My Father's Dragon (2022) User Reviews

A disappointing Cartoon Saloon movie?

[sebastianali123 · 7/10 · 12 December 2022]

Well, anything could happen. I wasn't expecting anything bad, in fact, considering that Wolfwalkers and Breadwinner are some of the best animated movies of the decade, I had a lot of hope for My Father Dragon. Not everything is bad, things like the animation or the soundtrack continue to meet the high expectations that we all have towards Cartoon Saloon. As for the story... ug... well, it's not bad at all, but I feel like they didn't understand the phrase the one that covers a lot, little squeezes (and in this movie it could also be translated to the fact that it last less than it should), that and in addition to feeling rushed (I don't know if Netflix will have something to do with it). The movie first begins MAGNIFICENTLY, telling you about the financial problems of her mother and her son, and she lies to him that she doesn't worry that they will be able to save up and have the store back so as not to disappoint him. The film not only makes you very motivated in this part and worried about what might happen to it, but it also tells you a very good message... but... here the problems begin. The movie after Elmer finds the cat, from here becomes fantasy, and dont get me wrong, I wouldn't have a problem with this kind of movie, but the transition from "real" to "fantasy" feels very forced. They never explain to us why no one found the island, why these animals exist in the town or anything. I feel that it is very wasted in that sense. Then when Elmer goes to the island, it's not that everything is bad, since the realistic messages are still there and I really like the artstyle, although here everything begins to decay... The dragon that accompanies the protagonist is... frankly annoying. It's really irritating to have to see him stumble and do nothing over and over again, it's not until the end that he suddenly plucks up the courage and does what he has to do (go to know how he found out, although at least again, they deliver a good message). The two monkeys as antagonists work very well, and the movie, as I already said, picks up a bit near the end, but ugg, it does show something rushed. There are many things that don't matter, and the conflict at the beginning is resolved as if by magic.

Although after all that has been said it may seem strange that I give it a 7, the truth is that I enjoyed it to a certain extent, mostly because of the super original animation that seems to be taken from a children's book (in a good way), in that way we dont have to worry; Cartoon Saloon will never disappoint us, but in history? I think this movie is the weakest of the studio... And for them who came so well with a good run of masterpieces, it's disappointing...

Good for the kids

[kineshashekhar-78873 · 7/10 · 13 November 2022]

My Father's Dragon may not reach the dazzling heights of Tomm Moore's Irish folklore trilogy, but this is a good movie to watch for younger children and may even entertain older viewers thanks to the gorgeous visuals. The story may be a bit to basic for some people, but it is still a worthwhile watch just for the visuals alone. I don't know why, but Nora Twomey's storytelling just doesn't work for me. I feel like she doesn't do a good job at producing book-to-film adaptations. Maybe she should try writing her own stories instead of adapting someone else's intellectual property and hard work into a different medium.

Conventional yet Heartwarming Tale of Friendship

[elicopperman · 7/10 · 18 November 2022]

From the brilliant minds at Cartoon Saloon comes their next endeavor in fantasy adventure storytelling through the art of animation, My Father's Dragon. Based on the children's book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett, the film has been released on Netflix as of this month and has garnered a highly positive reception from critics and audiences. Although purists of Cartoon Saloon's filmography deem this feature to be the studio's most conventional and mainstream work to date, there is still a lot to enjoy from what is meant to be a cute childlike tale of overcoming your fears in solving problems.

The film tells the story of a young boy named Elmer Elevator, who faces struggling debt after moving with his mom to the city. After Elmer runs away in search of a solution, he is sent to the mysterious Wild Island by means of rescuing a young dragon from a pack of ferocious beasts. The best way to summarize the story of this film adaptation is the closest to getting a Maurice Sendak tale on the big screen, mainly with the subtext of a horrible dilemma a young boy faces in his world until he enters a land far beyond anyone's reality. Admittedly, the first act of the feature sets up the stakes so well that one would almost wish the film would have focused a lot more on the relationship between Elmer and his struggling mother, Dela. On top of their hopes and dreams being squandered by near poverty, any optimistic thoughts Elmer has to make it are beaten down by the grueling fate of his mother's patience and the joy that any city can suck out of them. Instead, the filmmakers chose to go more in the fantasy route, which is far more imaginative and surreal than some would find appealing.

