be sure, but not without its pleasures.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "The City Of Lost Children", which he co-directed with Marc Caro, bears the most resemblance to the look of "Amelie", which looks different to any other film this year with all of its rich, antique-looking cinematography as well as its inclusion of several effects shots that help to render Paris as paradise on Earth. Visual coups include Amelie herself collapsing to the ground as a puddle of water and the titular garden gnome that travels the world much to the chagrin of its owner, Amelie's father. Everything smacks of resplendence in this movie and no cinematic trick is left not utilised.

In all respects, "Amelie" is likely to play better in America than it should in Europe, where its cute benevolence will be welcomed by many, especially after September 11. If you are one of those people who can't help but giggle as bug-eyed little girls stare into the camera with a cheeky smile, then this film is for you (indeed, Audrey Tautou is bug-eyed, cheeky and very good in the title role). If you are like those who criticised "Amelie" for its lack of interracial characters, then don't bother: this beguiling trifle is a fantasy, pure and simple, like "Amelie" herself.

Green and Red beauty and smiles
A beautiful movie about a simple, and pretty weird girl. Pay particular attention to the beautiful color selection and Audrey Tautou's flawless acting. Amelie is the feel-good movie of our times and is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.

really, what's so great about this?
Its quirky and pretty and all, but then it turns into a typical love story in the end. Dissapointing, I would rather it be a film where she makes everyones lives nicer, and this importance isn't placed on her Only Being Happy If She Gets The Guy. The actress is really pretty, there are nice scenes and ideas, parts are funny, but I don't understand why it has this cult status.

Lithe and awake.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet makes a welcome return to his home country after the loud but pedestrian 'Alien Resurrection'. In 'Amelie' Jeunet seems to have taken as much influence from Danny Boyle as Francois Truffaut. The accelerated jump-cuts, tracking shots and zooms all make for high-octane energy even if most of it is artifically created. Although 'Amelie' herself is almost too twee to identify with, many of the other characters' faces simmer with restrained intensity (increasingly becoming a Jeunet trademark.) The acting is above average (exception being the always good Domnique Pinon), but it's the quality of the storytelling that shines. Trust the French to be able to remind us that cinema is still relevant in it's second century, that evocative minor epiphinies such as running your hand through grain or the sights and sounds of a market are not just the preserve of the written word but can actually be rendered on screen (and still find an audience!). Through imaginative editing, camerawork and a little help from CGI, Jeunet's film packs in more incident and wonder than most of today's novels are capable of producing. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Different and Original!
This is such a cool movie because it takes a different look at romantic and racial relationships today in contemporary Europe. Kassovitz doesn't try to be politically correct and talks straightforward about the realities of racism. The movie is well scripted and directed. I also like how Kassovitz trys to show the diverse opinions about interracial dating; Europeans are not as accepting to these types of relationships as a lot of people think. An interesting movie about interesting people!

Matthieu Kassovitz est chouette!
Cafe au lait is an excellent movie. In HATE and Cafe Au Lait he artistically condemns racism and the walls that we build around ourselves. Kassovitz challenges us and makes us re-evaluate the categories we put ourselves in. C'est comme nous voyons des anges!

It will capture your heart!
A truly endearing fun movie with a great sound track that isn't available in stores or anywhere! The movie's so neat I rented it twice in one week! See also HATE (la haine) by the same director with the same characters - produced by Jodie Foster! ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Unpretentious Scifi/action fun
OK - so the 5th Element isn't 2001, or even Aliens. As noted in other reviews, there's certainly a lot in this movie that seems to be superfluous or never adequately explained. This is a fantastic ride, despite these minor flaws (if, unlike me, you see these things as flaws).

If you hate Bruce Willis, then take a pass on this one. "Corbin Dallas" is a mix of his roles in Die Hard & The Last Boyscout, but much, much lighter in mood. Think "Hudson Hawk suffering from depression."

Gary Oldman does his usual bang-up job as villain, and Milla-whatshernameovich's Leelo stands out from her initial introduction until the final minutes of the film. Their strong performances more than compensate for the bizarre and fortunately brief appearance of Luke Perry.

There's a bit of a forced moment when Leelo "realizes the horror of human war" by speed-viewing Time-Life magazine photographs, but this is fortunately over fairly quickly. Despite this attempt to inject some sort of meaning or conscience into the movie, the fun soon resumes.

