A prolific filmmaker whose career began in 1967 with Who’s That Knocking at My Door and has covered every decade since, Marty (as his friends call him) is a cinephile of the highest order, and of course an exquisite storyteller whose films have cemented themselves into cinema’s historic and sacred vault of masterpieces. His upbringing as an Italian American in Queens and Little Italy meant that he became accustomed to the crime-riddled streets of New York and the plethora of interesting characters that called that place home; an aspect of his life that is said to have started his love for character examination.

Everyone and their dog knows about Scorsese’s great narrative films – there have been 27 of them altogether: Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), The Departed (2006), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), being just some of his most iconic releases over the years. But what you might not be so aware of are the great man’s many acclaimed documentaries.

Martin Scorsese’s work as a documentarian has resulted in 17 films over the course of his career. What began with the production of short films in conjunction with the United States Information Agency (USIA) for educational and information purposes, was Marty’s first insight into documentary filmmaking – it wasn’t until Scorsese made the now-iconic Italianamerican in 1974 that his love for the medium began to take shape. Scorsese’s love of people, film, and music, is the basis for many of the great non-fiction offerings he has put his name to; the passions, themes and experiences that define so much of his filmmaking legacy.

We at The Film Magazine would like you to join us in exploring this legacy in our Movie List of 5 Unmissable Martin Scorsese Documentaries.

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1. Italianamerican (1974)

The 1970s was an important decade for Martin Scorsese. It became the decade that allowed him to cultivate the famous auteur style of filmmaking that forged his career. By the time 1974 came around, Scorsese had already directed Who’s That Knocking at My Door, Boxcar Bertha (1972), and Mean Streets (1973), with the former and the latter taking great inspiration from our first documentary in question.

Italianamerican is an obscure film that explores the relationship between the director and his parents. Starring Catherine and Charles Scorsese, and set in their New York apartment on Elizabeth Street, Martin lays the foundations down for a conversation; a sincere and frank discussion with his parents that covers his upbringing, the importance of family, religion, their Italian heritage, and the difficulties that poor immigrants faced when hoping to gain opportunities in the United States. Even with all these crucial themes being inspected, the most memorable sequence of the film involves Catherine demonstrating how she makes her world-famous (they are to Martin at least) meatballs, a recipe that you can find in the end credits (for all you would be chefs out there).

This is Scorsese’s most intimate and personal documentary. And it comes so early on in his filmmaking journey too. How basic the film appears on the surface is what makes it work, as we follow the Scorseses around their family home and pay homage to a heritage that he is obviously proud of. The talk of religion is an important theme throughout as well; it lays out the ideas that Martin has about Catholicism and its role in his life (he was famously about to pursue priesthood as a vocation before finding his calling). Religion has become one of the most powerful motifs throughout Scorsese’s filmography, with the questions surrounding it becoming the primary structural themes in several of his pictures – think Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Silence, and of course, The Last Temptation of Christ.

The importance of Italianamerican is celebrated by the masses as the most important insight into the mind of the famed director – it foreshadows certain subjects and messages that would soon enough become known about Scorsese’s films. Even in its brief 50-minute runtime, we get all we need to know about the origins of the man, as well as an inkling into the style and substance of what his future documentaries might consist of.

Recommended for you: Where to Start with Martin Scorsese

2. The Last Waltz (1978)

Between the years of 1974 and 1978, Martin Scorsese stepped up his filmmaking game. He graced us with the hugely underrated Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) before gifting us with Taxi Driver, arguably his most highly renowned film of all time, before his final film of the decade, New York, New York (1977), a romantic musical forged as a tribute to Scorsese’s hometown of New York and the city’s relationship with Jazz music. It feels almost poetic that Scorsese’s second documentary of his career, The Last Waltz (1978) would be another musical tribute, this time dedicated to Canadian rock band The Band.

Filmed in 1976 during The Band’s farewell show at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, The Last Waltz features concert performances from the band, intermittent song renditions that were shot on a studio soundstage, as well as interviews with the members of The Band conducted by Scorsese himself. The origins of the film began when The Band’s tour manager from 1969 to 1972, Jonathan Taplin (who also produced Mean Streets) proposed that Scorsese should direct the upcoming project while introducing him to Robbie Robertson (lead guitarist for Bob Dylan and member of The Band) as a means of sweetening the deal.