However, while the story might not have gone in the direction it probably could've gone beneficially, what we do get is a surprisingly heartfelt tale of friendship and emotional turmoil. In regards to the titular dragon, named Boris, despite being far more juvenile in nature than most dragons are thought to be, his childlike innocence and naive dreams make him far more sympathetic than most sidekicks in family friendly animated features. The added talents of Jacob Tremblay and Gaten Matarazzo make for lovable chemistry, with one being more determined than the other despite them being facing their own confused fears. On the side, the animals of Wild Island want Boris to save them all from sinking, yet they're not particularly memorable outside of their basic arcs, including the misguided wise gorilla Saiwa and the short tempered impatient macaque Kwan. That being said, their roles do provide a lot of pathos and heartbreak between Elmer and Boris needing to solve the problem without knowing the answer, all while keeping true to the film's message of staying strong in tough times.

Going back to the Sendak-like narrative, this film might be one of the few animated features to look like a children's book brought to life through animation. With the amazing talents of Cartoon Saloon's art department, the production design details a lot of lush brushstroke environments with varying color palettes depending on the setting. While the city Elmer and Dela move to is drab and gloomy, Wild Island is colorful and shiny in spite of its sea level fate. Next to the simplistic albeit broad human designs, the creatures of Wild Island offer numerous features in their basic shaped designs and minimal yet well defined movements. Arguably, the real highlight of the visuals has to be the effects work, demonstrating a lot of well composited water and lighting craftsmanship that enable the stakes just as much as the desperation all the characters face in solving their own crisis. With the help of a beautifully enchanting score from the Danna brothers, the film is truly a fascinating adventure from the mind of a child who wants to do what's right without properly knowing the answer.

While it might've benefited a bit better with its firmly established premise, My Father's Dragon is still a high soaring adventure that people of all ages can gravitate towards. Thanks to its honest childlike sensitivity, charming lead characters and gorgeous art direction, this can easily be one of the few films aimed at children that actually looks like a story intended for such an audience. Regardless if you have children or not, this film is definitely worth at least viewing, especially for Cartoon Saloon completists. It might not be as strong as their more well known films, but it's still easy to befriend.

Cartoon Saloon's Weakest Film To Date

[CinemaClown · 17 November 2022]

From the creators of Song of the Sea & Wolfwalkers comes another family-friendly delight that retains the simple, charming & childlike animation that Cartoon Saloon is best-known for but is lacking on the narrative front this time around, for My Father's Dragon packs a kid-friendly plot that will keep the young viewers invested but there isn't much in store for the grown-ups.

Directed by Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner), the story has all the magical charm & innocence that's expected from the studio but unlike their previous works, there isn't a complexity & layer to it that made those films enchanting for viewers of all ages. What unfolds in the city had more promise than where it journeys into, plus the execution is also lacking the emotional resonance.

The rich animation remains visually appealing and the characters are gorgeously rendered too with simple designs & colourful brushstrokes. However, the premise is generic, devoid of depth and doesn't have enough to engage the adults. And it's only coz of our own familiarity with the studio's earlier efforts that we continue to stay aboard, expecting more than what it has in store.

Overall, My Father's Dragon has its moments and isn't entirely without merit either but it definitely falls short on the expectation scale and is the weakest film in the Irish animation studio's canon. Crafted with affection yet missing the allure & originality evident in their best-known works, this adventure fantasy may fail to exude the warmth of its predecessors but Cartoon Saloon's latest can still surprise some.

My Father Enjoyed

[JayWolfgramm · 7/10 · 23 December 2022]

Toon Saloon is one of the animation studios that I am most excited to see what they come up with. From "Secret of Kells" to "Wolfwalkers" they have yet to make a bad movie. I love their use of traditional 2D animation, a medium that we don't see very often anymore. And "My Father's Dragon" continues Toon Saloon's solid track record, although it is not their best film.

