Looking for work in 1959 Scotland, a Parisian illusionist encounters a young woman who, after he performs several feats for her, believes him to possess magical powers of conjuration and follows him to Edinburgh. Stars the voice talents of Jean-Claude Donda and Eilidh Rankin. Based on a screenplay originally written by Jacques Tati, adapted and directed by Sylvain Chomet. 2010.
After Don Bluth in the 80s, the Disney Renaissance of the 90s, and now Pixar's instant classic after instant classic, I feel like animation isn't really something I have to defend anymore. Generally, it's taken for granted at this point that an animated movie can achieve great cinematic heights comparable to a live-action one. But the next time I encounter someone of a different opinion, I'm going to recommend The Illusionist, and then I'll have to specify that I don't mean the 2006 Ed Norton movie. This is Sylvain Chomet's second feature film, his first being The Triplets of Belleville, and I would've been satisfied with something equally zany and off-the-wall, however The Illusionist is a much more subdued story with a considerably greater emotional depth that came as a surprise but not an unwelcome one. There's no dialogue to speak of in the film, what lines we hear are indecipherable. This is a good way to highlight the language barrier between the two main characters, but also showcases the talent of the director and the film's animators, who are able to convey a range of emotions and atmospheres without being able to rely on dialogue. Chomet's landscapes are breathtaking, his array of even minor characters memorable and the film on the whole is heartfelt and sincere. The most recurring criticism I've seen is that it's occasionally oversentimental, and I guess that's true in places, but it's a movie about an old man trying to keep on doing what he loves in a world growing only more indifferent to his craft. Sentimental, perhaps, but it's not happy-go-lucky by any means. An exclusively mature animated film.
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