The Last Waltz was marketed as The Band’s “farewell concert appearance” and consisted of dozens of special guests such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. Scorsese’s love of music, specifically rock music, made this the ideal subject matter to get stuck into. The director’s vision of what he wanted the film’s aesthetic to look like was definitive, and his role with the editors to sift through hours of footage and angles took almost two years of dedication.

The film begins with the title card, “This film should be played loud,” which is exactly how a rockumentary should be experienced. The collection of footage that was gathered and produced offers a unique experience into the backstage goings-on of the music industry, and the interviews that are interspersed during the film are brilliantly insightful and engaging. The Last Waltz is not only one of the most definitive documentaries on Scorsese’s CV, but it has also been dubbed as one of the greatest documentary concert films ever made.

Bolan’s Shoes (2023)
Director: Ian Puleston-Davies
Screenwriter: Ian Puleston-Davies
Starring: Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Mark Lewis Jones, Matthew Horne, Holli Dempsey, Andrew Lancel

The legacy that musical artists possess years after their deaths is almost unfathomable, whether that be through their timeless music that evokes feelings of a better time or how they portray themselves to the masses as god-like figures. Marc Bolan is one of those artists; the man who started the glam rock era of music will always be remembered through his songs, his words, and of course, his style. Cue Bolan’s Shoes, a lovely little tribute to the great songster. Or, so you’d think…

Bolan’s Shoes begins during the 1970s as a group of children from a Liverpool orphanage, which includes siblings Jimmy and Sadie as well as their friend Penny, are taken to see a T. Rex concert in Manchester. Each and every one of them (including the teacher and the vicar) possess a shared fascination with the music of T. Rex, and Bolan himself of course. After a brilliant gig, and with enthusiasm and happiness at an all-time high for these orphans, it all comes crashing down when their coach steers off the road and crashes, killing several people and injuring many more. Fast forward to the present day and a now grown-up Penny (Leanne Best) is living in Wales and plans on travelling to Marc Bolan’s roadside crash memorial to celebrate the singer’s upcoming birthday. Her life is set for another shake-up though, as someone from her past resurfaces out of the blue during this pilgrimage.

While partaking in her yearly visit to Bolan’s memorial, Penny comes across a long-haired and barbate man with a talent for blowing huge bubbles. The withered stranger is a grown-up Jimmy (Timothy Spall), who proceeds to have a fit when recognising his friend from the past. Jimmy has lived a hard life since the tragedy; being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and now living in a dilapidated caravan. Once the pair have been reunited, they disclose all their problems with one another which leads to a better understanding of their traumas.  All is not as it seems though, and sibling secrets of the past will soon be revealed; the crash itself will also be expanded upon, and the relationship between Jimmy, Penny and Sadie becomes more important as the film moves through the gears.

Liverpool’s own Leanne Best, and Timothy Spall (even with a slightly inconsistent accent), are the shining lights of the film. It’s in the film’s twisting narrative that you see Best at her absolute… greatest. The moments of revelation are where she excels, the actress putting on a melodramatic show. There is a problem with the film though, and that’s with the script. It’s incredibly light.

Even the great actors at the forefront of the film struggle to get the best out of the script. The relationship between the two main characters is sweet, but it feels a tad awkward in key moments. The narrative structure also has poor foundations – it’s messy, a little confusing, and lacks cohesion. Even though the soon-to-be-revealed secrets do make up for these pitfalls to a small extent, they are a bit out of the blue, a tad forced.

This particular melodrama is filled with cliches, too. In one scene, the pair take a trip back to Liverpool, which of course means a tour of the great city. They visit all the famous landmarks in one predictable montage (landmarks that original scousers would never usually visit either), and it develops into a bit of a cop-out. Director Ian Puleston-Davies seems to be presenting the message: ‘We filmed this in Liverpool, and if you don’t believe us, then check out all these famous places we visited’. Yes, we get it, it has been done before.

Bolan’s Shoes focuses on family, relationships, and past trauma, along with all of its resulting effects. The use of Bolan in the background of the film is interesting as it then allows connections to be made to several different characters who share one thing in common: a love for Marc Bolan. And yet, even though the film was never intended to be about Marc Bolan or his life, it is disappointing that it doesn’t at least expand on the man and how his freethinking ways expelled power into all of his fans. His music is used more of an homage left hovering in the background, as opposed to anything meaningful – this is a drama that could just as easily have been about anyone else.