I can basically sum up what I didn't like about the movie in one word: "Isekai". Meaning, this is a story where the protagonist finds himself in another magical world. Now I know there are some all-time great films that use this format. "Coraline", "Spirited Away" and of course "Wizard of Oz". But in the context of this story, any sense of tension, plot or progression derails and can simply be explained away by magic.

I acknowledge it as a personal bias against this kind of story. I just got really caught up in the early grounded story, that the magical story, though imaginative, loses the hook the beginning set up.

The magical world stuff is well done, beautiful animation and music. The story is captivating and loaded with clever symbolism that can be interpreted in various ways.

The movie is exciting and funny for the kids, but still deep and thoughtful for the adults. Both a good kids' movie and a good fathers' movie.

A fine movie, yet a downgrade from their others

[rickothan · 6/10 · 5 January 2023]

The average Cartoon Saloon movie is incredible. Gorgeously animated, wonderfully written, tightly paced, and overall an incredible experience. However, My Father's Dragon feels much more geared to a young audience than their other films. It has a similarly tight pace, as well as very good animation, but I can't help but feel that some of the heart that oozed from their other works is missing here. It's definitely not a bad movie, I liked the home conflict with the mom and grumpy housekeeper. In fact, I almost wish the movie was solely focused on that as an original film with light fantasy details and saving the concept of My Father's Dragon for a later date, as the home life vs island comparison is vast. If it weren't for how intriguing their other movies and the home life was, this could have been a 7 or even 8, but a combination of surrounding factors makes it feel worse by comparison.

Made with love

[keaneye1 · 10/10 · 13 November 2022]

The director studied the source material thoroughly, visited the author and discussed the story at length before the resulting movie was made. The book alone doesn't make a full movie, but what they've added was inspired by that meeting at Ruth Styles Gannett's house. The voice cast in this are excellent, in particular Jacob Tremblay and Gaten Matarazzo who bring so much soul to their roles. The design work maintaining an illustrated book quality through out and the last act really packs an emotional punch. I see some people referring to this as a Netflix movie, like it's part of some soulless machine. It's made lovingly by Nora Twomey and her team at Cartoon Saloon, who made this during lockdown from their homes. To produce such a beautiful film where all deviations from the source was carefully considered is incredible. It took real craft and artistry to make every frame on that screen and these armchair critics need to think about that.

Sadly, this is a very poor adaptation

[gannettm · 1/10 · 18 December 2022]

First of all, an introduction is required. I am (at 78) the eldest grandchild (12) of Ruth Chrisman Gannett, the illustrator of My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. The author Ruth Stiles Gannett, the author of all three books, is my aunt and my father's only sibling. We were full of anticipation for this adaptation. Our (step-) grandmother's book My Father's Dragon is a whimsy tale of such charm that it became admired the world over, especially in Japan. No wonder, it is about a boy Elmer Elevator, his friend Boris the Dragon and assorted memorable characters on an island. Its charm lies in the feel-good moments of all characters and the illustrations which bring them to life. Segue almost three-quarters of a century from their introduction to today's childhood world. Might there be a big change in what entertained children back then to today? Maybe but probably not. The film's director Nora Twomey took extreme liberty with her interpretation for this question. Sadly, she supposed lightening, volcanic-like activity and mayhem would enthrall audiences. What a mistake she made! Expectations quickly plummet as the original story line dissolves and Nora's emerges. This is why readers and listeners of the past 75 years are abysmally disappointed. The story is Nora's, not Big Ruth's and Aunt Ruth's. Today's audiences would have adored Elmer and Boris as they were in books. Those who rate highly this film have very obviously not read the books. Those who treasured the books will continue to do so and mourn the missed opportunity for faithful character adaptations in a recognizable plotline. - Michael Ross Gannett, Jr.

