Amelie vs. Reservoir Dogs

[the thing with no name]

good name for a thread eh?

I have been having a 'discussion' with a colleague of mine at work (forums username ©™~UKJEZZA~™©) about the film Amelie.

I was saying what a beautiful, moving and brilliant film Amelie is (my romantic side coming through :D) and he was saying he bet there were 10 films i would say are better than it. I have a varied taste in movies and love many different types of films from kung fu to blockbusters to art house to extreme horror. (check out my profiler list for a taste!)

anyway, when we got a list together, one film that stood out that i had to say Amelie was better than was..... Reservoir Dogs.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Reservoir Dogs.
I saw the film at a film festival in Nottingham with Quentin himself for gods sake!

Now i hate trying to get a lsit of 'my favourite films'
I struggle with a top twenty, never mind a top ten or top three
In fact, here is my list i sent him which probably started it all off


In no real order:

2001
Baraka
The shining
Amelie
Brazil
Shawshank redemption
Godfather
Blade runner
Empire strikes back
Dead Man
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Millers Crossing
Pulp Fiction
Spirited Away
TP: Fire Walk With Me
Withnail & I
Jaws
Lord of the rings (all three as one film)
Elephant Man
One flew over the cuckoos nest

Plus a few bubbling under

The thing
Toy story II
Big leboswki
12 monkeys
Ferris bueler
7
Close encounters
Akira
Alien
Leon

And I know I've probably missed a few

anyway......

He hasn't actually seen Amelie yet (I have lent it to him today to watch this weekend) but although he hasn't seen it, he can't believe that it can be better than Reservoir dogs.

Now I know its hard to judge two films of such wildly varying content, but basically, I would be interested to hear anyone else's opinion on this one.

So, What do you reckon?

which is better?

Amelie?

or Reservoir Dogs?

I'm expecting a full blown argument with people making stupid and unfounded statements, so don't let me down people!!!!

(bet you i get a few - "you can't compare two different films etc etc")



:searchme: :clap: :lol: :nuts:

[dogbert]

you can't compare two different films !!!!
:lol: :lol:

Thought id start the ball rolling

I havent seen amilee so cant comment on that. i also cant say that there is no film out there that isnt better than RD cos people opinions of what is the best varies.

thats my two cents anyway

[the thing with no name]

I know that! :brickwall

I want people strongly defending one of them!!! :thumbs:

come on people - lets ruck!!! :lol: :D

(cheers though!)

[jambo]

films are stupid.

actually i'd agree with amelie being better than reservior dogs. but against pulp fiction? i'd say no.

[the thing with no name]

I agree - amelie better than RD, but not better than Pulp fiction

come one though?

where are the staunch RD fan's?

I want people hating subtitles and foreign movies in here.
:thumbs: :razz:

[bumfrog]

amilie is better then rd and pulp fiction.

there you go. :thumbs:

[stupidboyjj]

I reckon Jean-Pierre Jeunet should have been allowed to direct the 5th of the 'Alien' films set on earth incorporating elements from his other films, how about:

Amelian?

JJ

[Harsin]

Amelie is a French film so most likely it would surrender and Resovoir Dogs would win by default.

[ALIX]

Why do the films have to be compared? Theyre both equally good and very,very different.

[SqueakyG]

I actually just watched Amelie (yet again), so it's fresh in my mind. I think it's a wonderful film, yet I can also see its flaws. The biggest flaw is that it is nothing more than a light sugary snack of a film, whereas something like Reservoir Dogs is a "meal". Does that make sense? Also, Jeunet is too concerned with visual perfection at the expense of other factors. If I wasn't in a forgiving mood, I could accuse the film of being too smug and pleased with itself.

But there is so much to like about Amelie! It totally succeeds at being a feel-good film. 99% of films are designed to invoke negative emotion in the viewer. Even most comedies generate their humour from nastiness. But Amelie is a film that would cheer anyone up. It's all about making people feel good. It captures that heart-pounding excitement of having a crush on someone like no other "romantic comedies" manage to do.

And it has a great score. And Audrey Tautou is gorgeous.

So what of Reservoir Dogs? I think it is also a very good film. Just a very different type of film, designed to entertain in a different way. All I can say is that Reservoir Dogs is a film that entertained me; but Amelie is a film that touched me.

[jayok]

Absolute madness to try and compare Amelie to Reservoir Dogs or vice versa.

If you like the Amelie 'type' of films better than Reservoir Dogs 'type' of films, you will say it is better. So why bother comapring two totally different films.