If you’re a Bolan fan or just a fan of T.Rex and you wanted to watch this film because of that, then you will almost definitely be disappointed with what Bolan’s Shoes has to offer. While not a total blowout – there are some very humorous and super sweet moments – Bolan’s Shoes’ overall impact will largely be forgotten with time.

Score: 10/24

Recommended for you: Scrapper (2023) Review

Written by John McDonald

You can support John McDonald in the following places:

Website: My Little Film Blog
Muck Rack: John McDonald
Twitter: @JohnPMcDonald17

His performance as Morpheus is what Laurence Fishburne will be eternally remembered for but, in all his other years as an actor, Fishburne has tended to play interesting and thought-provoking characters. Fans of the Francis Ford Coppola war film Apocalypse Now (1979) will surely remember a fresh-faced Fishburne appearing as the cocky but charming Tyrone Miller aka Mr. Clean. Determined at a young age to break into the film industry, a then 14-year-old Fishburne lied about his age to get the part in the legendary project – how different his life could have been if this mischievous decision blew up in the young man’s face.

Francis Ford Coppola’s film should have been the catalyst for a rapid rise to stardom, and yet Fishburne’s career trajectory wasn’t as comfortable as one might think. The early part of the 1980s led the actor down a path of minor television and stage appearances, while working as a bouncer in the New York club scene. Such a resolute figure wasn’t deterred though, and it was Coppola once again that gave the actor another break with a supporting role in The Cotton Club (1984), before he popped up in Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed film The Color Purple (1985). The 80s were an important part of Fishburne’s apprenticeship, opening the door to the most successful and important decade of his career: the 1990s.

The 90s is the decade that will forever define Laurence Fishburne as a screen presence, and it is in these 10 years that his three career-defining performances are found. What began with King of New York in 1990, ended with his role as Morpheus in The Matrix in 1999. The decade turned him into a bona fide star, one with incredible talent and diversity, and led to formidable success in the new millennium in franchises such as John Wick and ‘Hannibal’. We at The Film Magazine are here for something in particular though, so let’s delve into the three performances that have cultivated an impressive and often underappreciated career.

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1. Boyz n the Hood (1991)

1991 was the year that Larry Fishburne (the name he went by up until 1993) got his first major iconic role in the late John Singleton’s legendary Boyz n the Hood. The film’s undeniable legacy was cemented from the beginning, and it hasn’t waned since.

The film depicts life on the mean streets of South Central Los Angeles through the eyes of the young Jason “Tre” Styles 111 (Cuba Gooding Jr.), and his friends Ricky Baker (Morris Chestnut) and Darrin “Doughboy” Baker (Ice Cube), the latter now being a fully-fledged member of the Crips gang after his release from prison. The film’s grittiness and authentic representation of such violent streets is what propelled it into the public eye, but it was the teachings and the wisdom of Fishburne’s character, Jason “Furious” Styles Jr., that made the biggest impact.

Fishburne is tremendous in this authoritative role as the former soldier and current community activist fighting for what he believes and guiding his impressionable son into the light. His various speeches throughout the film – whether a discreet talk with his son or his preaching on the side of the road – are some of Boyz n the Hood’s most intelligent and powerful moments. Boyz n the Hood is etched into black history; furious is the man who knows all too well about the racism and discrimination that his people have faced and continue to experience. And yet, instead of violence, this monk-like figure relies on education, inspiration, and enlightenment to help his brothers and sisters in the fight against the system and the people that enforce it.

The South Central streets are ruthless. They will chew you up and spit you out. Fishburne’s Furious knows this, and his parental instincts go into overdrive when Trey moves in with him. The connection that the two characters develop is meaningful; Trey not only has a caring father figure in his life to keep him on the straight and narrow, but he has an actual father, something that the other boys in the area do not. Fishburne’s interpretation of the character is majestic; his mannerisms, his use of intelligent thought and reasoning, is what separates the character from the rest, and it is this that makes him truly memorable.

A lack of award nominations can’t even derail the impact that Furious Styles had on the future of black cinema, and we’ve seen multiple amalgamations of this character in cinema ever since – you could say that Morpheus is just another design of the same character, teaching the same ideologies for a better and more fruitful future. Fishburne really knocked it out of the park in Boyz n the Hood, and his success in the role is what allowed him to step it up a notch for his next gigantic performance in 1993.

