Marcel the Shell with Shoes On movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 29 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

After the success of a short film about a mollusk named Marcel back in 2010, it was decided to turn the story into a feature film. Marcel is an adorable, 1-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother, Connie, and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. However, when a documentary filmmaker discovers them, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope of finding his long-lost family.

The darling film was written, produced, and directed by the talented Dean Fleischer-Camp. What an imagination he has. But wait, there’s more. He also stars in the movie, most of the time with just his voice. His genuine laughter was so infectious.

THINGS I LIKED:

This is one of the cutest, most original, and endearing movies you’ll ever see. It is also filled with humor and profound life lessons.
Jenny Slate has the perfect voice for animation. She gave so much life to Marcel. The director is Jenny’s ex-husband. She said they were both focused on doing the film well and that they didn’t have fights or awkward moments about it. She also said it’s both of their favorite projects.
The witty humor is extremely entertaining, both spoken and visual.
I loved hearing Isabella Rossellini’s voice. So sweet.
That’s so cute that they got the real Lesley Stahl to join the cast.
Fun fact 1: It is said that a full day of filming averaged only 5 to 10 seconds of actual run time! It took them 7 years to get everything right.
Fun fact 2: the director purchased Marcel’s shell in a hobby store. He ended up buying quite a few and then made additional shells with a 3-D printer!
You’ll notice non-shell characters at the end of the movie that also come to life. The director explained, “If an object is neglected long enough, it develops a spirit of its own.”
A24 is a studio that everyone is now talking about with the success of this little gem. I hope they can keep the momentum up.
This movie WILL give you all the feels and probably pull some wet drops out of your eyes.