Director Sylvain Chomet, the genius who brought us The Triplets of Belleville, comes this magnificent animated tale of friendship and magic.
The reviews for this one are already very good. Do yourself a favour and see this film. In a world where digital animation is the only box office juggernaut that matters, gems like this sometimes get lost.
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“The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder in the late 1950s, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafes. Then, while performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever. Watching his performance for the excited villagers who are celebrating the arrival of electricity on their remote island, Alice is awestruck by his show and believes his tricks are real magic. Though they donthusiasm for his act, The Illusionist rewards Alice with increasingly lavish gifts he has ‘conjured’ into existence. Desperate not to disappoint her, he cannot bring himself to reveal that magic does not exist and that he pretend. Untangled from his own web of deceit, he resumes his life as a much wiser man.”
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It looks like Disney does not have the market cornered when it comes to imagination. Very human and alive with texture.
I have two kids myself, and as much as I try to compete against it, Disney puts allot of muscle behind getting them hooked at a young age. It has almost become a factory for morality and education for young minds. Whether you are in line with that opinion or not, you can’t deny that perhaps it’s time for other sources of imagination and story telling. Megamind? – I’ll pass. Thanks.