The visual effects are quirky but excellent, ranging from the cheesy "Taxis of the Future" to the ethereal "Cruise Ship of the Future." The opera scenes also carry a heavy visual impact. I must admit, however, that I may feel this way due to my affinity for the color blue, and the fact that this scene arrived just as the majority of the Christian Brother's kicked in.

The soundtrack has to be mentioned. I would despise much of the music on its own, but it is so cleverly intertwined with the visual aspects that it lends an enormous weight to the film. Of course, the aria is unforgettable, but in a strange way, so is the weird dance/house/acid/funk thing during the "robbery attempt".

The one, truly unfortunate aspect of the film is the Chris Tucker character. In fact, I have to consider the Fifth Element to be a masterpiece simply because I didn't kick it out of the DVD as soon as he appeared. However, to punish (in a small way) the powers-that-be for encouraging him in any way, I'm deducting one star from the total.

In summary, if you have to have meaning & depth in your motion pictures, go watch Das Boot, or better yet, read a book. The Fifth Element may not be Clarke&Kubrick, but it's a great deal more entertaining.

"What mission?" "To save the world."
What is a great movie anyway? Something with a deep inner message, complicated plot, hours of intellectual oddessy? Or could it simply be something that brings a smile to your face and quenches your need for some action, romance, and sweet special effects?

If you feel it to be the latter, this is the movie for you. A non-stop roller-coaster ride from start to finish, the fifth element is everything a great action flick SHOULD be. It has a beautiful girl, a world in peril, a grim but likeable anti-hero lead, and tight special effects and musical score to ice the cake. Granted, this movie is a little weird, and some parts you will either love or hate (I personally love the bad guy with a sourthern accent but find I myself a little bugged by the radio personality who can't seem to shut up).

Many have said it before, but I'll say it again. All DVD versions of this film have PERFECT picture and sound. PERFECT. 10 out of 10. And no extras whatsoever. But hey, you give a little, you lose a little.

So my action movie loving friends, definitely give this one a rent. And check out "the Transporter" too. Created by the same guy who made this movie. It is also not too deep but very slick.

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Reviews (30)

ONE OF THE BETTER MOVIES TO INTRODUCE KIDS TO HOLOCAUST
I have not read the book but I greatly enjoyed the movie. Good narrative, excellent cinematography, and some stunning background music. While the film may be held guilty for some cardboard characters (e.g., all Germans are mean looking men), Robin Williams was surely under-appreciated in his very concvincing cameo as Jakob, a pancake vendor, who pretends to have a radio and distribute good news to other Jews in the ghetto -- and I don't mean just the accent. The guy is brilliant.

The theme is a cross between "Goodmorning Vietnam" meets "Life is beautiful" -- classic cultural interpretations of the forced lifestyle of the characters promote the effect of a rumour that a working radio exists in the barbed-wire ghetto, allowing a lowly pancake-vendor to raise to heroic proportions amidst his small group of associates and lie in the face of hope-dashing truth.

At its heart, the story is about the irrefutable spirit of human life despite seemingly unsurmountable odds as Jakob deals with the consequences of either perpetuating his lie or coming out with the whole truth, weighing hope against despair. Swept up in his own joking accident and a few well-timed coincidences, endorsed by the ghetto residents, the ghetto organizes to resist their Nazi oppressors.

As the fall of the Third Reich becomes more and more likely, the tangle of truth and falsity tightens around Jakob and each lie becomes more and more needed.

An interesting angle to look at the Holocaust, it serves as one of the better movies to introduce younger audiences to that odious period of human history. Oh, and did I mention that the background score is marvellous?

skipped the theatres....straight to video
Robin Williams plays a Jew trapped in a nazi ghetto during the late days of WWII. It is rumored that he has a radio, which the nazis do not allow. The word spreads that he has a radio and he is forced to make up stories about the advancing Russian troops that are coming to save them. He succeeds in lifting the spirits of his fellow Jews until the end, where....Anyway, if you want to be upset, plan a night of sitting at home watching this flick. While the film quality, storyline, and acting are good, it is downright depressing. There are almost no positive moments in this film and if you are looking for a fun Robin Williams film, look elsewhere. There is a reason that this film was budgeted for $15 million and only made $5 million in the theatres. It is a waste to mention it in the same breath as Schindler's List. This movie should have never been made.

