The City of Lost Children

As a fable, The City of Lost Children may not have a resonantly significant moral, but as a film, it is without a doubt the most incredible thing that the cinema has brought us this year. [22 Dec 1995]

The City Of Lost Children is as great a film as you thought "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was when you were five years old.

For those who enjoy the offbeat, The City of Lost Children is worth taking the time and effort to find.

I am not one of you. But I have enough of you in me to pass along the word. Far out.

The movie is best appreciated as a collection of whimsical toys drawn from a fantasy grab bag that encompasses everything from Grimm's fairy tales to "Star Wars."

I'm not really sure who would enjoy this movie.

Sadly, the technical logistics seem to have impeded the dreamlike flow a movie like this requires.

The City of Lost Children is a must-see for lovers of the surreal, especially steam punk. The film is rated R but has PG feel to it; it is like the fantasy adventure movies of the 80s with plenty humor and a bit of the grotesque mixed in (very reminiscent of Terry Gilliam films, though the vibe is different). The plot is not the greatest but sometimes I rate the film up because it has great style and outstanding visuals.

*The City of Lost Children will have you gripped throughout the entire film. * The amazing futurist (Steampunk?) world the story is set in is a delight to behold, if not weird and dark all at the same time and demands your full attention fear you loose your way with the plot! I love the characters in this film, they are almost straight out of Wonderland, a dark and twisted Wonderland at that. The story is a little odd, but compelling due to the strong acting and locations. Sometimes you do feel like you in some sort of twisted computer game rather than watching a film though! Without doubt this is a fantastic film, set in a dark wonderland of oddball characters and story lines that will keep your eyes glued from start to finish.

"Who stole the child's dreams? Krank, in his evil schemes. But the happy tale had a sting in its tail. The genius has a fit of pique, hear the genius shriek, the "genius" is up a creek."

I loved its whole atmosphere and style. The world of this film is one I would like to visit. Needless to say, the visuals are spectacular, but that only counts as part of the whole process and in terms of its narrative, The City of Lost Children doesn't have a definitive strength that could make it substantial. In fact there's very little that could be considered a common thread and I found that somewhat disappointing because the film's imbalance of its best characteristics and its weaknesses affect the whole package. I love avant-garde films and films that break out of the mold, but The City of Lost Children doesn't have the attributes to position itself as an excellent choice in those genres. Is it good? Yes. Indispensable? No.

Greetings from Lithuania. "The City Of Lost Children" (1995) is a film that is like no other i've ever seen. That is a compliment and at the same time disadvantage. Set design was immersive and unique. Costumes, make up were as well impressive. But i didn't like the storytelling a bit. Honestly, after first 10 minutes i was off after I kind of understood quickly what type of a movie i was in. It is bizarre movie, with a lot of scenes and choices that weren't clicking to me. Some of them are so atrocious in its design that they distract and are simply "in your face", to simply put you off from a classic storytelling. I like this kind of stuff in a movie with a clear vision and design, but this film wasn't that one for me. .Overall, "City of Lost Children" was a big disappointment for me. It is still a watchable movie because of its visuals, but overall storytelling wasn't for me.