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He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not [2002] DVD ~ Audrey Tautou  (16)  £5.98

A Very Long Engagement - 1 Disc Edition [2004] DVD ~ Audrey Tautou  (2)  £2.97

Amelie / A Very Long Engagement DVD ~ Audrey Tautou £7.97

Amelie (Two Disc Special Edition) [DTS] DVD ~ Audrey Tautou  (56)  £5.48

Delicatessen [1991] DVD ~ Jean-Claude Dreyfus  (31)  £4.97

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Synopsis
This World War I mystery finds limitless beauty in the nostalgia of loss. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, whose whimsical AMELIE riveted audiences, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT also stars Audrey Tautou--the 21st century's Audrey Hepburn--in the stubbornly emotional role of a widow in denial. Here she is Mathilde, a waifish young woman with a pronounced limp from childhood polio. Living with her quirky aunt and uncle in a farmhouse by the sea, and waiting desperately for her fiance Manech (Gaspard Ulliel) to return from the war, she believes that if he were truly lost she would feel it in her heart. Thus, when the bad news arrives--Manech and five fellow soldiers were exiled to No Man's Land for shooting off their own fingers in hope of being discharged--Mathilde refuses to believe he is dead. Instead, she begins her own investigation into Manech's infantry, hiring a private detective and tracking down the wives and girlfriends of each of Manech's compatriots. Conducting countless interviews, Mathilde pieces together Manech's war stories--which are told in earthshaking flashbacks involving gruesome explosions, flying guts, and massive suffering. And yet, the all-in-this-together humanity of these awful scenes, and the heartfelt bravery with which Mathilde absorbs the details of each battle, is undeniably moving. Jodie Foster appears as Elodie, one of the widows, in a charismatic yet muted performance and with a flawless accent. However, the most intriguing of the widows is Tina Lombardi (Marion Cotillard), a thrilling dominatrix-assassin bent on avenging her lover. A timeless masterwork that raises the bar for breathtaking camerawork, vivid landscapes, and fantastical storytelling, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT is adapted from the novel by Sebastien Japriscot.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not [2002] DVD ~ Audrey Tautou  (16)  £5.98

The Chorus [2004] DVD ~ Gerard Jugnot  (28)  £4.98

Amelie (Two Disc Special Edition) [DTS] DVD ~ Audrey Tautou  (56)  £5.48

Delicatessen [1991] DVD ~ Jean-Claude Dreyfus  (31)  £4.97

Le Dīner De Cons DVD ~ Thierry Lhermitte  (12)  £5.98

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29 Reviews 5 star:  (19) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (4) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review (29 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   16 of 16 people found the following review helpful: My film of 2004, 4 Jul 2007 By  Nicholas Casley (Plymouth, Devon, UK) - See all my reviews          I rarely give five stars, but I feel that this film deserves it for a number of reasons. It is both a fantastic spectacle, and at the same time very moving. In essence it is a love story set against the background of trench warfare on the western front in 1917. After the war, Matilda (played by the beautiful Audrey Tautou), a young woman from rural Brittany seeks to prove that her lover Manech (played by the equally beautiful Gaspard Ulliel) is not dead. Ulliel is a superb actor, who I first noticed when he seduced/was seduced by Charlotte Rampling in the comedy "Summer Things". His naive charm in this film moved this reviewer to tears. Other reviewers have commented on how the first viewings can be confusing as you try to juggle the lives and subsequent histories of Ulliel's companions in the trench to find out if and how he survived. In this respect the central filling of this film's sandwich is not unlike an Agatha Christie murder mystery. But the beauty of this film is that repeated viewings enhance the experience, for it is shot in a beautiful autumn shimmer, with marvellous views of the Breton countryside and seascapes. The recreation of 1920s Parisian landmarks is a triumph of artistry and just goes to show how CGI can now enhance film. One word about the editions. I would recommend the two-disc special edition. The extras are definitely worth it, showing how clever the production team has been in creating the brilliant effects both on the battlefield and off. Some have complained about the apparent frivolousness of an Amelie-approach to World War One. Yes, Jean Pierre Jeunet does seem to have a signature in this film that mirrors his earlier work on Amelie, in particular the intorduction of trivial and yet interesting characteristics of his players, and the often hyperactive camera work, where the camera is never restful for long. But on balance I think the criticism is unfair. The film clearly shows the harrowing ordeal of life in the trenches and the injustices that were endured by the troops. The behind-the-scenes documentary clearly demonstrates the strenuous efforts that were made to portray the experiences in as realistic a light as possible. And it is ultimately Ulliel's experiences as shown in the film that makes the story all the more moving, not less. I work in an arts cinema and see well over one hundred films there a year: this was my film of 2004.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   15 of 15 people found the following review helpful: Nice escape, 30 Aug 2006 By  Dharma Basgeet "Always make things simple BUT... (London, UK) - See all my reviews I would say "A Very Long Engagmenet" is nothing much but a good film. Some called it a classic but it is far from that. It mainly a testimonial to love - the belief that someone is still alive and the will to find that someone even if it was from the jaws of death. I guess to resume it one can certainly say