A Great Movie
first off, Joseph from Montreal QC has no idea what he's talking about his review was completely false. The Nazi's, as history presesnts, were wicked, ruthless and uncaring people. their goal was to eliminate all the Jews in Europe not make friends with them. Joseph from Montreal QC doesn't have the correct information. He sounds like a Nazi sympathizer to me.
Anyway this movie is wonderful. watch it you will enjoy every moment in it

Great Robin Williams Performance
Robin Williams was perfectly cast as Jakob Heim. The critics hated this movie, but I enjoyed it alot. This is one of my favorite Robin Williams films, next to Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society. This is a great Holocaust movie and you should buy it or at least rent it!

Great Movie!
This movie should be placed among the timeless World War Two classics such as Schindler's List and Life Is Beautiful. It is truly one of Williams best performances since Goodwill Hunting. It acurately portrays the life of people during the Jewish Holocaust. Iwas touched deeply by this movie and moved by the great performance of Williams and the rest of the cast. Peter Kassovitz establishes himself as a great director with this movie. The book was great and the movie was even better! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Sumptuous sex-comedy/thriller
THis is a beautifully crafted film! A fantastic and thrilling narrative that defies conventional categories. The writer/director tends to call it the movie a "sex-comedy", but that does an injustice to the wonderful element of tension and suspense this film carries with it. Ben Chaplin plays a dillignet but boerd bank employee living in the British countryside. Chaplin's character John sends away for a charming, well educated Russian Bride and ends up with a chain smoking woman that doesn't speak a word of English.

I honestly didn't realize how obscenely talented and dedicated Nicole Kidman is as an actor. The Screenwriting is also superb. Every element of the storyline fell beutifully into place at just the right moments. The movie has a great romantic storyline that doesn't make the mistake of trying too hard to actually be romantic.

Aslo, I was rather impressed after finding out that the actors that played Alexi and Yuri were both Frenchmen -- they pulled of the Russian convincingly and effortlessly. IN fact all of the performances, including Nicole Kidman's come off stunningly, without the slightest stench of pretense or effort.

Happy "Birthday?" Maybe next year.
Part drama, part thriller, part comedy, "Birthday Girl" offers little in the way of laughs or suspense, while at the same time moving its characters from one crazy machination to the next without giving us much of a reason to care where they go, what they do, or if they end up together when it all comes to an end. The light at the end of the tunnel comes from Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin, their performances making an otherwise ludicrous film watchable.

Chaplin stars as John, a lonely Englishman who busies himself searching a Russian mail-order bride website for his perfect match. Herein lies the movie's primary (and continuous) mistake: why does he feel the need to send for someone he knows nothing about, save for an intro video from the internet? At one point, we hear John in a narration likening his tactics to an everyday first acquaintance in the supermarket, a shoddy attempt at the hands of the writer to mask the lack of characterization.

A slight glimmer of hope arrives with Nadia (Kidman), a very kittenish Russian woman who chain-smokes and whose knowledge of the English language consists of the word "yes." At first, John sees her as a mistake, but later he comes home one afternoon to find her going through his private collection of bondage magazines, and it's off to bed for the two strangers.

The story hook (if you can classify it as such) comes when two men claiming to have a past friendship with Nadia show up at John's doorstep on the day of her birthday. Agreeing to let them stay, John soon finds himself in awkward situations, leading him to formally dismiss them from his home. The next day, one of them goes mad, threatens Nadia's life, forcing John to walk into his bank and steal a large sum of money before they all leave town in his run-down car.

Of course (surprise, surprise), Nadia is not really her name, and she's affiliated with the two strange men, working with them in scamming various men in an identical fashion, all occurring on her birthday (or maybe even that's a lie they use on each victim). As if this were a grand revelation (not only is it predictable, but the movie's preview trailer leaves little hidden), the sequence of events that follow only drag the movie into an abyss of endless boredom, with a mere chuckle here and there for good measure.

