Liza, the Fox-Fairy

I admit that I would never expect such an audiovisual treat in the form of Liza, the cousin of Amélie of Montmartre, to be done by the Hungarians. They really improved their standing with me. On the other hand, I have to add that this is a small-scale movie with everything it entails. An interesting premise is often overshadowed by the frequent repetition, which didn’t seem completely fine to me. The main framework of the story – a Japanese master of dreams and delusions – made me angry with his dance creations. And that’s also counting the music which accompanied it. But, for originality, I give it 3 stars. And I add that I never want to see it again. (05/09/2016)

This playful black comedy, which in many ways copies Wes Anderson's colourful visual style, is a synthesis of several narrative and stylistic approaches. The story of Liza, a shy nurse who decides to find true love after the death of her patient, combines quirky humour, a Cinderella-like romantic plot, a detective storyline and even fantasy elements, as Lisa's search for a mate is spoiled by the ghost of the Japanese singer she is cursed to marry and all her suitors die unhappily. Thanks to such genre anarchism, the narrative evokes several different emotions at once, but they are subordinate to the purposeful comicality and sheer joy of using art components in a new and progressive way. The fairytale happy ending, where Liza discovers her true love, whom she had had right in front of her all this time, seems perfectly natural and pleasant. I just have a guilty feeling that I couldn't possibly love Liza with selfless love myself, instead I'd probably be tempted to grab her from behind by her braids and make nice.... well, we're in a different genre again :D (01/06/2017)

I never expected the Hungarian filmmakers to blow my mind like this. I enjoyed the film from the beginning to the end. The atmosphere strongly reminded me of my favorite Delicatessen, as the plot was similarly absurd. I don't know if the film reveals my hidden sadistic tendencies, but I definitely enjoyed it. (06/20/2016)

Liza, the Fox Fairy is a strange film, and that makes it a film that is really interesting and worth watching. It's a very unusual experience, but definitely not a bad one. Yes, it's a little rough in places, but nothing that’s over the line, and it's more like gritty and beautifully weird. Hungarians obviously know how to make great films. (03/20/2018)

A playful romantic comedy with quite a large dose of poetry. I have no problem with that, quite the opposite, but I could definitely do without the musical performances of Japanese pop singer Toni Tani. (65%) (10/31/2020)