I have never, ever experienced watching a movie like this that when I first watched it, which is when I was 14, has made me feel like I was going to be sick. (And that afterwards I needed to purge myself of my sins.) I can't even think of the right words to describe this movie. I watched it with my sister in a dark living room, just making it even more eerie and totally disturbing. I hate this movie with a passion, and do NOT understand what the hell makes it so appealing to people.

It's artistic?
No, it's not. It's just a bunch of disturbingly drawn characters that make horrible noises with vacuum cleaners and refrigerators on stage. The old lady's grandson is probably the most disturbingly drawn character I've ever seen in my life. It makes me wonder what is wrong with the people who came up with this movie, and the people that enjoy it. To me, it's not a fantastic "work of art". It's not "magically creative" or "intellectually stimulating." It's utter garbage.

And for those fans that feel I have no right to express my feelings here on this very board just because I haven't analyzed the movie in it's entirety, this is all the "proof" I need to make a statement that this film was a total waste of time. Don't tell me I don't "get it". Of course I don't get it.

Was there some deep, profound, enlightening concept that I missed other than the French eat frogs and Americans are fat and rude? Maybe I missed it because I was trying not to cry the one and only time I managed to sit through most of it. I don't remember if I finished it, or how much was still left when I was finally able to convince my sister to change the channel. She had reached her breaking point as well.

To those that want to tar and feather me: I'm sorry. Really, I know what it's like to defend a movie to death that other people don't understand and dislike. This just isn't one of them. It's WAY too disturbing. Could they not have portrayed stereotypes in a normal fashion? I don't care what you say: that was not normal.

"It is probably the antithesis of Disney or Pixar in its abstractness, intelligence and design."
Anyone can come up with the idea to put national stereotypes into a film. Everyone knows people think the French eat frogs all the time and that Americans are obese. I don't need it told to me in a sickeningly creepy "acadamy award winning" film. It's not that creative, and it's not fun to look at.

So, "an award-winning 2003 animated feature film"? Please, that's a joke. Sylvain Chomet needs help.