The Red Turtle

Studio Ghibli, a great Japanese animation film studio, has had a place in my heart that started with my childhood. Their films are well known for having a beautiful animation style that accompanies the main protagonist (usually strong female characters) embarking on either a fantasy quest and/or a coming of age story with a charm that the whole family can appreciate. My favorite Studio Ghibli movies are Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. Ever since Hayao Miyazaki's retirement in 2014, the studio has been on hiatus on any productions for a period of time. However, last year I heard a little bit of news about a new project they are working on: The Red Turtle. I didn't know much about it except for the studio being involved in the art direction part of it but recently I heard good things about it to the point of being nominated for the Academy Awards. I entered the theater ready to see what kind of an experience The Red Turtle would provide and left it feeling pretty touched by what I have seen.

Plot: The premise of the movie follows a man who becomes shipwrecked on a deserted island after being swept away by a violent storm. From there he finds ways to survive the environment and encounters a red turtle. A key feature that separates this movie from other Studio Ghibli entries is that the story is told without any dialogue (aside from an occasional yell from the main protagonist), allowing the audience to experience it through silence instead of words. The music works very well with the portraying moments from sweet and lighthearted to somewhat sad and somber. The story being told is pretty engaging for all ages as it's accompanied with great animation, which is a styled differently since it's a different animator, and the aforementioned music. The plot is a balanced blend of realism mixed with mysticism while telling a sweet simple story. One thing to note is that the film trusts you to judge the passage of time depending on the appearance of the main character as the story moves forward. Overall The Red Turtle showcases a great story without any dialogue and a touching experience.

Overall Consensus: The Red Turtle captures the charm of the past Studio Ghibli films while telling an engaging simple story with gorgeous animation and beautiful music. ⭑⭑⭑⭑1/2

Reasons to watch it: You are a fan of Studio Ghibli films. You like movies that tell a story without any dialogue while letting you experience what's happening. You like movies where the main protagonist is shipwrecked on a deserted island. You like family movies that blend realism with some mysticism. You aren't in the mood for a complex animated family movie.

Reasons to avoid it: You don't like Studio Ghibli films. You prefers stories told with dialogue in movies more than those without. You don't like films where the main protagonist is shipwrecked on a deserted island. You don't like family movies that blend realism with mysticism. You want to watch a complex animated family movie.

Coming up next: February Frenzy will conclude with a horror movie that looks interesting: Get Out. Will Get Out prove to be a fun horror premise for the directorial debut of Jordan Peele? I will find out next weekend as February Frenzy will come to a close and March Mayhem looms on the horizon.