Thus far I’ve reviewed movies about homicidal aliens, financial ruin, torturous games of chance and, oh yes, Armageddon. Time to drastically change gears before I discover some unpleasant truths about myself.
Ernest & Celestine is a delightful French/Belgian animated film that’s been dubbed into English with the help of the voice talents of Forest Whitaker, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, Lauren Bacall and Jeffrey Wright. It tells the tale of Ernest, a down-on-his-luck bear, and Celestine, the plucky mouse who befriends him despite his initial desire (and attempt) to eat her. Theirs is a world where bears carry on civilized lives above ground whereas mice live largely out of sight below the surface, where they feed their children on cautionary tales about the ursine terror above. When Ernest and Celestine defy the natural order and – gasp – become friends, they find themselves alienated from both societies and on the lam, yet perfectly content with one another’s company.
I enjoy foreign films quite a lot, and one of the reasons is that different cultures have different rules as to where the boundaries are. Not knowing the particular rules of a country can make the viewing experience exhilarating because there’s no way to predict how an intense encounter may end. If you don’t believe me, try watching a Japanese horror film sometime. I never used to be scared of ten year-old girls with long black hair. [shudder] The unfortunate flip side to this is that I’ve found foreign films for children can contain unexpectedly mature or simply incomprehensible themes. “Mommy, why is the little boy drinking wine while he ponders euthanizing that clown…?” For this reason, I had some slight trepidation about Ernest & Celestine when my children and I sat down to watch it. It looked benign enough, but you never know.
I was pleasantly surprised though to discover that it is a simple tale of friendship and kindness, told very sweetly. And the animation is true art. Although I am a huge fan of Pixar and the rich, beautiful environments and characters they create, theirs is unarguably a very commercial kind of art. And don’t get me started on the slew of chop shop projects that have sprung up since computer animation became so cheap and prevalent (I’m looking at you, The Nut Job). Ernest & Celestine, however, employs a classic 2-D look that mimics water colors, and the use of negative space at times is impressive and highly effective.
If you haven’t already instituted Family Movie Night in your household, do yourself a favor and start with this gem.
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