'ERNEST & CELESTINE': Three Stars (Out of Five)
One of the Oscar nominated films for Best Animated Feature this year is this tale of a bear and a mouse who become friends (despite society trying to keep them apart, due to prejudices). It was directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar and Benjamin Renner and written by Daniel Pennac (the English adaptation was written by Stephanie Sheh). The movie is a French-Belgian film that's based on a children's book series written and illustrated by Gabrielle Vincent (a Belgian writer). I think it's a good movie for kids (with a positive message about accepting others) but it's not worthy of any Oscar nominations.
The film tells the story a mouse named Celestine (voiced by Pauline Brunner) and a bear named Ernest (Lambert Wilson). Celestine lives in an underground orphanage where she's constantly read horror stories about evil bears, by an orphanage guardian named La Grice (Anne-Marie Loop). Celestine doesn't believe the stories though and makes drawings of nice bears who befriend mice (which other rodents mock her for). All mice are raised to be dentists and one day Celestine is sent outside (to the bear world) to collect lost teeth from underneath bear cubs' pillows. On her adventure she meets Ernest, who is starving and at first wants to eat her. Celestine shows him a cellar full of candy instead and an odd friendship forms between the two. Others of course find their friendship frightening (to their way of life) though.
The drawings are reminiscent of old classic animated films and cartoons and the movie does have somewhat of a nostalgic feel to it. Like I said the message of the film (about prejudices and biases) is a good one and the overall nature of it is very innocent and comforting. The story is very simplistic and predictable though and I found the movie to be really boring at times as well. It is a good film for kids but I expect a lot more from an Oscar nominee. I don't think animated movies like 'DESPICABLE ME 2' deserve their Oscar nominations either though.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2NdCvPRYk4
One of the Oscar nominated films for Best Animated Feature this year is this tale of a bear and a mouse who become friends (despite society trying to keep them apart, due to prejudices). It was directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar and Benjamin Renner and written by Daniel Pennac (the English adaptation was written by Stephanie Sheh). The movie is a French-Belgian film that's based on a children's book series written and illustrated by Gabrielle Vincent (a Belgian writer). I think it's a good movie for kids (with a positive message about accepting others) but it's not worthy of any Oscar nominations.
The film tells the story a mouse named Celestine (voiced by Pauline Brunner) and a bear named Ernest (Lambert Wilson). Celestine lives in an underground orphanage where she's constantly read horror stories about evil bears, by an orphanage guardian named La Grice (Anne-Marie Loop). Celestine doesn't believe the stories though and makes drawings of nice bears who befriend mice (which other rodents mock her for). All mice are raised to be dentists and one day Celestine is sent outside (to the bear world) to collect lost teeth from underneath bear cubs' pillows. On her adventure she meets Ernest, who is starving and at first wants to eat her. Celestine shows him a cellar full of candy instead and an odd friendship forms between the two. Others of course find their friendship frightening (to their way of life) though.
The drawings are reminiscent of old classic animated films and cartoons and the movie does have somewhat of a nostalgic feel to it. Like I said the message of the film (about prejudices and biases) is a good one and the overall nature of it is very innocent and comforting. The story is very simplistic and predictable though and I found the movie to be really boring at times as well. It is a good film for kids but I expect a lot more from an Oscar nominee. I don't think animated movies like 'DESPICABLE ME 2' deserve their Oscar nominations either though.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2NdCvPRYk4