The newest magical movie from French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has just landed on Netflix. Much like Jeunet's previous films, this sci-fi comedy is highly designed. Jeunet enjoys blending the whimsical with the eerie in his cinematic fables.
This French take on a world run by AI follows Jeunet's unique aesthetic. Fans who enjoyed Bigbug may be looking for similar watches. This list will spark the imagination while taking the mind on a joyride.
Amélie (2001) - Not Currently Available To Stream
Included on IMDb's highest-ranked female-led movies list and Jeunet's most famous movie, there are numerous similarities between Bigbug and Amélie in both style and tone. However, Amélie takes place in an enchanted neighborhood in Paris in which the titular character lives. The naive lead chooses to see the enchanted where others may only see the everyday.
Amélie secretly assists the people around her, as it brings her joy, and yet she's alone. That is until she meets a young man who collects discarded photos. Like Bigbug, this movie is a great escape into the magical and mundane.
Wall-E (2008) Stream On Disney+
It's difficult to watch Bigbug and not draw comparisons to the Pixar hit, Wall-E. This animated sci-fi comedy also has robots with personalities. Wall-E is a clean-up robot on Earth after humans abandon the planet. The little robot has a great capacity for physical humor and an endearing personality.
Wall-E was nominated for six Academy Awards and is definitely worth a watch (or a rewatch) as an escape. Although there are a few scary and disturbing storylines in Wall-E, it has a family-friendly G rating.
Delicatessen (1991) Stream On Apple TV
This movie is most definitely not rated G. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's first full-length feature revolves around an apartment building in post-apocalyptic where a butcher sells the tenants as products. Though a horrifying premise, this movie gives a great glimpse into the director's magical style.
In Delicatessen, all of the tenants -- like the communities in most of Jeunet's films -- are quite delightful to observe. The story begins with a former clown replacing the building's missing maintenance man and falling in love with the butcher's daughter.
Brazil (1985) Stream On Apple TV+
Terry Gilliam made his fantastic directorial debut with Monty Python. And like Jeunet, Gilliam has very clear visions for his films. Both movies are set in an Orwellian society where people struggle against over-automation and bureaucracy. The set designs and complicated machines are ingenious, all created before CG.
Brazil stars numerous famous actors, including several of the Monty Python crew, Jonathan Pryce, and Robert De Niro. With such a cast, it's no wonder there are both scenes of drama and of humor. Like Bigbug, this movie is a dark warning about what could be but also has glorious moments of what hope can look like.
The City Of Lost Children (1995) Stream On Amazon Prime
This dark fantasy from Jeunet takes place on an eerie island where children are going missing. There's an evil scientist who lives on a rig just off the island who takes the kids to remove their dreams. Meanwhile, a circus in town and the Strong Man s a group of little rascals to stop the abductions.
Ron Perlman stars as the Strong Man and Jean-Paul Gaultier designed the costumes. As with Bigbug, every detail is carefully thought out and the camera work here is magnificent. Instead of robots, the camera follows fleas and cyborgs through the streets.
Robot & Frank (2012) Stream On Hulu
This sweet tale is also set in the near future and, at first glance, appears to be an Odd Couple style comedy. Starring Frank Langella as Frank, a retired jewel thief, and Susan Sarandon as his favorite librarian, the comedy follows Frank after his son gets him a robot as a caretaker.
Frank realizes that the robot could be useful if he taught it how to assist him in a burglary, except for the fact that his dementia causes him problems. This movie poses interesting ideas about technology working both for and against us, a similar idea tossed around in Bigbug.
Mars Attacks! (1996) Stream On Amazon Prime
As one of Tim Burton's top sci-fi/horror movies, this is a fun riff off of 1960s trading cards made by Topps. Though a totally different storyline, its tone and humor are quite similar to Bigbug. The cast includes Jack Nicholson and Glenn Close as the U.S. President and First Lady. The premise revolves around how humans would handle aliens landing on Earth.
One of the questions raised in both movies is whether or not humans really are smarter than other lifeforms. Both are fun and funny reflections of the struggle between who humans are becoming and who they want to be.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Stream On Disney+
This Marvel blockbuster has little to do with Jeunet's most recent film. However, there is something about the design and comedy in both movies that strike a similar chord. The movies' color palettes and shiny technology both celebrate otherworldly settings. Director Taika Waititi infuses his first superhero movie with levity and humor, much like Jeunet features in his work.
This second installment in the Thor trilogy is quite unique compared to the original movie. This one includes Cate Blanchett as Hela, the all-powerful god of death. Unlike Bigbug, the action is nonstop and over-the-top. However, both are visual treats and a lot of fun.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) Stream On HBO Max
This dark fantasy musical is based on a Roald Dahl novel. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was released in 1971 to great success and it is definitely one of the most rewatchable movies from the '70s. In the movie, five children win a tour of the factory and Willy Wonka warns them that there are surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous. And just like the robots in Bigbug, which all seem friendly at first, appearances can be deceiving.
Willy Wonka is played masterfully by Gene Wilder, an actor known for his understated and complicated humor. Much like the Yonyx robots in Bigbug, there is something off about the chocolatier who tries to come across as sugary sweet.
The French Dispatch (2021) Stream On Apple TV+
Wes Anderson's 2021 film is different from Jeunet's work in many ways. However, both writer/directors share several common traits. They tend to depend on certain actors repeatedly throughout their movies. The French Dispatch includes many of Anderson's preferred actors, such as Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, and Bill Murray.
They also both have such a clear vision of the magical worlds they create. From costuming to camera angles to color palette, both seek the unique and fantastic in an otherwise mundane world. This movie takes place in a fictional French village while Bigbug takes place on one block of a fictional futuristic town.