For the record, I have seen both films and they are very good but I enjoyed Reservoir Dogs better than Amelie so there you go

Reservoir Dogs is better than Amelie

[TheoGB]

Nothing wrong with such a comparison I say. Anyhow, isn't 'reservoir' straight from the French, so they can be compared on that angle...maybe... :nuts:

I consider Reservoir Dogs to be an average movie with some really good bits of dialogue in it.

Amelie is simply a great film and I would put it above Reservoir Dogs any day.

[Mojo Risin]

Ive seen both

if I walked into a room with a tv and dvd player and a copy of each film and told by a mysterious voice "CHOOSE YOUR FILM NOW.... YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE FILM"
I would choose Reservoir dogs

the dialect is to me more stimulating
the action is obviously a bonus
it does still have romantic tendancies
its definately a re-watchable movie

not to say amelie is not a good film, its class

but RD is the film I would tell the mystery voice I want to view

mojo

:thumbs:

[the thing with no name]

hooray!!!! - off we go!

now we're getting to the MEAT of the argument!

Harsin - quality! :thumbs:

SqueakyG - "All I can say is that Reservoir Dogs is a film that entertained me; but Amelie is a film that touched me." - EXACTLY Couldn't have put it better

Still surprised at the number of you saying "you can't compare two films blah blah blah"

I know that..... (rolleyes smiley would be great here)

ITS JUST A BIT OF FUN

I love a good pointless argument.....

I'll have to think of another example soon,
anyway, I'll wait and see what UKJEZZA says when he sees it.

:wave:

[bronso]

God help you, you're turning into Roborob! :lol:

Aw man! Pitting Amelie against Reservoir Dogs, making us have to choose? That's just evil.

I actually think people who like one of the films is more likely to enjoy the other. Don't know why, even as different as they are I think they largely appeal to the same kind of people.

Amelie is :luv:

Reservoir Dogs is :thumbs:

But which of those is better? :thinking:

Hey "thing with no name", you suck! :razz: ;)

[ryonhilluk]

Originally posted by Harsin
Amelie is a French film so most likely it would surrender and Resovoir Dogs would win by default.

:lol:

[the thing with no name]

It's all down to having to get rid of one film over another to fit in a top ten / twenty - a silly task at the best of times.

but i like a bit of a 'discussion'

you should hear me at work - I'm constantly getting people 'talking' - usually religion, homosexuality, death, the afterlife - all sorts!

I made my best friends girlfriend cry at our last dinner party! (not intentially, just the strength of discussion and opinion)

anyway - back to discussion in hand

as far as solid votes go so far....

Amelie has 4 votes, Reservoir dogs has 2

GO ON AMELIE!!!! - You can take those nasty dogs!!! :clap:

[Johnny Vodka]

both are overrated :nuts:

[Listy]

I like them both in different ways but I have to say that Amelie is my favourite out of the two :thumbs:

[raymondlin]

I would put Amelie above RD, apart from the SquakyG's comment adside, I can watch Amelie again and again where i don't think RD has much rewatch value.

[sampath]

Amelie is a 'nice' film to be sure, but I can't really see what the big fuss was/is about. It tries almost too hard to please, which I found mildly off-putting in the end. Maybe I'm being too cynical. I guess Jeunet couldn't really let the material speak for itself without resorting to a bag of cute tricks either, because, well, there was hardly anything there apart from Audrey Tautou (who is admittedly gorgeous).

Or maybe people were just glad that Jeunet managed to successfully put the appalling mess that was Alien Resurrection behind him. Who knows. :p

As for Reservoir Dogs, it's pretty damn good as far as debuts go, but I reckon all of Tarantino's later films have been better.

So, in conlcusion.... not sure really, but I'd probably go for Reservoir Dogs on balance.

[abarthman]

Hmmm, let me think ....

Reservoir Dogs: Cracking, action-packed film that keeps you entertained throughout and is full of endlessly quotable one liners! :thumbs:

Amelie: Girly, French film with subtitles. :oh-hum:

No contest whatsoever. ;)

[bumfrog]

Originally posted by abarthman
Hmmm, let me think ....

Reservoir Dogs: Cracking, action-packed film that keeps you entertained throughout and is full of endlessly quotable one liners! :thumbs:

Amelie: Girly, French film with subtitles. :oh-hum:

No contest whatsoever. ;)

so your vote is with amelie then :D ;)

[Jon B]

I thought that Amelie was a wonderful film, that I've seen twice and will want to watch again in the future. I found it moving and uplifting. Not many movies can match that IMO.

Reservoir Dogs has some cracking dialogue and a certain 'kinetic' energy, but it doesn't really have a heart and I can't say that I'd really want to watch it again (seen it 2/3 times) It's a 'good' movie, not a 'great' movie.


