Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Marcel is an adorable one-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. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family.
- Released: 2022-05-04
- Runtime: 90 minutes
- Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
- Stars: Jenny Slate, Dean Fleischer-Camp, Isabella Rossellini, Thomas Mann, Rosa Salazar, Lesley Stahl, Nathan Fielder, Andy Richter, Sarah Thyre, Jessi Klein, Peter Bonerz
- Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp
Comments
- djsmanzgeier - 8 January 2023
Amazing
This film is great. The script, animation, acting, voice acting all that jazz. It's everything I love about film. It's one of the greatest cross media films. It's good for the whole family. And the emotions it will make you feel are amazing. How could this be so under appreciated. It's my second favorite animated film of 2022. Right after belle. Just go watch this film it's almost perfect. It's spirted away meets the nightmare before Christmas. It's so quiet yet so loud at the same time. This is just wonderful go watch it. Laugh, cry feel all the emotions. Stop what your doing right now and watch it. A+ - CinemaClown - 8 December 2022
A Welcome Reminder Of Things We Take For Granted
An intimately crafted & affectionately told comedy drama concerning an anthropomorphic shell, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is as adorable as it is life-affirming and makes for an interesting blend of animation & live-action, for it takes a simple premise to offer a fascinating look at life & its surprises that makes it worth living, all captured through the eyes of a 1-inch tall talking shell.
Co-written & directed by Dean Fleischer Camp in his feature directorial debut, the film is derived from his short film series of the same name and incorporates those earlier clips into its very own story. The plot follows Marcel's journey to finding his long-lost family and covers his interactions with our director, all done with enormous care, compassion & understanding to make it resonate with the heart.
The animated characters in real-world background never distract from the conversation at play and it shifts from whimsical to poignance with a welcome naturalness. There is an undercurrent of tragedy & heartbreak here but the environment remains wholesome & inviting on the surface. The shells brim with humanity & benefit from splendid voice work yet it still feels a bit drawn out for a 90 mins film & gets repetitive.
Overall, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is an endearing & heartwarming delight that will strike a heartfelt chord with many if not all and serves as a reminder of things we take for granted. It's a story that showcases the true value of community & the transformative power of friendship, and is witty, amusing & touching throughout. It does get weary the longer it goes on and could've done more with better pace & shorter runtime. Go see it anyway.