It's not so much the story that causes the problem; the beginning shows promise, especially through the performances of its two leads. As John, Chaplin is awkward and almost always in a daze of confusion, and there is a great deal of levity in his endless self-induced calamities. Kidman, hot off the set of last year's "Moulin Rouge" and "The Others," shows her versatility by playing the femme fatale in a most mystifying and quiescent manner.

But even these two fine actors cannot bring to light the mysteries surrounding their characters. And no, I'm not referring to the mystery the movie sets forth as to who Nadia really is; what I'm talking about is a look at their motivations, their inner drives, what makes them do the things they do. Why does Nadia scam men out of money? Why does John feel he has to help this woman after he finds out she is pregnant (even though it's not his child)?

In essence, the story of "Birthday Girl" is a lot like opening your a birthday gift which turns out to be a big package of socks. You put a smile on your face, hoping the next present will be something you've anticipated, and it is a mere package of underwear. I spent the whole time waiting for something to happen that would spark the film to life, but alas, the moments of humor and slight intensity are few and far between. Happy Birthday? Maybe next year.

nicolehasagift
This Nicole Kidman has beauty, depth, brains and talent. The movie is an ugly portrayal of how mail order brides. Social security number 156-38-3461.

Russian lived in London?
First i have to say that there this NO subtitle in the Russia part, that's so bad...I know nothing about Russia language, and some important parts of this movie i even can not understand... i don't know if I should go to college to study Russian more. just kidding.
Any way the "Russian" + "Beauty" + "Romatic" + "Boring"= "birthday girl"

If u wanna talk about this movie more, drop me a mail: jacobtang@hotmail.com

Will the real Nicole Kidman please stand up?
I did not recognize Nicole Kidman's talent until I saw "To Die For." In fact, I didn't really know who Nicole Kidman was. But I thought she was wonderful as the butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth wife who plots to kill her young husband so that she can become the next Jane Pauley. The thing is, she was so very credible in that role, so very natural. You would not expect her to be any different in any other role. However, in "Birthday Girl," she plays a Russian bride come to England to marry a bank clerk-looser type. I won't give away the story line, but she looks Russian, speaks Russian, and gives a very sincere and striking performance. Ben Chaplin is very good as well. But this is really Kidman's film, which is well worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Portrait Of The Hero As A Young Man
French Albert has always had a meaningless life. Living beyond the shadow of his possessive mother in the countryside of France, he dreams of becoming someone big. And his dreams come true; he becomes a very important and famous hero of war without even being at any war. This is the story of the right man, in the right, and that with some help of chance and luck, happens to deceive many people and achieve a huge success, power, notoriety and money.

The film is told in flashback by Albert himself, who shows what led him to become what he did. Moreover, to make things more believable, from time to time there is an 'spontaneous' and accurate report by people who lived with Albert commenting on his actions and events of his life. The film has a very peculiar kind of fun, that may not suit all tastes.

Mathieu Jassovitz is very funny and good as the soldier. Albert is funny and very very intelligent. The script is very well written and is shows how Albert has never meant to be bad, but he was led to do what he did.

All in all, it is a different movie that I recommend to all who want to have some fun combined with intelligence. It is not the kind of humor that makes you laugh out laud, but it makes you smile many times.

great
This is a great film. The characters were very believable, and the setting and details of postwar Europe were well researched. Really enjoyable story of a dreamer, that keeps you grounded with more than a couple moments that remind you that war is never simple and always a tragedy.

Well made film of a self made sleaze
Why can't American films look this good?! How do the European film makers make their characters so human? This movie takes a little time to take off but no real thumb twiddling here. The story of a young man who, after World War II discovers the benefits of lying his way to a high ranking position in the provisional French government. Not someone you'd care too much for. That's the only problem here. Well done. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Reviews (1)

En francais, c'est meilleure
This movie kicked butt in English and then I saw it in Paris in the theater and it kicked even more butt!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Sumptuous sex-comedy/thriller
THis is a beautifully crafted film! A fantastic and thrilling narrative that defies conventional categories. The writer/director tends to call it the movie a "sex-comedy", but that does an injustice to the wonderful element of tension and suspense this film carries with it. Ben Chaplin plays a dillignet but boerd bank employee living in the British countryside. Chaplin's character John sends away for a charming, well educated Russian Bride and ends up with a chain smoking woman that doesn't speak a word of English.

