Anyone Seen "The Triplets of Belleville" ?

[On the Road]

It's an animated French film which is almost impossible to describe. Roger Ebert says:

The Triplets of Belleville" will have you walking out of the theater with a goofy damn grin on your face, wondering what just happened to you. To call it weird would be a cowardly evasion. It is creepy, eccentric, eerie, flaky, freaky, funky, grotesque, inscrutable, kinky, kooky, magical, oddball, spooky, uncanny, uncouth and unearthly. Especially uncouth.... There is not even a way I can tell you what the film is "like," because I can't think of another film "like" it.

Most animated features have an almost grotesque desire to be loved. This one doesn't seem to care. It creates a world of selfishness, cruelty, corruption and futility -- but it's not serious about this world and it doesn't want to attack it or improve upon it. It simply wants to sweep us up in its dark comic vision.

It's in French, although it has so few words that it's almost a silent film. It is about bicycle racing, the mafia, vaudeville, kidnapping, perseverence, and dogs barking at trains. The animation style is so unusual and captivating that's it worth it just for the visuals.

Just got back from the theater. Never seen anything like it.

[flamingyouth]

1. I really loved it

One of the best films of last year, IMHO.

[Rooktoven]

2. Just saw it--- 2 1/2 stars

Interesting animation, but short on plot. Kind of repeats the same jokes over and over.