Ten-year-old Ben lives on an island lighthouse with his father Conor and little sister Saoirse. The girl has been silent since birth, but is found to be half silk, like her mother, who left after her birth at sea. Because of the strange trips of Saoirse in the water, Conor sends the children to his grandmother in the city, but there the magical creatures find a girl, and Ben very much misses his beloved dog. So my brother and sister go back to the lighthouse. . .
Not Disney and Pixar live today a fan of animation. There is also Miyazaki and European genius Tom Murr.
And here on the screen blossoms with beautiful patterns magical world somewhere in his native Ireland. And, by the way, very reminiscent of the worlds of equally island Japan with strange fabulous creatures. Murr is not an anime artist, though. Rather, the heir to the naive artists who drew their painting to the boundary of the real world (lighthouse, car, city) and the fantasy world (in the plot something from the mixing of Alice in Wonderland and Hansel and Greta) in the brightness of the digital era.
But Song of the Sea is not only bright drawings - they are still not an end in themselves and Murr does not turn his film into an attraction, and not only a story that, although it has a number of non-banal turns, but in them evil becomes suffering, and suffering - a spring for good. Finally, it's a growing-up drama for both main characters. One learns responsibility, the other learns existential choice. . .
It's been a long time since I've seen this. When you feel incomprehensible joy, smile, feel warmth with your whole body and just happy. This picture gave me a lot of positive emotions, which for a long time did not let go.
Tomm Moore is a great writer. And if in his first work there was a little lack of budget and opportunities (but the film still turned out to be good), then he let himself go. A simple story, skillfully woven into Irish myths and legends, creates a wonderful world for the viewer.
The visual feast takes place on the screen. Of course, you need to get used to the style of the author, but then it will rebound. Strange geometric lines, incredible curves, flowing like a river, frames. It's fascinating. Moreover, the film constantly manages to keep the viewer at the screen with his visual. Every new location is a new world. Another approach to drawing and detail, but the overall concept does not spoil. Amazing. What kind of music and song. This was clearly seen in the movie The Secret of Kells. But they didn't lower the bar.
The picture literally breathes warmth and happiness. Even sad moments are perceived differently. The images we see on the screen. Approach them. Everything is so unusual. Everywhere is different from most American cartoons. You can feel the fairy tale here. Yes, you can find fault with the logic of the plot, but do not care. This is the case when you come for another and get full. The rest are small things.
Saoirse is just the main charm of the work. Looking at the girl can only smile constantly. How do you hurt someone? Seals here are cute too. In general, the authors were able to approach each character and give him his distinctive features. Every image is remembered.
Tomm Moore is a genius. His works are a real treasure trove, both for a child and for an adult. It is a pity that few people know about them, and the paintings fail at the box office. And I was in complete shock when I found out who lost this movie at the Oscars. Hero City. Really? And there was also in the nomination “The Tale of Princess Kaguya”. I don't understand academics.
A real masterpiece that will create warmth and coziness for you, even at a bad time. Wonderful cartoon.
Undoubted visual masterpiece, work of art, delight for the eyes and painstaking work of artists. There is some danger in this movie.
Just as an unimaginably beautiful sea can engulf a ship, so the unimaginable beauty of a cartoon can engulf all the other components of a product, such as the plot. Because yes, ' Song of the Sea' is so beautiful that the plot, it would seem, is needed only as an occasion - allowing you to give the viewer the aforementioned beauty.
But.
So it turned out that the cartoon maintained a perfect balance - thanks to the theme. Magic fairy tale since the days of children's books ' uses ' external beauty is not as a screen, but as a kind of... a point of support. That is, conditionally 'Song of the Sea' I would divide into 1) a stunning visual, 2) a story and 3) an almost physical sensation of fairy tale and magic (not necessarily derived from history, we know many fairy tales, this feeling is devoid). And somehow, all together, the three elements work to make 'Song' literally hot. The visual does not pull the blanket over itself, but covers the simplicity of the plot and works to create a feeling from the third point. History, as external, does not dominate the external and the innermost. And the feeling just permeates the whole film, splashing beyond its limits - and, following the plot, you catch yourself on the fact that you already dream about something.
