Waiting for `Amelie' to begin in a theater fraught with noisy college students drinking cheap beer, I wasn't expecting anything more than an over-hyped flick from our friends in France. I slowly began to realize as I watched Amelie skip stones in the canal that for the very first time, a film deserved all of hype it had been accorded and more, and I felt so blessed to be a part of this revelation.<br /><br />Possible Spoilers<br /><br />It's hard to put into words how much I loved `Amelie.' I felt as though I were sitting next to Monet, watching as he effortlessly splashed brilliant watercolors across his canvas. I had this strange but fantastic feeling of being inside the mind of Amelie, seeing everything in the vibrant colors she viewed life with, and wanting to remain there much longer than the two hours allotted. It was just so refreshing to watch a movie where your imagination was free to soar rather than feel confused by the apparent deja vu from last year's first installment of the same pointless drivel.<br /><br />I almost always loathe films with subtitles as I feel that they get in the way of viewing the characters actions and facial expressions. `Amelie' is the first film where I adored the subtitles and in fact, had a nagging urge to go out and learn French that is still with me today. Much of this can be attributed to the delightful Audrey Tatou. Her expressive eyes and sweet caring nature provided the viewer with fond memories of Audrey Hepburn and prevented me from being distracted by the subtitles. Could a 23 year old actress with little experience be just as fantastic as Meryl Streep and Katharine Hepburn? I really wasn't expecting it but Audrey Tatou revitalized my interest in film and left me wondering why her name didn't appear on Academy ballots and what possessed the Academy to favor `No Man's Land.'<br /><br />An already perfect film couldn't get much better but along with the lovingly created cinematography and delight of rising star Tatou came the wonderful story of a true do-gooder. `Amelie' is a film that begs you to get happy and should give some short-term contentment to even the most depressed of individuals. Little moments like the tragically funny early years of Amelie are very special and the best I've seen on the silver screen. The scene where Amelie is skipping stones in the canal should be studied for years to come as the greatest technical moment in cinema.<br /><br />Movies like this one don't come around very often. Perhaps the creators of films that pander to dumbed-down audiences who apparently can't tell that their watching last year's film should take the hint. The movie-going public wants to be inspired and wants to be provided with the same imagination they have when reading a great novel. This is why `Amelie' remains #18 on the list of best films.<br /><br />10/10