“Guess why I smile a lot.
– Why?
Uh, 'cause it's worth it?”

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On stands to make a mark on not only animated filmmaking, but poignant and profound storytelling as a whole. Where many films stray into the obtuse, uncanny, or strange, Marcel remains well tethered into the reality of what it means to search for belonging within the small parts of your day while existing in a world so much larger than you can manage. “Thoughtful”, “intimate”, and “touching” are all words that do Marcel the Shell With Shoes On a disservice.

Marcel lives in a world where the things they love are small, fragile, and fleeting. It’s a world we, ourselves, inhabit from such a profoundly different perspective that to see it through this lens makes it seem like an alien planet of abject beauty. Marcel has suffered a loss that deeply affects them in a way that they can only explain through the passion of their daily actions, and the care shown to the grace that is being alive. While there is fear deep inside Marcel’s little shell, they never project that fear onto others around them, instead choosing to personify the profundity of potential further loss with gratitude and celebration of what they still have in hand.

Expertly shot, intelligently written, and powerfully performed, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On tackles difficult issues with a poise and grace that is not often seen in the world of film, television, or literature. In stride we handle issues of identity, deep and painful loss, love and longing, and the difference between an audience, and a community. The themes taken on by this adorable little animated film are braver than many of us dare even to dream, and managed in a more complete and meaningful way than most other adventures can even begin to compare.

Alongside two other emotional greats of the year – Turning Red and Everything Everywhere All at Once – I believe we are in the midst of a true revolution in filmmaking. There’s been a renaissance within the craft that is returning us to the age of the deeply impactful art piece. However, this renaissance is not returning us in the way of strange and oblique films that the viewer has to “understand” to, well… understand. Instead, these small, bright stars hidden among the faff of frivolous films manage to bring us the same important messages and deeply impactful responses, without also demanding the level of obtuse patience or leaps of logic like other films of similar weight.

There’s something beautiful going on in the film world, and I’m so glad we get to be a part of it.

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is a small film that takes place around a small character, but has a big heart with plenty of room for you to stay. At once apocalyptic in undertone, but lived and loved in thematically; Marcel is a character you’ll look forward to carrying with you on future endeavors of your own. There’s a reminder inside this film that the world around us may be gray and seemingly devoid of attachment, but if we look inside ourselves and stay true to what matters most -- if we bring light and beauty into even the darkest of our experiences -- there’s always a sight, an experience, a song… or a friend, worth waiting for.

“... I’m not just one separate piece rattling around in this place… I’m part of a whole. And I truly enjoy the sound of myself connected to everything.”