I started watching this cartoon in 2014, but then I got distracted and did not move on. And, I remember, then the visual seemed to me too pretentious, overly decorative - but having looked at the PM completely, I can say with firm confidence: even purely ornamental elements, which are supposed to harm the general atmosphere, work on the third point, as it were ' intertextual', bringing ' Song of the Sea' to a new height and turning it from a film or cartoon, that is, a specific auduiovovisual product into something more, something altogether outside of cinema. Perhaps this is the case when details on the other side of the screen are assembled into a figure on this side.
One day I came across a very strange interpretation of this cartoon from a strange woman – it’s supposed to be a cartoon about death. Like the mother died, and the children all this adventure just seems delirious, because they so save themselves from the pain of loss. Such an interpretation would make sense if it were some kind of independent work, but the fact is that it is rooted in folklore, and the fairy tale characters shown are exactly what they look like. The theme of the marriage of an earthly person with a magical creature has been sung since ancient times. Unfortunately, there are disadvantages: - The children’s grandmother and the witch owl are painted so similar that at first I assumed they were the same character, but it turned out not. Why couldn’t I paint them differently? If there is a similarity between them, it is not explained. - The actions of the mother are incomprehensible and not explained even at the end. Of course, she did not die, she is a silk - a creature like a mermaid or a princess-frog, the love of an earthly person and a magical creature ends with everyone remaining in his world. But the authors did not explain why this particular silk escaped under such circumstances. Characters dive into the ocean, at night, in a thunderstorm, to the bottom! And unmistakably find a lying chest there. A werewolf seal could dive like that, but a simple man? - The return of speech to the girl happens somehow suddenly, it is completely unbeatable. In professional dubbing, two gross mistakes were made: On 1.10.25, “All the Sith are counting on you tonight.” Sith? With red swords? In the original, the witch said "all shea", apparently, this is the name of magical creatures. - At 1.13.55, "He's gone, I threw him into the ocean, years ago." - But it was the day before yesterday. The original is illegible, but it says, "I threw it into the ocean, I should have done it years ago." But overall, the cartoon was happy. There is almost no evil in it, it is full of fairy tales and unfamiliar to the viewer of Irish mythology. He left an impression of something bright and immersive in the depths of genetic memory. Beautifully linked together many fairy tales, very heartfelt artists.
A beautiful fairy tale for family viewing, built according to all the canons of a fairy tale.
Appeared at the beginning of the film, the book “Mother’s Story”, sets the leitmotif of everything that will happen next. The boy travels through the fairy tales that his mother read to him as a child.
The song of the sea is both a lullaby and a fabulous memory of the departed mother, and a legend stylized as an Irish epic. From the perspective of an adult, this is the story of reconciliation of a family that has experienced the loss of a loved one. Only by overcoming difficulties, spilling out all their pain, breaking all the banks with clogged emotions, father, grandmother, children learn to understand each other. Each member of the family relates to some fairy tale hero through whom he experiences his pain. For example, the Giant father, who wept the ocean with grief. Fossils are the hardening of the soul, the inability to empathize.
The path of reconciliation between brother and sister is also shown. This is not without Greek mythology. Like Ariadne's magic string, Ben gets out and rushes to save Saoirse. The hatred for her sister was evidently due to her involvement with her mother’s death, to her father’s great love for her sister, who looked so much like her mother. Ben overcomes all this and together with his sister saves not only his family, but also a whole fabulous people.
Beautiful picture, thought out, periodically converging, as in a kaleidoscope, in the image of a shell, connecting two worlds - human and fabulous. Therefore, the main character becomes Saoirse - half-man, half-fabulous creature. And the shell itself is not only a magic horn, but also a curl of fate.
Cartoon - entirely magical, built around the personal history of characters with a little bit of mythology, not tied to specific historical events - most remembered to me visual part, fascinating in its diversity. The sea around the lighthouse and the underwater world, urban life, the forest are represented in completely different ways, and especially the stylized map that Ben drew to remember the way home. How beautiful and detailed is my grandmother’s house! I think everything is drawn brilliantly, and at least for the sake of the visual part it is worth watching this cartoon.
I didn't really like the three spirits Ben encountered. They were like ordinary old men, or unusual old men, or dwarves, but I had little association with magical creatures. But it seemed very moving to me the moment when Ben ran to Maha’s house, and the petrified spirits gave him instructions.
As for the plot, on some reflection it seemed to me a bit illogical. I did not understand, for example, why a father threw his daughter’s clothes into the sea and why his wife’s song could not save the spirits. The film is about saving the girl, who in turn must free the spirits. But why is her song so important? Because it's the fruit of the union of man and silk? But in that case, there must be some sense in this duality. However, after the song is sounded, the human world and the spirit world simply diverge.
