A beautiful French animation in stop-motion that reveals the world through a child's eyes and tackles topics such as love and abandonment. The story - about a son who loses his mother and goes to live with other orphans - has its dramatic and emotional side, but the way it is portrayed brings great delicacy, heart, and good humor.
Hirokazu Kore-Eda, director of 'Father and Son' and 'Nobody Knows', returns in an emotionally stirring and deeply human film, hallmark of the filmmaker's filmography. The story is about a low-income family living what appears to be a happy life on the outskirts of Tokyo - though they resort to small crimes to survive. Everything changes when they take in a lost girl, sharing what little they have in an act of dimensions bigger than they could imagine. The result of this mix is an engaging feature that combines humor and drama, also exploring themes such as unemployment, gentrification, and family love.
Created by Michael Bond, Paddington Bear is already a pillar of British children's literature, having appeared in multiple books and animated series since 1958. However, his jump to the big screen wouldn't come until 2014, with the first adaptation that tells the origins of the little bear in the depths of Peru and his arrival in London, where he is discovered at Paddington Station by the Brown family. With a candid acting job from Ben Whishaw as the voice of the protagonist, plus a cast that includes Sally Hawkins and Nicole Kidman, Paddington is a wonderful adventure movie suitable for the whole family, with a tender message about accepting those who are different from us, as well as about the true meaning of family.
One of those darling films of the awards season in 2024, The Holdovers follows the story of a teacher (Paul Giamatti, brilliant), a grieving cook (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), and a troubled student (Dominic Sessa) who come together during the year-end celebrations when all other students, teachers, and staff go home – they, however, need to stay as the young man has nowhere else to go. Well-directed by Alexander Payne (known for above-average films like Nebraska, Sideways and The Descendants), the feature manages to stir emotions with the story of these characters seemingly rejected by life but finding each other in their differences – although the script emphasizes that there are more similarities than differences among these three characters. Joy Randolph and Sessa perform well, but the film belongs entirely to Giamatti, delivering a poignant yet funny portrayal of this teacher hated by students with unexpected eccentricities. Just don't expect a Dead Poets Society: the film is more about human relationships than teachers' lessons.
Lilo & Stitch is the live-action remake of the classic Disney animation. Just like the original story, which has thrilled adults and children for years, we follow an emotional journey of friendship between a little Hawaiian girl and a blue alien who pretends to be a dog on Earth. With almost no difference from the animation, the feature film works for those who already love the animation and want to see the story told in other tones and with other actors -- with highlights for Zach Galifianakis as Jumba, Billy Magnussen as Pleakley and, especially, for little Maia Kealoha as Lilo. A film that is still exciting and likable, but that, like almost all Disney live-action remakes, does not bring anything new.