I honestly didn't realize how obscenely talented and dedicated Nicole Kidman is as an actor. The Screenwriting is also superb. Every element of the storyline fell beutifully into place at just the right moments. The movie has a great romantic storyline that doesn't make the mistake of trying too hard to actually be romantic.

Aslo, I was rather impressed after finding out that the actors that played Alexi and Yuri were both Frenchmen -- they pulled of the Russian convincingly and effortlessly. IN fact all of the performances, including Nicole Kidman's come off stunningly, without the slightest stench of pretense or effort.

Happy "Birthday?" Maybe next year.
Part drama, part thriller, part comedy, "Birthday Girl" offers little in the way of laughs or suspense, while at the same time moving its characters from one crazy machination to the next without giving us much of a reason to care where they go, what they do, or if they end up together when it all comes to an end. The light at the end of the tunnel comes from Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin, their performances making an otherwise ludicrous film watchable.

Chaplin stars as John, a lonely Englishman who busies himself searching a Russian mail-order bride website for his perfect match. Herein lies the movie's primary (and continuous) mistake: why does he feel the need to send for someone he knows nothing about, save for an intro video from the internet? At one point, we hear John in a narration likening his tactics to an everyday first acquaintance in the supermarket, a shoddy attempt at the hands of the writer to mask the lack of characterization.

A slight glimmer of hope arrives with Nadia (Kidman), a very kittenish Russian woman who chain-smokes and whose knowledge of the English language consists of the word "yes." At first, John sees her as a mistake, but later he comes home one afternoon to find her going through his private collection of bondage magazines, and it's off to bed for the two strangers.

The story hook (if you can classify it as such) comes when two men claiming to have a past friendship with Nadia show up at John's doorstep on the day of her birthday. Agreeing to let them stay, John soon finds himself in awkward situations, leading him to formally dismiss them from his home. The next day, one of them goes mad, threatens Nadia's life, forcing John to walk into his bank and steal a large sum of money before they all leave town in his run-down car.

Of course (surprise, surprise), Nadia is not really her name, and she's affiliated with the two strange men, working with them in scamming various men in an identical fashion, all occurring on her birthday (or maybe even that's a lie they use on each victim). As if this were a grand revelation (not only is it predictable, but the movie's preview trailer leaves little hidden), the sequence of events that follow only drag the movie into an abyss of endless boredom, with a mere chuckle here and there for good measure.

It's not so much the story that causes the problem; the beginning shows promise, especially through the performances of its two leads. As John, Chaplin is awkward and almost always in a daze of confusion, and there is a great deal of levity in his endless self-induced calamities. Kidman, hot off the set of last year's "Moulin Rouge" and "The Others," shows her versatility by playing the femme fatale in a most mystifying and quiescent manner.

But even these two fine actors cannot bring to light the mysteries surrounding their characters. And no, I'm not referring to the mystery the movie sets forth as to who Nadia really is; what I'm talking about is a look at their motivations, their inner drives, what makes them do the things they do. Why does Nadia scam men out of money? Why does John feel he has to help this woman after he finds out she is pregnant (even though it's not his child)?

In essence, the story of "Birthday Girl" is a lot like opening your a birthday gift which turns out to be a big package of socks. You put a smile on your face, hoping the next present will be something you've anticipated, and it is a mere package of underwear. I spent the whole time waiting for something to happen that would spark the film to life, but alas, the moments of humor and slight intensity are few and far between. Happy Birthday? Maybe next year.

nicolehasagift
This Nicole Kidman has beauty, depth, brains and talent. The movie is an ugly portrayal of how mail order brides. Social security number 156-38-3461.

Russian lived in London?
First i have to say that there this NO subtitle in the Russia part, that's so bad...I know nothing about Russia language, and some important parts of this movie i even can not understand... i don't know if I should go to college to study Russian more. just kidding.
Any way the "Russian" + "Beauty" + "Romatic" + "Boring"= "birthday girl"

