I love Rebecca Dautremer's drawings. It is especially the drawings that make this film worth watching. The story is fine too. It is about a boy who can't read, but whose aunt always read him stories. When the aunt dies, he inherits her library. Then, the stories come to life and he has to fulfill a quest. If you want to see all those characters, like Alice and the white rabbit, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, giants and witches, in a style different from Disney's, then I recommend you watch this movie. My kids loved it too. They watched it nothing short of three times and were unhappy that I had to bring it back to the video rental store.
6 Reviews
Family fun
samarshall22 April 2012
I viewed this film with my 9-yr old daughter as part of the 2012 DC Filmfest. We both loved it for its heartwarming story and the outstanding animation. Originally made in French, the version which we saw is entirely in English with no subtitles.
Through the generosity of Aunt Eleanor, Nat is introduced to many of the characters of classic literature, such as Alice (of Wonderland), the White Rabbit, Pinocchio, Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and the Little Match Girl. His vivid imagination makes up for being very slow to learn how to read, about which his older sister teases him without mercy. The setting on the beach allows the adventurers to encounter some creatures who add to the suspense as time is running out to save the day.
We highly recommend this to be seen with your family.
Through the generosity of Aunt Eleanor, Nat is introduced to many of the characters of classic literature, such as Alice (of Wonderland), the White Rabbit, Pinocchio, Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and the Little Match Girl. His vivid imagination makes up for being very slow to learn how to read, about which his older sister teases him without mercy. The setting on the beach allows the adventurers to encounter some creatures who add to the suspense as time is running out to save the day.
We highly recommend this to be seen with your family.
All heroes from the children's storybook are here.
Reno-Rangan23 June 2014
80 minutes short French animated feature movie. The story of a six year old boy who involved in saving the tiny magical creatures. A similar kind of movie to 'Le Tableau'. After all, this was the first movie to release. I have not seen a single European animation since last few months, so decided to go with it and I had a nice time. Firstly, I thought it was a children's movie, yes it was and as a grown up I was not annoyed instead enjoyed it like a kid.
A young boy called Nat, for him reading is a complicated issue. He always gets teased by his elder sister. On one summer his family decides to relocating to their ancestral house in a small town. He and his sisters remembers their grandmother who tells children's stories during visits to see her. After her death, they come to know that she left some gifts for them. Financially suffering his family decides to get rid of old things from the house. Nat mistakenly discovers the tiny creatures who need his help to save their existence. So the boy's quest begins to do something for others. The beautiful adventures are portrayed in the remains.
''Just because it was invented doesn't mean it isn't real''
Technically, it sounds great. The animation was very good and the characters were so cute. The story was not bad, but a little crawl in the adventure section. As it was a short movie, you won't get any frustration. A short and lovely movie for family and kids. If 'The Avengers' is for adults, then this movie is for kids. All the famous characters from kids stories came together for this. Sadly, everyone had less time to spare to show their existence in the movie, but I expected a lot more. All in all it is still a nice movie to have. If any parents reading my this review kindly show it to your kids as well.
7.5/10
A young boy called Nat, for him reading is a complicated issue. He always gets teased by his elder sister. On one summer his family decides to relocating to their ancestral house in a small town. He and his sisters remembers their grandmother who tells children's stories during visits to see her. After her death, they come to know that she left some gifts for them. Financially suffering his family decides to get rid of old things from the house. Nat mistakenly discovers the tiny creatures who need his help to save their existence. So the boy's quest begins to do something for others. The beautiful adventures are portrayed in the remains.
''Just because it was invented doesn't mean it isn't real''
Technically, it sounds great. The animation was very good and the characters were so cute. The story was not bad, but a little crawl in the adventure section. As it was a short movie, you won't get any frustration. A short and lovely movie for family and kids. If 'The Avengers' is for adults, then this movie is for kids. All the famous characters from kids stories came together for this. Sadly, everyone had less time to spare to show their existence in the movie, but I expected a lot more. All in all it is still a nice movie to have. If any parents reading my this review kindly show it to your kids as well.
7.5/10
Nice artwork but unrealistic about children's learning
fafff9 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this film's artwork and my 7-year-old daughter enjoyed it too. However, I found the main premise - that a 6-year-old boy who isn't yet reading ought to be pressurized into doing so - quite troubling.
The reality is that children have a very wide natural time range for learning to read, even wider than they have for learning to walk or talk. Some children learn at 3, some at 12 or 13. The late readers catch up very quickly with early ones, and are none the worse for it.
Yet everyone in the film, including the parents, is worried about the boy not yet reading fluently. He's still so little! I loved the references to imagination in the story, and I think it should have focused wholly on that instead.
The reality is that children have a very wide natural time range for learning to read, even wider than they have for learning to walk or talk. Some children learn at 3, some at 12 or 13. The late readers catch up very quickly with early ones, and are none the worse for it.
Yet everyone in the film, including the parents, is worried about the boy not yet reading fluently. He's still so little! I loved the references to imagination in the story, and I think it should have focused wholly on that instead.
Feel good family film
depont0316 February 2023
This cartoon has nice atmosphere, well drawn animation. It evokes many reminiscences of similar children book stories (every bit you have seen somewhere else), which feels somewhat compilative, synthetic after watching. It is suitable for families with kids and teens. The story is linear and predictable, it takes place in the village on the sea-side in Europe. In the old house full of old books and the characters from these books as well as preservation of the books themselves play important part in the development of the story. The drawings are by award-winning artist so I had higher expectations before watching, but I don't regret watching it either.
One charming animated film
Rectangular_businessman7 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This was such an enjoyable animated film, with a very a nice story and a pleasant visual style.
Even when the story could seem to be a bit simple at first sight, it actually has many wonderful qualities, that made it charming and captivating.
I think that now more than ever is a good thing to teach the kids about the marvels of reading and imagination, and about the importance of the stories to be preserves by future generations. In that aspect, this movie did an incredible work, being much better done and more honest that many other movies with a similar message.
It is also a very entertaining fantasy flick, with many interesting characters and a good balance of humor and adventure, not to mention the very pleasant visual style that this movie had, making it a nice and delightful animated film for the whole family with lots of heart.
I highly recommend it.
Even when the story could seem to be a bit simple at first sight, it actually has many wonderful qualities, that made it charming and captivating.
I think that now more than ever is a good thing to teach the kids about the marvels of reading and imagination, and about the importance of the stories to be preserves by future generations. In that aspect, this movie did an incredible work, being much better done and more honest that many other movies with a similar message.
It is also a very entertaining fantasy flick, with many interesting characters and a good balance of humor and adventure, not to mention the very pleasant visual style that this movie had, making it a nice and delightful animated film for the whole family with lots of heart.
I highly recommend it.
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