I have always loved animated films, but Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is unique.  The film is blended with an animated figure and real people. Combining the two makes the film one of the best this year with a message to be remembered. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’s Director Dean Fleischer-Camp gives his audience a movie experience filled with joy, love, and positivity. These are just a few of the many great things to say about Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.

The concept of the film is vibrant and audacious. Fleischer-Camp has a creative mind and his tools and directing skills are exhibited in a puzzle of excitement. While the film is slightly sad at times, it is overall upbeat. I loved Marcel the Shell with Shoes On because of how it relates to social media and the world we live in. I’m so excited for this film to find its audience so the story can be shared.

Jenny Slate plays Marcel who is an animated shell that speaks. The grandmother of Marcel is Connie played by Isabella Rossellini. There is also their pet lint, Alan. They were all part of a community of shells that were adventurous. Sadly, the community has vanished, and Marcel is the sole survivor. Despite the sadness of the backstory, Marcel is approached by a documentary filmmaker. This begins to make Marcel’s life invigorating and exciting. While the concept may seem silly, it comes across as genuine and wonderful. A shell having a fan base is portrayed in a simple believable manner. Authenticity is important for films and makes this one especially brilliant. 

The directing and narrative make the film appear to be in real-time. The audience who watched the film with me in the screening room also felt the realism and positive vibes. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On will make viewers laugh until they cry. It is simply one-of-a-kind.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes on is one that will appeal to people of all ages due to its important message. What spoke to me the most was the virtual concept of the film. Especially after the COVID lockdown and relying on technology to pass the time. The animation in this movie reminded me that there are many amazing virtual elements. I appreciate this film, and I know many others will as well. Three and a half stars.

Films with kidnapping and horror are my jam when it comes to suspense films, because there’s always the question whether the kidnap victim can survive. The Black Phone had me asking that question multiple times.

The Black Phone is a new level of horror and terror with a unique setup. The film contains a generous amount of back story and frequent twists. Ethan Hawke plays a character known as “The Grabber”, and he is the one who drives the terror. Hawke still has that nice guy personality in this role, but here it’s blended with a healthy dose of evil.

The Black Phone is set in a small town where children have been going missing. There is a boy named Finney, played by Mason Thames, who is fascinated with horror flicks on TV. His world changes when he is abducted by The Grabber, who puts him into a soundproof basement. A creepy feature of The Grabber is that he always wears a ghoulish mask. Finney’s options are limited until he comes across a phone that is broken, but can mysteriously be used to talk to The Grabber’s previous victims. These victims help Finney try to find a way to escape the basement.

The Black Phone is a film with many dark corners that can be very anxiety-provoking. It is also one of the best horrors flicks I have seen in a while. It manages to come off as authentic, and Hawke is truly magnificent as the stylish masked enemy. He delivers his performance in his mellow-toned, but here very menacing, demeanor.

For fans of the horror genre The Black Phone is going to be a wild ride. Again, this film takes scary to new heights. The realism grows the horror and there are many mind-boggling moments as Finney tries to fight back and The Grabber enjoys tormenting Finney. Do not miss this original horror blockbuster. Three and a half stars for The Black Phone.

The grandeur of director Baz Luhrmann is on full display in his newest offering, Elvis. The film starts with nostalgic visuals and the excitement builds with anticipation as it progresses. Elvis is faithful in its direction and narration, and the vibrance and brilliance is there throughout the film. But everyone knows the tragedy that ensued in the King’s life, so the viewer needs to be prepared for a large dose of sadness.

Presley is played by Austin Butler, and he is the top-notch Elvis Presley that the world will love. Butler can also make us feel Elvis’s heartache. Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is played by Tom Hanks. The film often feels like a heavyweight match between the two characters.

Elvis tracks Presley’s career from the start, when his dance moves cause all kinds of controversy and his relationship with Colonel Tom Parker begins. Parker helps Presley sign big contracts for big money. Presley has the moves, the personality, and the voice to make the ladies blush. But despite his positive qualities, Presley builds a mixed reputation. He is criticized for his famous leg moves, which are deemed to be sexual or crude. It is his voice that sells, however, and Parker finds a way to help Presley get his name out there more and more. Presley soon finds himself with shows in Tennessee and Las Vegas, at massive venues. Despite his success—or maybe because of it—Presley falls into a downward spiral of drug use, and his relationship with Parker falters.

Luhrmann has a method of fading colors in and out, making the colors go wild and happy when there is success and fading them to a melancholy feel when there is failure. He also creates shadows, quick transitions, and he throws in tangents to heighten the interest. His use of imagery creates a landscape that tracks Presley’s successes and failures.

The tension and the struggles of Presley will hit his fans emotionally. He had a wildly successful career but he struggled in other parts of his life, including relationships and finances. Luhrmann knows how to make his audience cry, so bring tissues. Where I felt the film was strongest, though, was when Presley pulls himself up again after he falls. He continues to perform, and to inspire. He also begins to realize that he doesn’t need Parker all the time.

Director Luhrmann is visually audacious with Elvis, and it is his brilliance beyond anything else that makes the film mesmerizing. Despite the sadness, it is still a worthwhile and wonderful experience that will have audiences jamming to Presley’s music, laughing, and crying. Three and a half stars for Elvis.