what are you talking about
Marcel is a lovable shell who lives alone with his grandmother Connie after being cut off from the rest of his community. When a documentary filmmaker discovers them in his Airbnb, a video he uploads goes viral, offering Marcel new hope of being reunited with his family.
MARCEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE
If you closely follow the news of American cinema, and more precisely the A24 studio, each project of which causes quite a stir, Marseille is no stranger to you.
Born in 2010 as a short film by Dean Fleischer-Camp, which had two sequels in 2011 and 2014, this much-loved shell, which asks existential questions about life, love and death, made a shoestring leap to the big screen.
It was in June 2022 in the United States, almost a year before he arrived in France, crowned with a good reputation. Not necessarily from an accounting perspective, as it only made $6.9 million worldwide on a budget of $7.
But reviews of his directorial debut feature were more than positive, and it ran for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, where it was one of the favorites.
With Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio winning the day. But whatever. Because Marseille has become a little phenomenon on the Internet anyway… and that’s what the movie is about, a mockumentary that combines real footage and frame-by-frame animation like in the courts.
The first short film with the participation of Marcel:
Except that the miniature hero not only introduces us to his way of life and the D system he exhibits, for example, by using an egg to knock the fruit of a tree.
Marcel Le Coquillage (with his shoes) also depicts his relationship with his grandmother Connie (and their fascination with the program 60 Minutes and its host), the only member of his family, after they are separated from their community. .
And it is from this human aspect that the emotion of the film is born, which makes us smile from beginning to end, even if it means shedding a few tears. La mise en abyme, when Marcel becomes a network star, thanks to the videos posted on YouTube by the director of the documentary (played by Dean Fleischer-Kemp himself), speaks more to adults and delights those who have heard about it. Smile of success, film across the Atlantic.
But all the rest will work. Thanks to his few worries. The universality of things caused, taking into account the family. And the cuteness of her character, voiced by Jenny Slate, the director’s former companion.
Information that, a priori, is not of great interest, unless it is related to one of the subplots of the story, which also leads to the resolution of the search for Marcel.
A hero for less unexpected people, but one that we now want to see again, on the small or big screen. The number of subjects available in this format is indeed as large as it is small, and Marcel’s simple presence makes each of his films appealing.
A few days before summer, you can be sure that only the sun will not melt. And it might make you optimistic about Dean Fleischer-Camp’s next project: a live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch where cuteness is in order.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
