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The film industry is currently experiencing a trend where franchise or generic content is being churned out without any real heart or creativity, simply seen as “content”. However, there is also a counter-movement, a desire for genuine and authentic stories on screen, with a touch of imperfection and spontaneity that cannot be replicated in a corporate setting. It’s like a “craft beer” revolution. Superhero films are losing their appeal and even Pixar’s animated movies are starting to feel too formulaic.
Reworded: The highly acclaimed stop-motion animation, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, has greatly benefited from the current demand for it. Created by Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate, the film breaks traditional conventions of being easily relatable and marketable. Its unique and whimsical nature makes it difficult to summarize or remember, with even the title being confusing and easily forgotten.
This film has a dedicated following that was built online through its origins as a quirky YouTube series. The story follows a director who moves into an Airbnb following his divorce and finds that there is already an occupant in the house: a small seashell named Marcel with a voice (voiced by co-writer Jenny Slate) and a European accent.
Marcel, with a large, flashing eye and small shoes, is caring for his grandmother made of seashells (voiced by Isabella Rossellini), who adores the poetry of Philip Larkin. The main story follows Marcel on a journey to locate the rest of his family, who were unknowingly removed by the previous human residents of the house. With Dean’s assistance, they reach out to Lesley Stahl from 60 Minutes for help in finding their extended relatives. Marcel also offers Dean serene and insightful emotional guidance.
Marcel’s existence is not like that of Woody and Buzz in Toy Story: he does not gleam with witty detail and smart design touches: he looks more homemade, as if he could have been voiced and animated by an exceptionally bright 14-year-old.
Grown individuals, who are significantly larger, are simply recognized and included on screen without any intention of being humorous. In this aspect, the dynamic between Marcel, his grandmother, and the likable human Fleischer may resemble something from Spike Jonze’s works, but with a less self-aware and clever approach. The appearance of a well-known celebrity is not a major event as it would be in a typical comedy; Stahl has a significant role here, yet her fame does not disrupt the fourth wall.
This movie is incredibly endearing and enjoyable, magically transforming confusion or frustration into fondness. The unique and humorous bond between adult Dean and the imaginary, childlike seashell Marcel is the top bromance of the year.
Source: theguardian.com
