005 of 100: leeloo dallas, multipass.
In this latest installment of Angie B's 100 Things, POP CULTURE YOU SHOULD KNOW:
If it's not in my Top 10 movies ever, it's definitely in my Top 20. The Fifth Element was, for me, what Star Wars and The Matrix was for others: a truly formative scifi film. This movie inspired me with its brilliant insanity and creativity (the colours! the colours!). It made me want to write about far off worlds and fantastical characters. It started me on my lifelong love affair with Milla Jovovich.
It's, simply put, a feast for the eyes and ears. The stylization, the costumes, the cinematography, the aforementioned plethora of colours, the techno-meets-the-Middle-East music. And it's chock full of imminently quotable lines and hilarity. If you've ever heard someone say "MULTIPASS!", this is why. It's a cool, hip, and groovy film wearing bizarre window dressing, and just a helluva lot of fun.
I feel like this is one of those movies that simply must be seen to be believed. It's a distant cousin to Blade Runner; and yes I know how silly that sounds, but hear me out: it, too, is a super futuristic world that's full of bizarre people who aren't always what they seem, with flying cars and fancy technology. But whereas Blade Runner is noir, The Fifth Element is camp. Where the former is dark, gritty, and dreary, the latter is a whizzbang world on LSD. It's thrilling and silly and pretty and impossible. In all the best ways.
This is the sort of film that lends itself well to group movie nights, where there's plenty of booze. And while it may not be as hallowed and honored as Star Wars, it still has plenty to laud. A great cast, including Ian Holm, Bruce Willis, and Crazy Gary Oldman; brilliant music and visuals; and plenty of humor and dazzle. Check it out this weekend -- I promise you'll be entertained.
READ ANGIE B'S FULL REVIEW
OVER @ film_flammers.