SPECIAL: Jean Pierre Jeunet Films Ranked

Earlier this year I thought I'd do another special list since it is fun to immerse yourself in the world of one director. It took me a while due to trouble finding some of them, but this time I decided to watch all films by Jean Pierre Jeunet. One of Jeunet's films, Amelie, has been in my top ten for twenty years now. It's that old already? Oh my. This was an excellent excuse to re-watch it and all his other great stories. Here's the complete list of all Jeunet's feature films, followed by my rankings:

• Delicatessen (1991)
• The City of Lost Children (1995)
• Alien Resurrection (1997)
• Amélie (2001)
• A Very Long Engagement (2004)
• Micmacs (2009)
• The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)

#1 Amelie (2001)
Rating: Q=7, P=8 / Obsession
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4
Yes, it's still my favorite.

#2 Micmacs (2009)

Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession
Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=4

Micmacs is such a close second to Amelie. This film is brilliant!

#3 The City of Lost Children (1995)

Rating: Q=7, P=4 / Can't Get Enough
Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

#4 Delicatessen (1991)
Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

#5 The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)
Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

*#6 A Very Long Engagement (2004)
Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

#7 Alien Resurrection (1997)
Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

*I was unable to watch this one--couldn't find it. My rating is based on my original viewing.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

FAVORITES: Amelie, Diner, and A Town Called Panic

FAVORITES for January & February:

Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)

Click here for the basics

Rating: Q=8, P=8 / Obsession

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4

Whimsical, Coming of Age, Adventure, Romance

Why is it a Favorite?
I saw Amelie in the theater when I was 16 years old, just starting my journey into the realm of movies and romance. This film means a lot to me, not just because it brings back memories of my teenage years and the tumultuous relationships I had, but also because it made me start thinking about what I value and who I want to be. It's a darn good film, one of the best ever made, in my opinion. It is escapist, but it also has meaningful moments. It is gorgeous in the artistry and cinematography--oh, those bold colors. It has complicated, strange, and interesting characters. It employs an interesting narrative structure...I could go on. There is a certain "comforting something" about the atmosphere of this film--like puffy clouds and chalk drawings and mud between the toes--that makes me nostalgic and contented.

Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982)

Click here for the basics

Rating: Q=7, P=8 / Obsession

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4

1950s, Coming of Age, Friendship, Day-in-the-life

Why is it a Favorite?
I LOVE coming of age films that center around a group of men, as you've read on this blog many times before. Diner is definitely that, but it also has the advantage of having a very improvisational script which leads to a flow that really appeals to me. Some might call it "slow" or "aimless," but I like that. I enjoy being the eavesdropper/voyeur who just watches what's going on. Films don't have to have monumental struggles or conflicts, there doesn't need to be a big moment of truth. This film feels like real-life, the conversations, the relationships, the arguments, the little moments.

A Town Called Panic (Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar 2009)

Click here for the basics

Rating: Q=7, P=8 / Obsession

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4

Whimsical, Animation, Adventure

Why is it a Favorite?
I first saw this film when I was home sick and browsing through my Netflix streaming options. It looked fun and uplifting so I pressed "play." The series of reactions that ensued sounded something like this:
"What?" then
"What is this?" then
"OMG, what?!" then
"Seriously, what the **** is this?"
I have never laughed so hard and something I barely understood. This film is completely, absolutely bizarre and I love it. I can't describe it so you'll just have to watch.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here