Our take
The optimism in the turn of the century led to quirky children’s fantasy adventures in the 90s and early aughts, but on occasion, fantasy was used to think critically about the world around us. Taking a more steampunk direction, The City of Lost Children was one such tale. With its somewhat on-the-nose metaphor for a brilliant scientist stealing children’s dreams, the resulting adventure is fought in the name of all things human, all with the whimsical style that’s been previously seen in films like Delicatessen and Amélie. Not all the ideas feel fully complete, but the City of Lost Children is one journey worth taking beside your kids.
What it won
Cannes
1 nom
Spirit Awards
1 nom
César Awards
4 noms
Goya Awards
1 nom
The story
A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.
Elsewhere
"Jeunet and Caro have distinctive signatures like nobody else's."
— Michael Sragow
"With each frame filled to bursting point with visual detail and multiplaned design, plus razor-sharp cutting that often eliminates transitions, it's not a movie you can afford to take your eyes off for a second."
— Derek Elley
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