Cartoon saloon delivers yet another wonderful 2D animated feature in this heartfelt adaptation of My Father's Dragon

[IonicBreezeMachine · 9/10 · 11 November 2022]

Set in the early days of The Great Depression, the narrator (Mary Kay Place) tells us the story of her father Elmer (Jacob Tremblay) as a child. While Elmer and his mother Dela (Golshifteh Frahani) run a successful General Store together serving the communities needs thanks to Elmer's ability at finding things, this idyllic life is short lived as the depression hits and the store is closed with Dela and Elma relocating from their home and move to an apartment in Nevergreen City where Dela looks for work but promises Elmer they'll one day have a store of their own again. While Elmer fastidiously claims to this dream, Dela becomes more pessimistic as she struggles to keep both their heads above water. When a cat follows Elmer in, Elmer in an act of kindness gives it a saucer of milk which frustrates Dela and the resulting exchange sends Elmer running away in tears. The cat follows Elmer and reveals it can talk (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg) and rewards Elmer for his kindness by telling him of an island where a magical fire breathing dragon is waiting that Elmer could use to solve his problems. The cat summons Soda the Whale (Judy Greer) and Elmer embarks with his yellow backpack filled with odds and ends to Wild Island. Once on the island, Elmer learns that It is continually sinking and that the wild animals lead by Saiwa the Gorilla (Ian Mcshane) have captured the dragon in order for it to repeatedly pull their island up from sinking which is happening with increasing regularity. Elmer helps free the Dragon, named Boris (Gaten Matarazzo) but in the process Boris' wing is twisted and the two embark on a journey to find Aratuah the Tortoise who might have the answer to awaken Boris' true power and save Wild Island as the animals attempt to recapture Boris.

My Father's Dragon is the latest film from Irish based animation studio Cartoon Saloon which in the past 15 years has become an internationally recognized and prestigious producer of animated films with critical successes in The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner, and 2020's Wolfwalkers in addition to their work on various TV series and specials. The film is an adaptation of the 1948 children's novel of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett which has won a Newbery Medal and continues to be a staple of Children's libraries and classrooms to this day. The project was announced in 2016 with Nora Twomey serving as director having previously helmed Secret of Kells and The Breadwinner with the project soon gaining traction in 2018 with Netflix coming on board to produce the film for their streaming service. Featuring the unmistakable style Cartoon Saloon is known for and adapting a legacied and time honored children's classic, My Father's Dragon will be a welcome treat for fans of both the studio and the book as it's an undeniably charming modern classic that harkens back to the best in family filmmaking.

The movie features some wonderfully produced animation done in Cartoon Saloon's distinct style with the designs made from comparatively more simple shapes but free and expressive movement that does a good job of translating Ruth Stiles Gannett's illustrations to animation. As with other productions of this studio, the movie creates vibrant and colorful worlds that while stemming from a real life basis are undeniably magical and wonderous. The visual identity of the film with its depiction of era America both in the Dust Bowl ravaged middle America and the more dower urban environments gives these environments a unique visual identity with the layout and design of Nevergreen City rich in detail. The designs only get more elaborate and visually exciting once Elmer embarks on his journey to Wild Island with both the island and the wild animals thriving with details in design and animation.

While the plot is very simple as it's sort of a mash-up of Wizard of Oz by way of Where the Wild Things Are, the well-trodden plot is put to good use with the moral ambiguity of the situation once we get to Wild Island. While Boris the dragon is captured by the wild animals of the island, the animals aren't malicious in nature and are motivated by desperation and helplessness so despite being "antagonists" in this story, they aren't painted as "villains" and Elmer's motivation for why he's even saving the dragon is initially to save his own desires so there's a good thematic subtext about fear and self interest leading to morally complexed or compromised actions. The film's an ensemble piece and features a wide array of noted actors doing great voice-over work. Jacob Tremblay continues to be impressive in this kind of role and serving as a solid audience proxy for us as Elmer, and the emotional core provided in the initial interactions between him and his mother Dela played by Golshifteh Frahani are rich in emotion thanks to the performances and chemistry between the two. The movie also features some solid supporting work from Whoopi Goldberg, Ian McShane, Dianne Wiest, Chris O'Dowd and many others and you can tell they're giving their all in their performances. The one performance I was kind of mixed on was Gaten Matarazzo as Boris the Dragon, and while I'd say he's good for much of it, there were points were the characters high energy absent-minded exuberance kind of grated on me and flirted with becoming annoying, but he never really falls over that edge and does dial it back as the film goes on. This isn't a major criticism, but it's something I felt I should point out.