If u wanna talk about this movie more, drop me a mail: jacobtang@hotmail.com

Will the real Nicole Kidman please stand up?
I did not recognize Nicole Kidman's talent until I saw "To Die For." In fact, I didn't really know who Nicole Kidman was. But I thought she was wonderful as the butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth wife who plots to kill her young husband so that she can become the next Jane Pauley. The thing is, she was so very credible in that role, so very natural. You would not expect her to be any different in any other role. However, in "Birthday Girl," she plays a Russian bride come to England to marry a bank clerk-looser type. I won't give away the story line, but she looks Russian, speaks Russian, and gives a very sincere and striking performance. Ben Chaplin is very good as well. But this is really Kidman's film, which is well worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Sumptuous sex-comedy/thriller
THis is a beautifully crafted film! A fantastic and thrilling narrative that defies conventional categories. The writer/director tends to call it the movie a "sex-comedy", but that does an injustice to the wonderful element of tension and suspense this film carries with it. Ben Chaplin plays a dillignet but boerd bank employee living in the British countryside. Chaplin's character John sends away for a charming, well educated Russian Bride and ends up with a chain smoking woman that doesn't speak a word of English.

I honestly didn't realize how obscenely talented and dedicated Nicole Kidman is as an actor. The Screenwriting is also superb. Every element of the storyline fell beutifully into place at just the right moments. The movie has a great romantic storyline that doesn't make the mistake of trying too hard to actually be romantic.

Aslo, I was rather impressed after finding out that the actors that played Alexi and Yuri were both Frenchmen -- they pulled of the Russian convincingly and effortlessly. IN fact all of the performances, including Nicole Kidman's come off stunningly, without the slightest stench of pretense or effort.

Happy "Birthday?" Maybe next year.
Part drama, part thriller, part comedy, "Birthday Girl" offers little in the way of laughs or suspense, while at the same time moving its characters from one crazy machination to the next without giving us much of a reason to care where they go, what they do, or if they end up together when it all comes to an end. The light at the end of the tunnel comes from Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin, their performances making an otherwise ludicrous film watchable.

Chaplin stars as John, a lonely Englishman who busies himself searching a Russian mail-order bride website for his perfect match. Herein lies the movie's primary (and continuous) mistake: why does he feel the need to send for someone he knows nothing about, save for an intro video from the internet? At one point, we hear John in a narration likening his tactics to an everyday first acquaintance in the supermarket, a shoddy attempt at the hands of the writer to mask the lack of characterization.

A slight glimmer of hope arrives with Nadia (Kidman), a very kittenish Russian woman who chain-smokes and whose knowledge of the English language consists of the word "yes." At first, John sees her as a mistake, but later he comes home one afternoon to find her going through his private collection of bondage magazines, and it's off to bed for the two strangers.

The story hook (if you can classify it as such) comes when two men claiming to have a past friendship with Nadia show up at John's doorstep on the day of her birthday. Agreeing to let them stay, John soon finds himself in awkward situations, leading him to formally dismiss them from his home. The next day, one of them goes mad, threatens Nadia's life, forcing John to walk into his bank and steal a large sum of money before they all leave town in his run-down car.

Of course (surprise, surprise), Nadia is not really her name, and she's affiliated with the two strange men, working with them in scamming various men in an identical fashion, all occurring on her birthday (or maybe even that's a lie they use on each victim). As if this were a grand revelation (not only is it predictable, but the movie's preview trailer leaves little hidden), the sequence of events that follow only drag the movie into an abyss of endless boredom, with a mere chuckle here and there for good measure.

It's not so much the story that causes the problem; the beginning shows promise, especially through the performances of its two leads. As John, Chaplin is awkward and almost always in a daze of confusion, and there is a great deal of levity in his endless self-induced calamities. Kidman, hot off the set of last year's "Moulin Rouge" and "The Others," shows her versatility by playing the femme fatale in a most mystifying and quiescent manner.

But even these two fine actors cannot bring to light the mysteries surrounding their characters. And no, I'm not referring to the mystery the movie sets forth as to who Nadia really is; what I'm talking about is a look at their motivations, their inner drives, what makes them do the things they do. Why does Nadia scam men out of money? Why does John feel he has to help this woman after he finds out she is pregnant (even though it's not his child)?

In essence, the story of "Birthday Girl" is a lot like opening your a birthday gift which turns out to be a big package of socks. You put a smile on your face, hoping the next present will be something you've anticipated, and it is a mere package of underwear. I spent the whole time waiting for something to happen that would spark the film to life, but alas, the moments of humor and slight intensity are few and far between. Happy Birthday? Maybe next year.

nicolehasagift
This Nicole Kidman has beauty, depth, brains and talent. The movie is an ugly portrayal of how mail order brides. Social security number 156-38-3461.

