Mia and the Migoo

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06/05/2018 This is an absolutely stunning piece of meticulously hand drawn animation that unfortunately has a really terrible story. The plot's pro-ecology, anti-capitalist message is drawn in such a simplistic, black-and-white fashion that it really can't be intended for an adult audience, but the concepts in deals with seem like they'd just go over the heads of younger kids. If you want to just admire the animation, it should work, but it's a crashingly dull story. The English dub is really good except for Wallace Shawn showing up in a role that is really not appropriate for his voice. See more 10/31/2012 beautifully painted, talented voice acting from well-known voice actors and celebrities, touching and cute, the plot could have been a little more epic, but the entire movie is so crafted, it should deserve an academy award nomination. See more 10/06/2012 better than I thought it was See more philip s 08/11/2012 Thank goodness for hand drawn animation. So many of today's "animated" features are really just CGI based works that try to masquerade as actual cartoons. While this reviewer personally is not a fan of anime style artwork, the newly imported French movie, Mia and the Migoo is a work that did impress. Forget the fact that this movie carries a very heavy handed environmental message (one that may be too strong even for some younger audiences). The real star of Mia and the Migoo is its animation. Audiences will appreciate the animation even more in watching the movie's "making of" featurette. It is, for the most part, just another "making of" featurette. But there is one moment in this bonus feature that makes it all worth the near half hour watch. One individual who is interviewed for the feature notes that bringing a movie to life using actual hand drawn animation gives the movie a more "human" feel versus the use of computers. He states that animated features created through CGI are done mathematically. It's as if he was saying in a roundabout way that CGI animation is cold and really has no life. That couldn't be truer. That this young artist has such an appreciation for the art of drawing, rather than sitting in front of a computer to make art makes Mia and the Migoo that much more enjoyable in hindsight. Mia and the Migoo is a beautiful work of art, in terms of its animation. But there is no denying that the movie's content may not be suitable for some younger audiences. The movie does get intense at times. Audiences see Aldrin's father use a mortar launcher to destroy the sacred tree. The result of his actions is pretty intense. Some younger viewers might be unsettled by this. Also early on, while Mia is riding a bus to the construction site where her father works, the bus breaks down. A heavy set woman on the bus proceeds to take off her shirt, and drench the bus's engine in her sweat. She is wearing undergarments. Now while this is probably more socially acceptable in other nations' cultures, some American audiences may find this not as suitable for younger audiences. Thus, the mark on the DVD's cover of being "Family Approved" may again be more aimed at audiences other than those in the United States. While some of the content in Mia and The Migoo may be unsuitable for certain younger audiences (parents should use their own discretion to determine if it's too intense for their own children in other words), but that doesn't mean that it's inappropriate for all audiences. Because it is such ha beautiful work of art, this movie serves as a wonderful teaching tool, believe it or not, for students studying the visual arts. As noted in the press release for the now American release of the movie, the artwork in the movie will conjure thoughts of Van Gogh, Monet, and even Cezanne. The colors throughout each scene are that rich and vibrant. And the characters themselves are very much in the vein of anime legend Hayao Miyazaki. For that, it is a movie that deserves its own praise, and at least a single viewing. See more 07/23/2011 Shares a spiritual link to the Japanese works of Hayao Miyazaki but lacks his films' narrative drive and magical overlay. See more 05/24/2011 Mia and the Migoo is a tiresome animated trifle, only worthwhile for its gorgeous animation and some fun voicework. The story is a green cliche of evil industrialists and charming nature spirits, told through the overly familiar lens of a little girl looking for her lost father. The hand-drawn animation evokes some of the charms of a Miyazaki picture, but the broad characters and lack of interesting narrative development hold the film back from tapping into any of its (limited) potential. For a purely aesthetic thrill, Mia and the Migoo is the most exciting animated feat of the year thus far, but as a film, it's dull and too familiar. See more Read all reviews

Mia and the Migoo

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