My Father's Dragon is a welcome treat for both families and animation fans and if you remember being read the book as a child by your parents at bedtime you'll get a nostalgia kick as the movie for the most part translates the novels contents pretty well (some minor changes here and there). I really liked this movie and while I loved Cartoon Salon already, this just reinforces that love.

Not My Father's Dragon

[leewilliford · 4/10 · 12 November 2022]

My children love this book. We were so excited to find that Netflix had taken on turning this classic Children's book into a feature film. We watched the movie for our family movie night the same night that it premiered in the States. This Netflix "adaptation" is NOT My Father's Dragon and is nothing like the book. The magical elements of the book and endearing characters were either left out or totally altered, making this film much more The Neverending Story (even with a giant Morla-like turtle). If you have never read My Father's Dragon, you may find this film somewhat enjoyable. If you are a fan of the book, you may not make it through the whole film. Nice try Netflix, but you really disappointed my children with this one.

Aww!

[jrlb_ · 8/10 · 11 November 2022]

I get bored of movies quite easily nowadays. I think Disney tries too hard sometimes. Watching this movie was rather delightful and exciting, as I didn't know much about the story it was based on in the first place. I like how MFD doesn't incorporate the usual computer-based style of animation, and the voice actors for the film's characters were well-chosen. Of course, both of the main characters were darn lovable! The minimal use of music kept audiences engaged on the central plot and I liked that. I wanted to see more of the supporting characters! They were fun! Overall, I enjoyed My Father's Dragon, would watch it again, and hope it wins some awards!

Easily Cartoon Saloon's Weakest Film

[carolanne443 · 2/10 · 10 March 2023]

I was really looking forward to this film because I remember really liking the book as a child and because I'm a fan of Cartoon Saloon. However, after I finally got around to watching the film, I was greatly disappointed. While the animation is lovely to look at and some of the voice acting is good (especially Jacob Tremblay), the rest is just a mess. The story is dumbed down to standard kiddie fare, the tone is uneven, and Boris the dragon is straight up annoying. This is by far the worst film I've seen from Cartoon Saloon. Here's hoping that their future films never stoop this low ever again.

My Father's Dragon

[alex-oceallaigh · 8/10 · 11 November 2022]

Really enjoyed My Father's Dragon. A story of bravery with two likeable characters. Everyone is going to adore Boris the Dragon. He puts a smile on your face! Gaten Matarazzo is the perfect choice to voice him. Great talent behind the other voices as well from Jacob Tremblay, Whoopi Goldberg, Rita Moreno and Ian McShane to name but a few.

Animation from Cartoon Saloon is always going to be special and this new film from Nora Twomey keeps with this tradition. Colours and textures are so lovely. Cartoon Saloon also never shy away from some intense scenes and some very young viewers might find this so. The story does feel a bit disjointed in places.

Overall a very enjoyable film with a fantastic score from Mychael and Jeff Danna.

Please, read the book. This is horrible.

[laudateestchristus · 1/10 · 12 November 2022]

The book of My Father's Dragon is magical because it is the opposite of this trash. It is beautiful, simple and dreamlike. This "production" sums up what is wrong with people; they have something beautiful and they destroy it to make something ugly in their own image. Why call this "film" My Father's Dragon when it could have more accurately been called something like "Netflix Misses The Point"? The fact that people will like this is very sad and I'm sure the author would be very disappointed. Almost as disappointed as Tolkien would be with Amazon's joke. Anyway, I hope that someone will read this and actually read the book for the first time and see why this gets me irate. It's a beautiful book and every time I come across a copy I buy it for someone else to share with their kids.

All the haters need to take a breath

[sfwmson · 8/10 · 3 January 2023]

Few things are harder than bringing a well lived kids book to film. People who love the source material won't be happy. But they are forgetting---its based on an idea or book or adapted from source material. Being able to see another person's vision requires an open mind. That seems rare around here.