I liked that there was a parallel between the girl’s father, her grandmother and the mythological characters, and just as the balance in the world was restored, the grandmother and father found common ground and freed themselves from their negative memories and unspoken resentment.
I'll start from afar. My acquaintance with this creation was quite ordinary. I came across him while I was looking for movies to watch. Recently, I have seen very few cartoons, because most of them are very childish and soulless, or simply ' tasteless' which is built with standard turns, clichés and typical production. Same ' Raya and the Last Dragon' which was very juicy and beautifully staged. Staging, lighting, graphics and... a typical Disney story. Sounds like a nice story, but do not cancel the fact that we have seen it once a hundred, it is impossible! And that's what this is all about? And the fact that 'Song of the Sea' is a completely different movie... it's a different cartoon... it's a masterpiece of animation.
This cartoon is a story steeped in deep philosophical mythology about love, envy, pain, sadness and indifference. In general ' Irish mythology' for me always was something I had never heard of, but as soon as I learned about it, I immediately wanted to read or look at it much more than just ' superficial'. It is difficult for me to talk about this work, because there is so much that one review is not enough to express everything that is accumulated in my thoughts. I'll just say it's a sincere and very moving story that was made with soul and love.
Now I really want to discuss ' the end of the journey'. No story, just my emotions. The fact is that this masterpiece tells its story so purely that in the final I sat in tears. Even the damn credits! Nightmare! And no, nothing really sad happens. It just ends so beautifully that it's a crime not to let a tear. I don’t know how the authors were able to achieve such an emotional attachment to the world, the environment, the characters. Not to be praised.
The music is without words. Every song is just a piece of music. It has all this energy, which is easy and understandable language shows the tone and mood of the picture. I'm a fool!
Visual, visual and again visual! In this cartoon is a very unusual and beautiful 2D animation, which very correctly conveys the atmosphere and the general theme. Oh, my God, he's so beautiful! Animation here makes a huge sense, because I personally believe that the authors expressed this style of all events, themes, entourage, beauty and history.
To sum it up, I want to say that this is my favorite cartoon at the moment, which I will watch many times! I would recommend it to anyone who was hesitant to watch it or just looking for a good cartoon. I don't see any drawbacks. It's a great work, it's a masterpiece ... it's a soulful cartoon.
The cartoon left conflicting feelings. Let me tell you why.
Advantages:
1. Beautiful drawing and animation. I liked the picture, it is simple, but at the same time interesting. It’s like watching good old Soviet fairy tales in modern clothes.
2. Music. The soundtrack also pleased: classical music, Nordic chants, children's songs. Sound tracks fit organically and complement the work.
3. Meaning. There are a lot of ideas in the picture. Here you and the problem of family relationships and cohesion in the face of difficulties, and even the ability to let go of the past. Cartoon is more suitable for adults than for children.
Disadvantages:
1. Darkness and minor. Almost from the beginning, the story is sad. As you move forward, this feeling only increases, interspersed with rare moments of joy and mischief.
2. Storytelling problems. Magic story, ancient tales, young protagonists – it would seem that God himself requires a simple and bright style. But no – the characters of myths are revealed superficially, and Saoirse and her mother are given little time (not to mention others). The writer always goes somewhere. I’d like to say, ': Slow down, boy! We don’t know about it, and we don’t know about it.39 As a result, the plot is torn into shreds, it is not captivating, not exciting. It was necessary to try to screw up, having all the cards on hand.
Do I recommend 'Song of the Sea' to watch? Absolutely. Yes, the narrative is clumsy, yes, sad and painful. It's meaningful and beautiful. I will hardly reconsider, but this work is definitely worthy of acquaintance.
Now it is difficult to imagine a high-quality and good cartoon, plus still famous, if it is not a Disney studio. However, the Song of the Sea breaks this pattern. And that's good! There should be no monopoly on cartoons, because there are truly unique and universal projects, such as this one or Kubo: the legend of the samurai.
