MICMACS is an absurdly entertaining comedy from director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Basil is a video store employee
who gets shot in the head by a stray bullet and survives. When he leaves the hospital (with the bullet still lodged
in his head), he finds himself homeless and soon is welcome by a group of eccentric people living in a house made of metal
junk. His new friends encourage him (and participate) in setting two rival arms manufacturers against each other
(one made a land mine that killed Basil's father and the other made the bullet that hit Basil). He finds love
in a female contortionist as the film goes to high comedic heights.
MICMACS is another amazing film from Jeunet as he populates his film with eccentric characters you want to love or love
to hate. The film score borrows from old Warner Bros. films like THE BIG SLEEP and it adds to it's quirky charm.
MICMACS has the same elements you see in any Jeunet film from the unique perspectives of the characters and a look into their
imaginations (or what they think they are hearing). Dominique Pinion is around playing another character (this time,
he is a human cannonball) who survives despite what his character has been through. The Elastic Girl is one of
my favorite characters while the old breaded man reminds me of a French Donald Sutherland.
I just wish Jean-Pierre Jeunet would make more films and it not be such a wait between films (usually four years
between films). Still Jeunet has not made one film I hate where each one has his touch despite the flaws of the one
Hollywood studio film he directed (ALIEN RESURRECTION which is a better film with each viewing). I wonder what
Jeunet will direct next because his mind produces such visually quirky films that are so uniquely him and it can't be from
anyone else.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
audio commentary with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet which is a little dry and he speaks in English for the track.
THE MAKING OF MICMACS is a 47 minute making-of documentary which goes into detail in the making of the film, but
it could have been edited down and one of the biggest highlights is actress Audrey Tatou stopping by the set for a visit.
The doc shows the amount of detail Jeunet puts into making his films.
The Q&A with Jean_pierre Jeunet and actress Julie Ferrier was recorded at the Tribeca Film Festival
as Jeunet gives some insightful answers along with some good stories in the length of this ten minute featurette.
Animations: Absurd Deaths shows the step-by-step process of the animation for the absurd deaths talked about in the film.
Rounding out the extras are the theatrical trailer and previews for a few SPHE titles like LEBANON and A WOMAN,
A GUN, AND A NOODLE SHOP.
FINAL ANALYSIS: MICMACS is another quirky piece of joy from director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. See it and
see his other films (if you haven't seen them).
this DVD review is (c)12-15-2010 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments
to
lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
