Thursday, June 17, 2010

Mary and Max

After two duds I finally get something I can be happy I saw. I LOVED this film. First off, it is just beautiful visually. It's done in a stop animation style and it has oodles of wonderful quirky details.


The story is of Mary who's a little girl in austrailia. She's having a terrible time. Her parents don't understand her, she has no friends, and she has a rooster for a pet named Ethel. Looking for something to do she picks a name at random in America and writes a letter. The person in question is Max. Max is in New York and he too has no friends. He also suffers from Asperger's which makes the world for Max a very chaotic place.


Mary's letter first destroys Max's self ordered life. He is confused and doesn't know what to do, but then he writes back and that starts a 20 year relationship. Not always an easy or nice one, Mary doesn't understand Max's mental condition and sometimes her early letters would almost literally blow Max's mind.


It's a beautiful story. It's wonderfully written. I can quote from that movie more than almost any recent film. I particularly like, "Jurors are upstanding citizens who haven't killed anyone..yet." Also, special kudos to Philip Seymour Hoffman who was the voice of Max.


WATCH THIS!!! Even if you don't like "Cartoons" it is well worth your time!

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