Of course, first of all, talking about the cartoon, it is worth talking about graphics and animation. Oftentimes, the Pixar/Disney template is so ingrained in your head that you just look at something else with some bewilderment. But in this cartoon all harmonious animation is very pleasant, the picture is rich. And the species, oh, these marvelous species! Cartoons rarely make general plans, perhaps only Hayao Miyazaki can afford it. They are generally not necessary cartoon, it can attract the viewer for other reasons - animation and unusual action that takes place on the screen and which would not be possible to achieve a conventional camera.
General plans and views of nature in the Song of the Sea set the atmosphere and tone of what is happening, show the mood. So does the weather, by the way. In moments of anxiety, there is a thunderstorm, in moments of sadness it rains, and when everything gets well, there comes dawn and the sun comes out.
The film revolves around two children, a brother and sister. Life for these children is not very rosy. From their parents’ home they are sent to their grandmother. They have an adventure to go through. For the sake of themselves, for the sake of their relatives and friends. The story of this cartoon is much deeper than Disney usually shows. The song of the sea tells the undoubted truth, shows the severity of loss not through carnival and fun, as in the Mystery of Coco. Although the last cartoon is very touching, but the Song of the Sea does really, opening the door to something new for all ages.
If we look at the film from the outside, can children watch it? Of course, children will not understand the whole complex plot of the cartoon. But to look at good and high-quality animation, to look at the adventures and misadventures of children like them, they will be interested.
Song of the Sea is a great cartoon. I'm not sorry I didn't watch it sooner or later. The history of this cartoon lives beyond time and without a doubt I can recommend it to watch!
For a long time I was looking for a cartoon that could appeal to me and two children 4 and 9 years old. I wanted to find a film that would not only captivate, but also open the children, something new. And the choice fell on 'Song of the Sea'. Despite the restriction of +6, I decided that the watercolor cartoon should not put much pressure on the brain of a 4-year-old child, and the topics disclosed in it have already been raised by this very child - so I am ready to watch. And I didn't miss it!!
This is a film made for children!!
I had no idea that such a complex problem can be so revealed, so played so that children understand and feel everything themselves, without asking questions, without clarifying something, they were generally afraid to miss something important and were completely passionate about empathy for the heroes!
This is the first full-length animated film that my son watched in its entirety (usually after 15-20 minutes he left to play). There were so many amazing comments the kids made that they allowed me to look at them and see things in them that I had never seen before.
If even a 4-year-old was able to fully penetrate, it’s no wonder I and my 9-year-old daughter were impressed. By the end of the film, we were crying.
Still, to limit the viewing of children exclusively entertaining cartoons, nor is it well possible. They want to see the world as it is, with all its facets. Life cannot consist only of laughter and entertainment.
When we turned off the TV, we discussed what we saw for another 20 minutes, the children talked about their thoughts and feelings while watching, drew parallels with those events and people who are in their lives. They expressed their fears and came up with ways to deal with them. And at the end asked: ' and the next Sunday, let's watch the same ' smart cartoon'!'
About the film: The story of a seal girl who travels with her brother to her native land.
Opinion: Recently, Disney has been releasing "standardly good" cartoons. There is nothing to complain about - a licked three-dimensional picture, which has already become boring to the eye, eternal values and rather monotonous plots.
So I always rejoice when I stumble upon something that is radically different. At the beginning of the year, I was very pleased with the cartoon “Klaus” from Netflix – the winner of various awards and an Oscar nominee. And recently I watched another nominee, the truth of 2015 – “Song of the sea”.
The movie is great!
The picture was released by the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, which has always stood out for its style and flat drawing. The film is based on some memories of Tomm Moore from childhood, and the characters were created in the image of his family members. The creation of the cartoon took five years of work of a team of artists.
From the very first minutes, the film carries into the world of Irish folklore. Even if you don't know anything about him like me, you can't help but get into this northern tale. And when you learn about him, you begin to understand why Tomma Moore is called the “Miyazaki of Ireland”. Magic and symbolism, multi-level meaning and images, deep psychologism – you can just look and be amazed by the picture, or you can dig deeper and be amazed by the infinite number of interpretations.
Separately, I want to note the drawing. An incomparable picture, drawn, in addition to the main characters, by hand. Knowing this, each curl in the background is perceived as an unacceptable luxury in the world of animation. Not pictures, but pictures.
It’s amazing that the movie isn’t afraid to be sad. From the perspective of children, perhaps the film is fascinating and with a rather sunny ending. From the perspective of an adult, the film is about saying goodbye to a loved one. And if you look deeper, you can see how the “fae”, Irish mystical beings, leave this world, leaving for better places, and in the mother and her final words you can see Ireland itself and a message to descendants.
