Belle (2021)
Is this Disney or anime?
Presentation:
One of the highest quality looking animes in recent memory due to its spectacular sharpness, color and image fidelty. This film is quite impressive in its presentation combining many different elements which boil down toThe Matrix mixed with Beauty and the Beast. A young girl attempts to overcome her shyness and traumatic loss through singing her way in a virtual world. She gains virality due to her incredible singing, which is one of the few reasons I can recommend the English dub for this film as Kylie McNeill has a disarming natural quality to her voice. Her technique is quite striking. As this film is basically Japanese Disney, there are a lot of theatrics and singing, which is the star of the movie. The songs are not particularly memorable but are strikingly well sung. The story and message of the film are also questionable, which feel disjointed as a result of too many storylines going on at the same time. It ultimately ends quite safely, which affirm that this film is targeted toward younger audiences.
Conclusion:
One of the most visually impressive animes, fitting for a plot that is more shallow than it pretends not to be. For those that love movies with theatrics, music and singing, this could satisfy the void we’ve been missing from Disney. We have a modern tale that might resonate with girls that struggling to grow up in an electronic age, but I’m not sure what message the film is ultimately trying to make. Nevertheless, a spectacle of visual fireworks that will probably disappoint you once the film is over.
Recommendations
There’s still plenty of magic left in the tank for holiday cinema.