ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

SnoopyStyle Madame Souza and her grandson used to watch the singing Triplets of Belleville on TV. She raises her orphaned grandson by herself and encourages him to be a great cyclist. He enters the Tour de France. He and others are kidnapped and shipped to a criminal boss who runs his own tour with stationary bikes. Souza and their overweight dog Bruno follow the ship to Belleville where they are befriended by the eccentric frog-eating Triplets of Belleville. While performing with the Triplets at a nightclub, Bruno sniffs out his owner's scent on the mob boss.I love the unique ugly style that is done so beautifully. It's wonderfully weird and surreal. I don't think the story moves fast enough. There is a lack of urgency at times. There is more than one dream sequence for the dog. This is an unique vision but the slower scenes get a bit repetitive. The lack of dialog is another part of that uniqueness.

Sean Lamberger Quirky, standout French animation about a boy, his grandmother, his dream of competing in the Tour de France, and his kidnapping midway through the race. Somewhere along the way, they latch onto a trio of retired songstresses (the titular triplets) and from there, the ride grooves to a catchy, incessant makeshift beat. A free-flowing adventure in every sense, it's never half as serious as the premise seems to imply - even when the crew is dodging bullets in New York aboard the equivalent of a parade float. The artwork is wonderful; organic and over-exaggerated in the very best ways, and all-too willing to poke fun at its own eccentricities. Stylish, funny and emotive, with a colorful soul and a restless spirit, I was especially impressed by its ability to convey the story without a shred of essential dialog. No subtitles necessary, just enjoy the show.

siderite For me this film represented tradition. Tradition of animation, French and American cultural traditions, the tradition that gives you a purpose in life, but then becomes oppressive and finally corrupted by money.A film done in 2003, it presents a style of animation that is reminiscent of early Disney, but more grotesque. None of the characters are even remotely beautiful and the world is shown as consumerist, crowded with ugly people, polluted by industry and corrupted by human nature. The story, while funny, is irrelevant; instead the details are the ones that count. I loved the "origin story" of the train barking and tiny details that pop up all over the film: the boyscout, the Disney castle fireworks thing, the unstoppable "mémè" and many more.Bottom line: almost devoid of meaningful dialogue, this piece of artistic animation works on many levels at once. It is not a children cartoon, nor is it some easy film to be watched with hamburgers and French fries (even if, based on the story, it seems to me to be the perfect menu for watching it). I loved it and hated it at the same time and now, writing the review, I feel haunted by the images. You should watch this.

NeliaQ I guess this movie is just culturally boxing. I read many reviews from haters, and I understand what made them hate it. I, however, loved it.I am Portuguese myself, and have travelled about, and the depictions in the movie are what a foreigner will first unavoidably perceive of a new people. They are not meant to be offensive, but rather to be amusing, exactly because they are so raw and placeable. There are stereotypes of even the creating crew: if they can be self-critic, we can take the joke too. And none of the characters gets ostracized based on their origins, and they find it to team up despite their differences.There is little to no dialogue, and yet you do get the language of it all, if you pay attention. There are subliminal, intentional messages in every sound you hear. You could be an illiterate 100-word goat-shepherd anywhere in the world and still grasp at what is told, simply because you can see and you can hear.So, this movie is a humouristic play with human xenophobia, which separates nations, AND with wordless communication, which unites nations. Surely you will appreciate the irony!Furthermore, the love this granny feels for her detached grandson is admirable and endearing. He rarely acknowledges her, and yet she is completely dedicated to him. What greater devotion is there? (And no, I am not a cheesy chick at all, trust me.) But I admit I may be too biased here: Souza is so much like my grandmother, and the boy so much like my little brother, and the dog so much like one of mine (go ahead, call my family a stereotype). I advise you to watch this on a cinema or any large screen with a good sound system. The movie thrives mostly on unusual visuals and audios. It has its little bads, but it always makes my spirits dance!