The Illusionist
This Oscar-nominated animated film from director Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville) is based on a very old screenplay from the long deceased filmmaker Jacques Tati. It’s a sweet and sad story about an aging magician who travels to Scotland looking for work, with a young girl he just met tagging along. (It’s a father-daughter type relationship; nothing creepy.) Like Belleville, The Illusionist is rich with little touches that go deeper than your average animated film. It’s old school, hand-drawn animation, which gives it a sort of rustic, antique quality. Chomet gives his film very little dialogue, allowing the visuals to tell the story. In addition to directing and writing the screenplay, Chomet composed the score, no small feat considering that it is an excellent blend of slow jazz and moody piano. It’s actually one of 2010’s better scores.