Review: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

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Official synopsis: Amélie, a Belgian child in Japan, explores life with her companion Nishio-san. Her third birthday becomes a turning point, marking the beginning of life-altering events that shape her understanding of the world.

I didn't know much about this film before renting it on Prime. Only that it's been getting great reviews and that it's highly likely to be in the Best Animated Feature line up at the Oscars. That's enough for me really. So imagine my surprise when this film starts with a child voice telling us that they're actually God, then having a divine moment by tasting white chocolate.

That's the tone for Little Amélie. Sweet, whimsical, and occasionally pretty funny. The animation is bright and colorful. Amélie looks at everything with such wonder, especially Japan. Even though she's a daughter of a diplomat, she sees herself as Japanese and the film shows how her caretaker Nishio-san introduces her to the Japanese culture, even though not everyone is ready for that.

This film is so charming and I really hope it does show up on Oscar morning. It also made me think of another animated film I saw earlier in the year that isn't getting the same Oscar attention this is - Hola Frida. Another delightful little animated film that's easily worth the rental price like this one. 

Grade: A-

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