This was fine. It told a good story and showed kids that it's OK to be scared. Some action didn't mange perfect sence, but that's OK. The voice acting was good and I liked this style of animating. It's a nice change from extreme cgi. I loved the ending song, too. I knew the book, and I still liked the film. Nothing wrong with that, if you think wth an open mind.

Garbage! Nothing like the book!

[librarybev · 1/10 · 28 November 2022]

This animated movie is just awful! My Father's Dragon is being BUTCHERED on screen! You must read the book My Father's Dragon to your kids or suggest that all primary teachers read it to their classes. This movie is NOTHING LIKE THE BOOK! Ruth Stiles Gannett wrote a timeless beloved adventure that begs to be read aloud, but if kids see this awful movie they're sure to hate it and never want to read the book. Save the Dragon!!! Save the book!!! As a retired Children's Librarian of 38 years, I absolutely do not recommend this movie. I highly recommend the book for all children and families to enjoy together, but I seriously suggest a hard pass on this movie.

great Irish animation

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 19 November 2022]

An adult woman narrates and recounts her father Elmer's early childhood. Elmer Elevator and his single mom Dela ran a successful rural general store until a recession closes them down. They and many others move into the city. Dela tells Elmer that she dreams of opening another store, but in reality, she is struggling to pay for a roof over their heads. Elmer takes in a stray cat which results in his mother's anger. He runs away with the cat who turns out to talk. The cat tells him about a dragon who lives on a mystical island.

It's the awards winning Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. It would have been interesting if the dragon lives in the city. I can imagine something special, but they decided to go back to the fantasy world. The early section in the city has some heart-breaking intense scenes. In the end, I still like the fantasy world. It has all the charms. It is sweet and emotional. This is a great addition to this studio's catalogue.

Refreshing animation with relatable storyline. Great scores and perfectly balanced.

[sisubalan · 8/10 · 30 April 2023]

The storyline reminds me of every 90's kids/animation movies - it was refreshing to watch. Perfect voice castings (some voice casts sound familiar) - suits the characters and tone of this movie. Love the animation style, very color book-ish. Amazing scores and adorable original song.

A perfectly balanced movie that has almost everything - thrilling adventure with a hint of action. Imaginative and magical (Fantasy), very emotional relatable moments. And for last, with a great amount of comedy/sense of humor.

Characters design reminded me of nickelodeons characters meanwhile the tone/mood setup were very cartoon network style (darker tone). The storyline was made for all ages - even adults would enjoy it. Highly relatable situations/moments. Can be a great movie for family bonding.

Masterpiece!

[TabalugaDragon · 10/10 · 19 March 2023]

I really don't get the negative comments. I never read the original book and I can understand it "being not as good as the book"(as usual for almost all adaptations), but to call this movie trash because it's different from the book? I haven't seen such great movies in a while. It really felt like a return to formula for those good old 2D animated movies, with heart and emotion.

Animation: While not quite being on the level of animated Disney classics, it's still pretty good. The animation quality especially shines in the second half of the movie, where the creators put their heart and soul into it, and you can feel it. The human and animal characters, the supernatural effects, the flights through the clouds - everything is done beautifully.

Characters: Great job here as well, both the main character and the dragon. And both are explored deeper and excellently fleshed out by the end of the movie. The antagonists are also quite well done, as you can easily understand the motivation of any of them. Every character is either likeable or their motives are clear and often appealing, which is a sign of good writing(surely taken from the books, but at least decently adapted). The interaction between the boy and the dragon are touching to say the least, and as a writer, I was incredibly inspired by it. You don't get that from badly done movies.

Music: Oh my gosh... it was beautiful. Great songs, great score, whoever worked on it did an excellent job. Like everything else, it feels like the creators really put their heart, soul and hard work into the movie.

Overall - I loved it. Despite the disappointing ending(which I won't spoil here) it's a fantastic movie, where every scene shows love and care for it. Judging by other reviews, it's not well-adapted, but as a movie on its own, it's a masterpiece. Highly recommended. Easily goes to my collection.

Best movie of 2022

[KalmarShuffler · 10/10 · 20 January 2023]

I didn't have any expectations or preconceived notions before watching this movie. I didn't even know that it was based on a children's book until after it was over.

