2026 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest Winners
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain – A Film Review by Sonia Tappan, Jefferson Elementary
I would rate Little Amélie 5 stars out of 5. Some things that I thought made this film special were how the colors of the settings were always vivid and in sync with the mood and idea of the film. For example, there is a scene where two-year-old Amélie first goes into a garden; Amélie is full of wonder and happiness. To go along with this, the sun is shining, and the colors of the garden are bright, happy, and clear. In contrast, there is another scene where, after Amélie’s nanny, Nishio-San, leaves, Amélie is standing in front of the pond before she jumps in; the colors are dark, dull, slightly blurred, and it is raining. All the images felt like the perfect blend between realism and anime.
It takes a movie to the next level when the mood is portrayed in a way that appeals to both your eyes and mind. All the scenes, in my opinion, met these expectations. They were always both visually beautiful and emotional in a way that you could both feel and relate to. This made the film’s ideas and the emotions feel more touching and real.
This film also stands out for how the relationships between the characters felt so real. The moments where they were spending time together felt relatable. For example, when Amélie and her grandma were spending time together, I could see glimpses of my relationship with my grandma. When Amélie’s grandma left, it reminded me of when my grandma leaves after visiting us, or, when Amélie’s grandma gives Amélie white chocolate, it reminded me of when my grandma gives me snacks that my mom doesn’t usually have. Nishio-San and Amélie’s relationship wasn’t one quite like one I think I’ve ever had, but it always seemed so sweet, real, and emotional. Multiple times where there were emotional moments between them, I cried. Their moments were always deeply touching. It was nice how the relationships always felt balanced and real. You could feel how they loved each other.
I also enjoyed the humor woven into the story. I liked the part about the pond carp. It resonated with me because I have a brother, and I often feel that he is ugly. I think this so often that I feel like all boys are a bit ugly. (No offense Dad and Keith if you are reading this.) Another funny moment I enjoyed was when Amélie’s first word was “vacuum cleaner” instead of something more personal or common like “Mama”. I also found the part when Amélie refuses to say Andre’s name both funny and relatable because my sister wouldn’t say my name. The way she gave a little head shake when her family expected her to say Andre’s name was hilarious.
I liked how there was so much diversity among all the characters. People from Belgium who spoke French, Japanese people who spoke Japanese and French. We got to witness the Japanese Pond Lantern Festival, and we got to learn how to write “rain” in Japanese too. This stood out me because in a lot of anime films, everyone is one race. I appreciated how everyone was different in this film.
In conclusion I think this film was great. The animation was beautiful, the plot was touching, funny and relatable, and it was a joy to watch. There was nothing I didn’t like about Little Amélie. If I could give it 6 out of 5 stars, I would!