In the end, A fascinating northern fairy tale with a powerful message and an authentic drawing.
How strange it all happened when my three-year-old daughter pointed her finger at the monitor and said, ‘Daddy, turn on this cartoon’ & #39; and as a result, I, almost forty-year-old man, by the end of the film, turned a crying face so that the child did not notice my weakness.
The story that hooked a three-year-old child also strongly affects adults - where the daughter saw only an evil witch, adults see a mother who tries to alleviate the suffering of her son, where evil witchcraft occurs for children, adults will see one of the ways to escape from difficult reality, along with those that exist in real life - for example, alcohol. There is everything here - wizards, an evil, at first glance, a witch, a bearded sage with a bad memory, goodness, sadness, childhood jealousy, but all this will surely end well, although it will leave behind a small shade of sadness.
From the very beginning, the film catches both adults and children with its drawing, its childhood and at the same time with adult themes, which makes it very advantageous from modern Disney masterpieces. Well, a bonus to all this is the soundtrack, the enchanting sounds of which are held in front of the screen no less than animation.
As a result, an enthusiastic three-year-old, a grudged me, and a feeling of mild sadness that I watched this cartoon just now. Bravo, thank you to those who created this!
A story claiming to be a masterpiece of animation. For a thoughtful viewer will open a lot of meaning. Beauty should not be sought, it overflows the screen and will not leave indifferent. A picture that the viewer really loses something. Serious things in incredible truthfulness. There's not an ounce of banality. The visuals are amazing, you just have to see it. A lot of magic and goodness, as it should be in childhood. But the cartoon is largely for the perception of an adult. Sincerity, naivety, purity of the child’s heart, the atmosphere of the omnipresence of legends and mythical creatures. Morality is the only truth: love heals, it is the main medicine. Love for loved ones, for peace, for life. It itself appears as an incredible beauty of magic. Pain as a part of life, it does not allow you to forget about the good. Attempts to detach from feelings do not bring happiness, their whole range is important. This picture is sincerely simple, but unusually deep. It's a painting, otherwise you can't say. Simple language about the deepest and most important. Magic for a child and a sense of beauty and purity for an adult. It is a beautiful story that cannot be broken. Be sure to watch.
The myth of the existence of beautiful silks (as in Irish folklore are called magical creatures seal people) comes to life for viewers on the screen with the noise of sea waves. Tomm Moore’s cartoon reveals the incredible, mysterious, unpredictable world of a country rich in its legends and epic tales.
A lonely lighthouse rises on top of a cliff, next to which stands a large stone block - a rock with a frozen human face. Clouds gather over a cliff lost in the endless ocean. The mood of the approaching storm.
The story of the main characters, brother and sister, begins with a tragic event - the death of their mother. Little Ben with frightened eyes clutching a shell in his hands. All he can say is the word “Mama.” The picture, in which we see a tiny figure of a boy who seems to be absorbed by the sea, at the beginning of the film gives the sea the meaning of a mysterious and frightening space, melting at the depth of its bottom a mystery unknown to the common man. The feeling of the immensity of the sea abyss in the frame is enhanced by the departure of the camera, creating the effect of infinite depth.
But the image on the screen of the riotous elements and wildlife in the plot is destined to be replaced by the industrial landscape of the gray metropolis. Ben and Saoirse's father sends the children to their grandmother. But they are not ready to part with their native lighthouse on a cliff abandoned by people and surrounded by an ocean, from which, instead of the annoying noise of the city, the cries of seals are only weakly heard. Here begins the journey of the heroes home. Ben is eager to return to his beloved dog, and Saoirse is looking forward to meeting the sea.
The unpredictable plot and story that keeps the viewer in the dark and half-misunderstanding, what is the reason for his brother’s dislike for his sister, and why his sister in her six years still can not talk, as well as the confusing situation with the so-called “silk cloak” – all this like a magnet attracts the viewer to the screen and does not allow you to take your eyes off the film for a minute. We are waiting for an explanation, waiting for the knot of events to finally unravel and everything will fall into place.
Magic stone creatures, in which souls are hidden, thirsting for freedom, owls led by the sovereign Maha, seals sailing to the call of shining white lights - where, if not in Ireland, you can find so many inexplicable and incredible phenomena?
