Monday, March 21, 2011
ILLUMINATING
Today's film was the animated feature
a New York Times Critics Pick.
I didn't know anything about the Book of Kells manuscripts. I am not sure that I know much about them now.
The whimsical film is a sort of mythologizing of the origins of the Book with a lot of fairy dust thrown in. And evil Vikings.
What is fascinating about the animation, in traditional drawing form, is its abstraction and beauty. Two words that do not always go together.
It is distinguished by a variation in style for humans depicted. Some are edgy, some round, others black or arabic. A melting pot. I am not sure what to make of this. Universality?
The art style is similar to the old UPA which produced abstract animated shorts, most famously, Mr. Magoo.
There is a simple story of a simple boy monk who wants to draw and then and then and then and then.
One of the voices is Brendan Gleeson. A favorite of mine.
I found out about the Kells here in Wikipedia, so God only knows what really happened but the entries there do not mention a boy or a cat or a girl/spirit in the forest. But it does mention the Abbey at Kells, vikings and the book itself which seems, in reality, to be a bit less psychedelic or mandala like than we saw in this film.
Oh, yes. The film.
Quite nice. It was nominated for an Oscar. It is pretty and not too long and the story is engaging.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