It caught me by surprise and I don't know where to start.

Acting: Ok, I'll start here. The voice acting was incredible. Every actor did an amazing job. The best though was Gaten Matarazzo as Boris. He perfectly played the character.

Animation: How beautiful is this animation? Seriously, can someone please explain to me why this looks a hundred times better than 3D CGI animation? It's absolutely gorgeous! Every shot is beautiful!

Score: Oh my goodness. The score blew me away. Every note. Every instrument. Just *chef's kiss*. I don't normally listen to score outside of a movie, but I'm definitely going to listen to this one.

Boris: Besides Gaten's phenomenal performance of Boris, can we just appreciate how adorable Boris is?! I want a Boris plushie so badly!

Conclusion: My Father's Dragon is without a doubt the best movie of 2022. I know there's a lot of people who disagree, but ignore them. I can't wait to revisit this movie again and again.

Wow

[davehaliva · 10/10 · 31 March 2023]

This is the most beautiful and powerful movie i have seen of all the thousands and thousands, and not least from cartoon saloon their best yet.

Everybody in the world needs to see this. And the fact that the reviews are so low, takes a little of my hope away from the world, how people can be so far from their heart to do such a thing.

It's about themes such as being afraid, and hopeless, in life which we don't control, and figuring it out.

Every character depicts something inside all of us, and stories we can all relate to.

The movies art is beautifully made, and i was so suprised at how much thought was put into it.

It's tough, and packs increadible emotional moments, and it is magical. Go see it my friend.

No shop

[crazydogs-79171 · 10/10 · 21 November 2022]

They didn't open the shop the kid wanted in the start of the movie :'( that means it supports the idea to not follow your dreams :(, it supports the idea of no matter how hard you try for your dream to come true it wont come true, the kid went in another island for this damn shop and they still did not open it, I WANTED TO SEE THE SHOP OPEN >:( They didn't open the shop the kid wanted in the start of the movie :'( that means it supports the idea to not follow your dreams :(, it supports the idea of no matter how hard you try for your dream to come true it wont come true, the kid went in another island for this damn shop and they still did not open it, I WANTED TO SEE THE SHOP OPEN >:(

No Frills, Authentic, 100% Kid's Movie

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 5 December 2022]

The in thing today is to do children's movies loaded with insider jokes and social references, so adults will feel engaged too. Nope, not this one. This is old school and darn good. In the iconic story Alice Through the Looking Glass, the character of Alice is focused and serious and just a little frenetic. Those traits are used for "dramatic contrast" to the many amazing things she encounters in Wonderland. Same here. Elmer is one super-tough little kid, the kind teachers like, but other kids might avoid. He is the perfect foil for the creatures he meets in the movie, and the movie is better for that. And the voice casting of Ian McShane as the leader of the island creatures is brilliant -- his voice has never been better utilized to convey authority and command. Highly recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Fantastic, magical, real life problems

[carkid-79165 · 8/10 · 5 August 2023]

A boy in a struggling household gets in a fight with hit single mother and runs away. He ends up exploring a magical world that transforms his perspective on things. An island that keeps sinking needs the boys help. His struggle to save the island helps him become an adult. A very artistic way of representing the boys real life problems and the benefits he'll receive from his current real life struggles. The visuals are great. I was impressed by this story line. Addresses real life family issues. Very magical and lots of fun. Great messaging and plenty of excitement to keep a young person interested I absolutely recommend watching this with the family.

Matsapice

[bcosgrove-64199 · 10/10 · 15 March 2023]

This movie is visually stunning. The story tells are unique and emotional story about being afraid and how that's okay and how all your heroes aren't are fearless. I did find the Dragon a little annoying at the start but and conducts him so well. This feels like an early Pixar movie. The animation is smooth. I wasn't intimidated by the villain though. The worlds building is so simple yet so intriguing. It's weird how I didn't get a nominee and goddamn turning red did it's broken the company streak. This might be the third best movie of 2022. This is a masterpiece. The relationship between the mother and the son is so emotional and the best part of the movie

10/10.