2. What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)

Brian Gibson’s What’s Love Got to Do with It is a film that needs little introduction. This interpretation of the life and career of the legendary Tina Tuner and her abusive relationship with Ike Tuner is one of the greatest biopics of all time – it never shies away from the violence of their relationship and is as brutal as it is magnificent. Ike and Turner: the band, the relationship, the… romance? Their venomous relationship shrouded an incredibly successful musical partnership that had the pair headlining arenas with the likes of The Rolling Stones and Otis Redding before it all fell apart because of Ike’s self-destructive ego and his cowardly violent streak.

The film’s success couldn’t have been what it was without two monumental performances leading the way, and that’s exactly what it had. Reunited so soon after both appeared in Boyz n the Hood (Bassett portrayed the ex-wife of Fishburne’s character in the 1991 film), Angela Bassett portrays Tina and Laurence Fishburne plays Ike; an incredibly formidable on-screen partnership that led to the pair receiving nominations at that year’s Oscars. What’s Love Got to Do with It begins very softly by exploring the origins of Tina Turner, real name Anna Mae Bullock. The future star’s love of music, her incredible singing voice, and how she fell in love with her soon-to-be husband and eventual nemesis. Even though it’s Tina’s singing voice you hear in the film, Bassett’s perfect lip syncing and expertly performed mannerisms through months of endless mimicking make you think that it truly is her, but it is Fishburne’s performance that ends up being the most iconic.

Laurence Fishburne’s iteration of Ike is the devil incarnate. It is the complete opposite representation of a man than his performance as Furious Styles – to swing so far right with this character is a testament to Fishburne’s diverse acting palette. The film was known as not being absolute gospel, but the material given by Tina herself (from her autobiography “I Tina”), which was then merged with Kate Lanier’s exquisite screenplay, allowed Fishburne to create his version of the man that very much existed in one form or another. The manipulation that began with niceties but was really a form of grooming is truly shocking and vicious, and Fishburne nails this.

It says a lot about Laurence Fishburne’s performance that the man himself, the real-life Ike Turner, praised Fishburne for the role in his own autobiography “Takin’ Back My Name”, even if he did claim the film ruined his reputation – it seems as if you did an awful lot of that yourself, Mr. Turner. Some of the scenes were said to be so tough to film, mentally and physically, that it becomes slightly poignant when you understand that Fishburne was incredibly attentive towards Bassett during these scenes, always wanting her to feel comfortable and at ease. Not only is the man a terrific actor but he’s a genuinely nice guy it seems as well, which only adds to the magnitude of this performance.

Two iconic roles in two years though, it doesn’t get much better than that, does it? If only he knew where these two performances would eventually lead him – to a dystopian future with monstrous acclaim.

3. The Matrix (1999)

For an actor to end the most critically acclaimed decade of their career, as well as wrap up the millennium, with a film like The Matrix is almost unheard of. It could have been very different though, if Will Smith accepted the role of Neo and Sean Connery (yes, you read that right) didn’t choose Entrapment instead – although, let your mind wander for a bit and just imagine that possibility. It was everyone else’s gain though because, looking back, Laurence Fishburne and Keanu Reeves were perfectly cast in The Wachowski’s science fiction epic. With a script and premise that hardly any of the cast and crew understood (apart from Fishburne of course… or at least so he claims), and with the schedule packed with fighting choreography, wire-training, special effects, and managing injuries, it was doomed to fail. Thankfully, it did not.

After Thomas Anderson, “Neo”, begins to accept that things aren’t all as they seem to be in his world of computer hacking, a mysterious woman called Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) explains that a man named Morpheus (Fishburne) has all the answers Neo needs. The wheels of thought in Neo’s brain begin to move, and it’s not long before he meets the mysterious Morpheus who preaches his now infamous red pill, blue pill speech to him, thus beginning a journey of awakening. Morpheus is captain of a ship in the real world, but also acts as the preacher and mentor to the others in his search for “The One”, something he thinks he has found in Neo.

Morpheus is like an amalgamation of several of Laurence Fishburne’s previous characters; the deep-thinking attitude of Furious, the often over confidence of Ike Turner, and the caring nature of Fishburne himself. His portrayal of Morpheus is one of the most recognizable performances in modern cinema; whether it’s the tiny black sunglasses or the long leather coat, Morpheus is as big and important to the franchise as Neo is.

His character has the best dialogue in the series too. Quotes such as “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real?”, and “Don’t think you are. Know you are,” as he proceeds to beat Neo black and blue in the now famous dojo scene, are particular standouts. Morpheus is Yoda, he is Gandalf; an all-powerful figure that always has the good of the world in his mind.

