By Cole Aikens
FestBuzz Exclusive
Tom Moore
Opening Night, February 19, 2010, Stockton Empire Theater, Stockton, CA
"Absolutely luscious to behold!" - Variety
"Pure magic! The Secret of Kells leaves you stunned by its originality, audacity and pure artistry!" -Newsarama
I’m a gruff, masculine, 23-year old young man, but when SJIFF Programmer Sophoan Sorn handed me the special Oscar pre-screening of the Secret of Kells, I squealed like a school girl. That’s very difficult to admit but it’s an elite group of professionals who are given this opportunity. The film is the opening night presentation for the 2010 San Joaquin International Film Festival as well as a nominee for best animated feature in the upcoming Academy Awards. These two aspects sparked my curiosity was very curious about the film to begin, then the trailer cemented it. The trailer is an attention getter, the dark images, the mythical voice over. The quality and depth of the film’s animation held its own.
See the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I had one question before viewing the film- why choose to tell the story through animation? Any concerns were quickly lifted; The Secret of Kells was visually stunning.
The detail was incredible, but not overwhelming and when the laws of physics were broken, I accepted it. The world created within the movie is a blend of fantasy and reality that required a bit of my imagination to connect the dots. That’s not a bad thing. It is a mistake when films fail to give the audience credit their intelligence.
The community of Kells lives inside its constructed walls for protection, but on the outside is an unknown sanctuary of knowledge. Whether the dangers of the world outside the walls is the greatest threat, or whether its living a life unaware of the outside world is the greatest danger, it’s up to you. I believe that never leaving your backyard, never experiencing the outside world for yourself, is worse. The young hero Brendan must find out for himself. So do you.
On a quest, Brendan faces a danger outside his community’s walls that appears abstract, like a dream, but the fear and the prize are real. Animation provided freedoms to tell a story that would have been impossible, through live action. The quality of detail could be lost on children who may see the film as a long Saturday cartoon, but the intricacies takes it too a new level. I believe the film lives up to its Oscar nomination.
I especially enjoyed the character Ashley. She was fun, with the spunk and joy you hope to see in every girl her age. She is obviously different to begin with; dressed in a aura of white clothes and free flowing hair. The forest is her domain and despite her innocence and small nature, she controls the forest with enticing magic. However she too has her limitations. Curiosity and bravery prevail over magic.
Find out more at http://www.sjiff.org/festival/
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