A Monster Calls - insta-reaction

[amberdreams]

If the boy who plays Connor O'Malley in this film doesn't get an Oscar or some sort of award for this performance there's no justice in this world. What a beautiful, heartbreaking film this is.

If you haven't heard of it, the plot is simple enough. It's about a young boy called Connor, whose Mum has an illness (they never say what it is) that has left him terrified of losing her. His Dad lives in America, his gran is tightlaced and formidable (played impeccably by Sigourny Weaver) and he can see his whole life falling apart around him. Then one night after he wakes from a recurring nightmare, the yew tree on the hill opposite his house comes to life and invades his bedroom.

Instead of terrorising Connor, the tree says he's there to tell Connor three stories, after which, Connor will have to tell the tree the true story behind his own nightmare.

The CGI for the 'real life' sequences with the monster-tree is amazing, but the animation for the stories the tree tells Connor is fabulously beautiful. I'm hoping at some point they will bring out a book of the art of the film. I saw in the credits it was Jim Kay and I've seen his stuff before - it's wonderful.

I don't know if it will be released in the US or outside the UK but wherever you are try and see this. But make sure you have plenty of tissues. PLENTY. There was not just sniffing going on in the dark, but full on sobbing. Yeah yeah, most of that was from me because I couldn't help but think about my Dad, but even without that, I'd have been hard put not to cry.

Comments

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Oh you must - prepare to WEEP.

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

I thought I'd end up a pathetic mess!