Fishburne couldn’t have played the role any better than he did. Without him, The Matrix was a guaranteed bust – that might be brutally honest, but everyone knows it to be true. Say what you like about the sequels – they do run hot and cold – but Morpheus is one of the shining lights in both. The dynamic that Reeves and Fishburne have is undeniable; they are magnetic and propel each other to new heights in each scene they share – an even greater chemistry than the one Fishburne had with Bassett.

It feels almost poetic that Laurence Fishburne would end the decade with a character of such note. After struggling for years for a role of any significance, for him to then enter the 2000s as this iconic figure is a dream so real it becomes truth. Where do you go from success like this though? It’s a task of immense pressure to keep up with appearances, for most people that is, but one that Laurence Fishburne grabbed with both hands and drove forward.

Recommended for you: Where to Start with Keanu Reeves

In the years since The Matrix, Fishburne has found considerable success. Along with his role as Jack Crawford opposite Mads Mikkelsen and his reunion with Reeves in John Wick, Fishburne has also appeared in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Universe. Whatever future success Fishburne achieves, it will be because of that special decade of the 90s that changed his life forever, and as fans of cinema and the man himself, we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Written by John McDonald

You can support John McDonald in the following places:

Website: My Little Film Blog
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Twitter: @JohnPMcDonald17

No Hard Feelings (2023)
Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Screenwriters: Gene Stupnitsky, John Phillips
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick, Natalie Morales

Former Oscar winners trying their hands at comedic roles is something of a common occurrence, albeit with varying degrees of success. When it’s done right, the results are an enjoyable treat that many of us can get behind. Directed by Gene Stupnitsky (Good Boys), No Hard Feelings puts Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence to the test in this sex-infused adult comedy about a thirty-something Uber driver who gets hired to date an inexperienced 19-year-old who’s en route to college. Unsurprisingly, Lawrence excels in a role she’s clearly having a lot of fun with, and one that should cement her place as a comedy tour de force for years to come.

Maddie (Lawrence) is a woman in her thirties who lives and breathes her hometown of Montauk, New York (the location famously depicted in 2004 romance Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), and the house her mother left her. Maddie splits her time between working in a beach-side bar and as an Uber driver, but struggles to make ends meet. With the tax man knocking, and her car getting taken as collateral, Maddie turns to the job advertisements on Craigslist to find herself some hope. The beacon of light she searches for shines in the form of an ad posted by concerned parents Laird and Allison (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti), who are willing to pay someone (while throwing in a car for good measure) to date their introverted and socially awkward 19-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman). As expected, the maneater Maddie (with the Hall and Oats song often being referenced throughout) jumps at the chance to earn some easy money, but she gets more than she bargained for with this slippery young teen.

This seemingly innocent film brings a lot of controversy with it. Is this film glamourising a form of sexual grooming and exploitation? There’s certainly an argument for it, and the recent media backlash will try to support that very notion. Would the film even be made if the roles were reversed? We all know the answer to that question. Granted, some moments do make you feel slightly uneasy as we watch this desperate woman pull out all the tricks to bed this teenage boy for money. This is supposed to be an outrageous comedy, aimed at being controversial and very icky, but not once does it condone this type of behaviour. Instead, No Hard Feelings laments the entire situation as something highly irregular and very embarrassing, with Maddie often being the brunt of several age and loser-related jokes throughout.

Jennifer Lawrence is the key to making this film successful and moving it away from the above claims: her timing is impeccable, the physical comedy is a joy, and she clearly steals every scene. Her willingness to make fun of herself in any and all ways is a real treat and one that you cannot get tired of. The performance of Andrew Barth Feldman as the 19-year-old teen at the centre of the narrative warrants a distinguished word as well. He is the embodiment of millions of people: lonely, sheltered, unaware and scared of the world around him. The character’s willingness to find a deeper connection and a romance with someone, rather than meaningless sex, is almost poetic and should be the detail that becomes the focus of the film instead of the “controversial” tosh that has become the bigger talking point.

No Hard Feelings’ more blatant problem is that it’s very predictable. It goes through the same tropes that you would expect to see in a film like this: the awkward initial meeting (although it’s one of the film’s humorous highlights), the establishment of the relationship, and then the film’s final clarity that expectedly wraps everything up. It might not break any new ground in terms of what has already been achieved in the genre, but it does enough to place itself at the top end of the collection.

