I loved this movie. I identified with Marjane's story because I know what it feels to be displaced out of your home country and to live as a stranger from that on. Simply honest and complete. It has become one of my favorite movies of all time!
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....and life's struggle continues
Added 10/22/2009
The genius of this movie is that it's animated; there is no way to capture all the feelings and emotions with real actors.
This is the story of every society when one dictator falls to be replaced by worse dictators. It is the story of young souls watching their dreams of freedom and justice fall apart. It is the story of being stranger in your home land and everywhere else, and it is the story of how religion is used to manipulate and control people.
Watch the story of little Marjane, her little bread swans, her story with God and life and don't fight your tears. The realism of the story, the sadness of Marjane, the portrayal of societies' helplessness and political/religious manipulations make this movie a real treasure. Enjoy!
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Beautifully animated
Added 9/28/2009
I have mixed feelings about the film. I heard such raves about it when it came out in theaters that I was eager to see the DVD. I did find it very charming, due to the animation. I don't usually like animated films, even the ones that others like, so I was very pleasantly surprised at the tremendous charm of this. Frame by frame, the expressions on the faces of the characters, their body language, the wit and the sheer beauty of the drawings captured my attention and pulled me along.
The film is long and I broke it up into two settings. The ending was abrupt and left me hanging. This is where I look back at the structure of the story and find it wanting. It is actually a narrative of the events of a young Iranian girl as she watched the political regime change in her country, then her brief stay in Austria, her return home and then her flight to Paris. It's really an autobiography rather than a story and when viewed in that light, it's well done. But somehow there is a "so what?" left at the end.
We don't know what happens after the girl gets out of the taxi...Will she adapt better to French society than she did to Austrian? What happens to her parents? etc. There were some other questions that arose in my mind as I watched it. Why did she end up sleeping on the streets in Vienna, when it seemed that her parents had plenty of money?. Why did she refuse to contact them for two months and then refuse to tell them what she did there? Were there events that weren't shown?
So anyway, structurally, as a story it doesn't hold together for me. Its interest lies in the subject matter; it's wonderful to get a glimpse into the lives of real Iranians. It's main charm, though, is the wonderful animation and for that I do urge people to see it.
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Fantastic Work of Art
Added 9/20/2009
In an age of much censorship by the ruling Islamic Republic and danger of persecution, Marjane has done a fantastic job of relaying her message in a great language of art of animation.
Michael Navabi
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An amazing story told in an incredible way
Added 5/26/2009
What a fascinating and tragic life Marjane Satrapi has lived. Aesthetically, the film follows the style of her graphic novels (which I haven't read), simple and bold. But the way that it communicates the complexities of emotion, character, and history is truly superb and anything but simple.
Satrapi and Parronaud achieve a feat of subtlety in their ability to portray Marjene's youthfulness without watering down the narrative. The viewer can understand the limited perspective of the main character, while following the developments in Iran that the film tries to explore.
The stunning Marjane Satrapi.
Something in the film's tone is refreshingly unapologetic-Satrapi pulls no punches when introducing us to the people that have passed through her life in Iran and Europe. She describes her friends in Austria, for example, as having perfected "forced nihilism," an obvious term of derision that I found hilarious. The heroes in her young life were communists, but they were her loved ones and composed the largest bloc of opposition to both the Shah and the Ayatollah.
The tone of the film could have easily veered toward whiny or preachy because of its subject matter, but never does. Instead, the viewer inevitably compares the struggles of their own life to the incredible hardships Satrapi has suffered. The result may be uncomfortable, but to some like myself, ultimately inspiring; it adds to our appreciation of art that is truly expressive and the tormented souls behind it that we are privileged to encounter every so often. Persepolis serves to remind us that those who create beauty in this world are often the most haunted among us.
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I loved this movie. I identified with Marjane's story because I know what it feels to be displaced out of your home country and to live as a stranger from that on. Simply honest and complete. It has become one of my favorite movies of all time!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
....and life's struggle continues
Added 10/22/2009
The genius of this movie is that it's animated; there is no way to capture all the feelings and emotions with real actors.
This is the story of every society when one dictator falls to be replaced by worse dictators. It is the story of young souls watching their dreams of freedom and justice fall apart. It is the story of being stranger in your home land and everywhere else, and it is the story of how religion is used to manipulate and control people.
Watch the story of little Marjane, her little bread swans, her story with God and life and don't fight your tears. The realism of the story, the sadness of Marjane, the portrayal of societies' helplessness and political/religious manipulations make this movie a real treasure. Enjoy!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Beautifully animated
Added 9/28/2009
I have mixed feelings about the film. I heard such raves about it when it came out in theaters that I was eager to see the DVD. I did find it very charming, due to the animation. I don't usually like animated films, even the ones that others like, so I was very pleasantly surprised at the tremendous charm of this. Frame by frame, the expressions on the faces of the characters, their body language, the wit and the sheer beauty of the drawings captured my attention and pulled me along.
The film is long and I broke it up into two settings. The ending was abrupt and left me hanging. This is where I look back at the structure of the story and find it wanting. It is actually a narrative of the events of a young Iranian girl as she watched the political regime change in her country, then her brief stay in Austria, her return home and then her flight to Paris. It's really an autobiography rather than a story and when viewed in that light, it's well done. But somehow there is a "so what?" left at the end.
We don't know what happens after the girl gets out of the taxi...Will she adapt better to French society than she did to Austrian? What happens to her parents? etc. There were some other questions that arose in my mind as I watched it. Why did she end up sleeping on the streets in Vienna, when it seemed that her parents had plenty of money?. Why did she refuse to contact them for two months and then refuse to tell them what she did there? Were there events that weren't shown?
So anyway, structurally, as a story it doesn't hold together for me. Its interest lies in the subject matter; it's wonderful to get a glimpse into the lives of real Iranians. It's main charm, though, is the wonderful animation and for that I do urge people to see it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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