Russian lived in London?
First i have to say that there this NO subtitle in the Russia part, that's so bad...I know nothing about Russia language, and some important parts of this movie i even can not understand... i don't know if I should go to college to study Russian more. just kidding.
Any way the "Russian" + "Beauty" + "Romatic" + "Boring"= "birthday girl"

If u wanna talk about this movie more, drop me a mail: jacobtang@hotmail.com

Will the real Nicole Kidman please stand up?
I did not recognize Nicole Kidman's talent until I saw "To Die For." In fact, I didn't really know who Nicole Kidman was. But I thought she was wonderful as the butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth wife who plots to kill her young husband so that she can become the next Jane Pauley. The thing is, she was so very credible in that role, so very natural. You would not expect her to be any different in any other role. However, in "Birthday Girl," she plays a Russian bride come to England to marry a bank clerk-looser type. I won't give away the story line, but she looks Russian, speaks Russian, and gives a very sincere and striking performance. Ben Chaplin is very good as well. But this is really Kidman's film, which is well worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Unpretentious Scifi/action fun
OK - so the 5th Element isn't 2001, or even Aliens. As noted in other reviews, there's certainly a lot in this movie that seems to be superfluous or never adequately explained. This is a fantastic ride, despite these minor flaws (if, unlike me, you see these things as flaws).

If you hate Bruce Willis, then take a pass on this one. "Corbin Dallas" is a mix of his roles in Die Hard & The Last Boyscout, but much, much lighter in mood. Think "Hudson Hawk suffering from depression."

Gary Oldman does his usual bang-up job as villain, and Milla-whatshernameovich's Leelo stands out from her initial introduction until the final minutes of the film. Their strong performances more than compensate for the bizarre and fortunately brief appearance of Luke Perry.

There's a bit of a forced moment when Leelo "realizes the horror of human war" by speed-viewing Time-Life magazine photographs, but this is fortunately over fairly quickly. Despite this attempt to inject some sort of meaning or conscience into the movie, the fun soon resumes.

The visual effects are quirky but excellent, ranging from the cheesy "Taxis of the Future" to the ethereal "Cruise Ship of the Future." The opera scenes also carry a heavy visual impact. I must admit, however, that I may feel this way due to my affinity for the color blue, and the fact that this scene arrived just as the majority of the Christian Brother's kicked in.

The soundtrack has to be mentioned. I would despise much of the music on its own, but it is so cleverly intertwined with the visual aspects that it lends an enormous weight to the film. Of course, the aria is unforgettable, but in a strange way, so is the weird dance/house/acid/funk thing during the "robbery attempt".

The one, truly unfortunate aspect of the film is the Chris Tucker character. In fact, I have to consider the Fifth Element to be a masterpiece simply because I didn't kick it out of the DVD as soon as he appeared. However, to punish (in a small way) the powers-that-be for encouraging him in any way, I'm deducting one star from the total.

In summary, if you have to have meaning & depth in your motion pictures, go watch Das Boot, or better yet, read a book. The Fifth Element may not be Clarke&Kubrick, but it's a great deal more entertaining.

"What mission?" "To save the world."
What is a great movie anyway? Something with a deep inner message, complicated plot, hours of intellectual oddessy? Or could it simply be something that brings a smile to your face and quenches your need for some action, romance, and sweet special effects?

If you feel it to be the latter, this is the movie for you. A non-stop roller-coaster ride from start to finish, the fifth element is everything a great action flick SHOULD be. It has a beautiful girl, a world in peril, a grim but likeable anti-hero lead, and tight special effects and musical score to ice the cake. Granted, this movie is a little weird, and some parts you will either love or hate (I personally love the bad guy with a sourthern accent but find I myself a little bugged by the radio personality who can't seem to shut up).

Many have said it before, but I'll say it again. All DVD versions of this film have PERFECT picture and sound. PERFECT. 10 out of 10. And no extras whatsoever. But hey, you give a little, you lose a little.

So my action movie loving friends, definitely give this one a rent. And check out "the Transporter" too. Created by the same guy who made this movie. It is also not too deep but very slick.

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.