Filled with quirks, No Hard Feelings has plenty of genuine laughs scattered throughout, and is effective in wanting to be something a little more as well. Is it tacky? Only slightly. Is it a little tedious at times? Perhaps. It’s definitely not a film for everyone, that’s for sure, but there should be an audience ready to digest a raunchy and good-natured comedy with a brilliant lead performance.

Score: 15/24

Written by John McDonald

You can support John McDonald in the following places:

Website: My Little Film Blog
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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2022)
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Screenwriters: Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate
Starring: Jenny Slate, Isabella Rossellini, Dean Fleischer Camp

You might be mistaken for thinking that 2023 Oscars Animated Feature nominee Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a film aimed at children, as you follow a small, animated shell wearing tiny little shoes. But regardless of its PG rating and heart-warming story, it is far more than just a kid’s film: Marcel feels about as human as it possibly gets. Based on a series of shorts of the same name written by Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer Camp, this film deals with feelings of loss, pain, grief, and loneliness – it is incredibly humanistic, and from the very first minute the love that will soon blossom for this little guy becomes enchanting.

Marcel (voiced by Jenny Slate) is a 1-inch-tall anthropomorphic shell, with a big googly eye and a lovely little pair of trainers that are far too big for his body (which is what people have been saying to him for so long). Marcel lives in a large house (although, that could be anything from the size of a matchbox) with his Nana Connie (voiced by Isabella Rossellini). The two of them are the last remaining residents of a community of shells and other items that mysteriously disappeared two years prior. Their house now acts as an Airbnb, and after successfully avoiding many of the former guests that have stayed there over the years, one particular guest called Dean (Dean Fleischer Camp) discovers this tiny new friend and decides to make a short film about Marcel’s life and post it online. Marcel’s hopes are that this nationwide coverage will reunite him with his family and friends at long last.

There’s something about stop-motion animation that other forms of the craft cannot compare with. It has a real warmth to it; you can feel the hours of painstaking patience that go into the movements with each frame. This film blends stop-motion with live-action to create a merging of worlds that becomes so real and authentic that you almost forget that this tiny shell is fictional. Marcel is very intuitive and has created hacks to get around the house to make his and Nana Connie’s life that little bit easier, like moving around in a tennis ball, or creating zip-lines from ledge to ledge, and what might possibly be the best of the lot, a dusty record which now acts as an ice-rink – this is a fantastic example of the flawless coalition between filmmaking techniques that really elevates the film’s magic.

There is a whimsical charm to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On that makes the overall experience exceptional, and one of the outstanding aspects that evokes such mysticism is the film’s soundtrack. It is a mix of gorgeously subtle sounds and music consisting of original compositions, ambient synth music, diegetic and natural sounds, and even character noises – it’s incredibly poetic and the romance that blossoms between sound and image throughout is as perfect a combination as fish and chips. But with music setting the scene and taking it to a special point, it’s down to the characters themselves to take over and run the anchoring leg of the race.

The characters are so endearing and the relationships that develop are key for maximum adorableness. Marcel and Nana are the sweetest little duo in existence (yes, that’s right, it’s a fact), but Marcel and Dean’s connection is that of an odd couple who are consistently teasing one another, but ultimately care for each other’s wellbeing. The voice acting is a huge factor in the two shells’ likability though. Although you don’t like to say it, Jenny Slate might have found her niche as a voice actor, cultivating her vocal cords for use in these extraordinary characters and offering them so much potency and vigour. But the brilliant Isabella Rossellini adds such a fantastic aspect to the role of the courageous but fragile Nana Connie that it feels personal, as if they are intertwined.

It’s a difficult task to obtain the perfect amount of realism with an animated film and then inject those emotions into its characters – you know, with them not being real humans and all. But this film manages to capture the pain of real-world problems while portraying them with the utmost care. Whether it’s capturing the shyness of Marcel, or the slow deterioration of Nana, Marcel is quite harrowing at times, and it will knock you off guard with a giant punch to the gut if you’re not careful.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a film that has the potential to make the toughest of people weep like never before. It is so profound and poignant; it consists of such heart that it becomes far more than just a nice little story with a quirky animated protagonist. The messages it successfully instils in you are so great, that this very fictional film begins to evolve into one of the most human experiences of recent times.

Score: 22/24

Written by John McDonald

You can support John McDonald in the following places:

Website: My Little Film Blog
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Twitter: @JohnPMcDonald17