My vote for Amelie

[cat]

Originally posted by Jon B
I thought that Amelie was a wonderful film, that I've seen twice and will want to watch again in the future. I found it moving and uplifting. Not many movies can match that IMO.

Reservoir Dogs has some cracking dialogue and a certain 'kinetic' energy, but it doesn't really have a heart and I can't say that I'd really want to watch it again (seen it 2/3 times) It's a 'good' movie, not a 'great' movie.


My vote for Amelie

Interesting... my sentiments 'almost' exactly but in reverse :nuts: really enjoyed Amelie on first watch, markedly less on the second and unlikely to venture a third... whereas Res Dogs is one of those films I can watch over and over and never tire of..

[ryonhilluk]

My vote: Reservoir Dogs.

[Idle Child]

Amelie and Reservoir Dogs? C'mon, it's like comparing chalk and cheese, or apples with oranges. Only thing they both are is movies. That's were the comparisson starts and ends. :searchme: Which ever you prefer simply depends on on taste and what you think qualifies a good film.

I'd take Reservoir Dogs any minute of the day...

[the thing with no name]

fight fight fight fight!!!


7 all!!!!!!

even stephens

who's gonna win?

maybe UKJEZZA will finally watch it and cast the deciding vote?

;)

[Roborob]

God help you, you're turning into Roborob! :lol:

Aw man! Pitting Amelie against Reservoir Dogs, making us have to choose? That's just evil.

I actually think people who like one of the films is more likely to enjoy the other. Don't know why, even as different as they are I think they largely appeal to the same kind of people.

Amelie is :luv:

Reservoir Dogs is :thumbs:

But which of those is better? :thinking:

Hey "thing with no name", you suck! :razz: ;)

That is nasty Boso sorry Bronso!

I've seen both but I can't say I like either very much, So Ill just say They are about the same in my book. :shrug:

[Tom Whitaker]

Both great films, but on rewatching, Amelie's just too long.

[the thing with no name]

OMG - blast from the past - still stick by my statements above :D :thumbs:

[zantarous]

Blimy I didn’t even realise that this thread was a few months old till that last post.

I really don’t know why everyone raves about Amelie so much, it’s a nice film but that’s about it, nothing seems to happen heck the funniest thing about it is the gnomes. I would have to go with RD as that has far better rewatch value for me. But My Sassy Girl would kick both there butts.

[seb2]

Neither make into my top five:

1. Pulp Fiction
2. The Godfather Trilogy
3. American Beauty
4. Leon
5. Jaws

I could probably find 5 more films that are better than Amelie and RD..

I would say Reservoir Dogs has a bit more depth, but then Amelie has a nice style. Man, this is a really tough! I would say they are equal..

[Paul Bennison]

There's no gnome in Reservoir Dogs. So Amelie pips it to the post for me.

[Bolch]

Amelie is a much better film, but I find Reservoir Dogs to have a better rewatch value.

Dogs for me.

[Spam]

Amelie by a mile, visually stunning, the character actors in the film own every single actor in resevoir dogs (bar Mr Keitel maybe), someone previoulsy claimed Amelie was a "smug" movie, this compared against Mr Tarantino, the man who redefined smugness. The script/dialogue outshines anything RD can deliver, this is again down the the absolute class of the actors chosen. You want to know about every single one of them.

If you were a blind man you can "watch" RD and know whats going on, you wouldnt stand a chance with Amelie. Make of that what you will though, the thought just popped into my head. lol

Id buy a 2nd dvd player just to leave the Amelie disc in it.

[basegreen]

Amelie for me. By a LONG way. I have an Amelie poster over my bed. (no, really!)

[KRW]

But there is so much to like about Amelie! It totally succeeds at being a feel-good film. 99% of films are designed to invoke negative emotion in the viewer.

I found certain parts of Amelie quite unpleasant. Cant for the life of me remember what sparked that off as it's been ages since I saw it, but it certainly didn't cheer me up. I felt throughly miserable after watching it.

Anyway, reservoir Dogs is the clear winner cos there's guns in it.

[Out for Justice]

Agree with SqueakyG but wouldn't put either in my top 20.

Would go for Amelie over RD as the leading lady has those bedroom eyes ;)
(or maybe it's the BJ lips)

[cliff homewood]

Reservoir Dogs. Michael Madsen rips pretty clouds in the sky to pieces.

Although I also loved Amelie, a magical film. Real feel good film, but Dogs is just so intense, with superb dialogue, a hardhitter.And Tarantinos best film in my book (thats where a split happens, some prefer RD some prefer PF)