Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
★ ★★★★
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is probably one of the most adorable things that you’ll ever see. But don't let the genuine cuteness of this start-stop animation mockumentary fool you. It's full of heartfelt emotional depth and this little one-inch-tall shell embodies the struggles that our society has gone through the past couple of years. Big things can be wrapped in small packages, and I can’t think of another character that best symbolizes this as Marcel the Shell. Marcel is a philosopher of all things kind and is earnest in his intentions. Jenny Slate does a terrific job of delivering Marcel's lines with quick wit, but also with precise timing and delivery.
Director Dean Fliescher-Camp does an amazing job of building the world that Marcel inhabits and I likened it to a pleasant Saturday morning when all is quiet in the world. Through Marcel, we learn about the importance of family, and more importantly community. We live in cynical times and it was refreshing to watch something that isn't afraid to have its heart on its sleeve.
I was quite taken by this sweet film. It’s one of the most creative things I've seen on screen and the more I reflect on it, the more and more I like it. It's hard to be hopeful in troubling times and Marcel was able to instill an appreciation in me for the small things that are in my life.