The proximity of the mythical world to reality is embodied through sincere faith in what is happening to the heroes themselves. So during the journey, Ben discovers the truth - he realizes that all the stories that his mother told him, all the songs that she sang over his cradle - this is not fiction, the world of fairy-tale creatures really exists. The prototypes of the characters from the parallel world, the observant viewer will surely recognize in Conor, the father of the children, in their grandmother and even in the old ferryman Dan. At the end of the film there is a symbolic reunion of the two worlds, the merger of myth and reality into a single whole.
The animated film “Song of the Sea” is a fairy tale that touches on serious problems of human relationships by transferring the main conflict to a mythical world filled with symbols and metaphors. The film will give children an amazing fairy tale, and adults - a good material for reflection. But even if you do not want to indulge in existential thoughts, the picture of Tomm Moore will allow you to experience a range of unique emotions - from a gloomy anxious foreboding to sincere tears of joy.
The cartoon tells about a small family living on the lighthouse - a father, his son and a young daughter. From the mother once “left” and since then the father grieves, and the son and the sister do not get along. The cartoon tells about the restoration of relationships after the tragedy, wrapping the whole story in a magical shell of fairy-tale creatures and events.
It looks like a breath. And it looks warm if you perceive only the magical side of events and almost sobly, if you think that all this magic is just allegory of the reality that is happening.
- You can only come with me if you obey my orders all the time. I'm the senior, and that's the rule. One mistake and I'll make it like this.
This is probably the weirdest cartoon I've ever seen. There's so much stuff in there that my head goes around. And that's not surprising. After all, several countries worked on its creation. The mixture of different cultures and mythologies turned out to be so rattling that I had to revise the cartoon twice to understand what the authors wanted to convey to the viewer.
Boy Ben lives on the lighthouse with his father, little sister Saoirse and dog Boo. Ben's mother left the family under mysterious circumstances just after Saoirse was born. And so, on one of Saoirse’s birthdays, she, following a mysterious call, finds a magical thing. And begins an adventure full of magic, ancient myths and legends.
Let me explain why this review is red. Let's start with the plot. I have never seen a more confused and meaningless story. It is not clear whose mythology was taken as a basis, but it is very unusual. It even seems a little alien to us. Plus, the plot loops and tries to confuse an already extraordinary thought.
From the animation side, it is not so simple either. It seems that this drawing came to the creators straight from the 70s. A little rough and outlandish picture, sometimes even annoying, but fortunately you quickly get used to it. In some places, everything looks so primitive that you want to look away. In general, the visual component here is quite disgusting.
I am not surprised that Song of the Sea was nominated for an Oscar. This is a very complex, in its content, but strangely enough, does not carry any meaning cartoon. What it does to people is not clear to me. Confused, lumpy and very strange. Although, it is worth noting, very original.
- You can only come with me if you obey my orders all the time. I'm the senior, and that's the rule. One mistake and I'll make it like this.
This is probably the weirdest cartoon I've ever seen. There's so much stuff in there that my head goes around. And that's not surprising. After all, several countries worked on its creation. The mixture of different cultures and mythologies turned out to be so rattling that I had to revise the cartoon twice to understand what the authors wanted to convey to the viewer.
Boy Ben lives on the lighthouse with his father, little sister Saoirse and dog Boo. Ben's mother left the family under mysterious circumstances just after Saoirse was born. And so, on one of Saoirse’s birthdays, she, following a mysterious call, finds a magical thing. And begins an adventure full of magic, ancient myths and legends.
Let me explain why this review is red. Let's start with the plot. I have never seen a more confused and meaningless story. It is not clear whose mythology was taken as a basis, but it is very unusual. It even seems a little alien to us. Plus, the plot loops and tries to confuse an already extraordinary thought.
From the animation side, it is not so simple either. It seems that this drawing came to the creators straight from the 70s. A little rough and outlandish picture, sometimes even annoying, but fortunately you quickly get used to it. In some places, everything looks so primitive that you want to look away. In general, the visual component here is quite disgusting.
I am not surprised that Song of the Sea was nominated for an Oscar. This is a very complex, in its content, but strangely enough, does not carry any meaning cartoon. What it does to people is not clear to me. Confused, lumpy and very strange. Although, it is worth noting, very original.
This is probably the most controversial animation product I've seen in my life. In a good way. On the one hand, the world has long absorbed 3D animation, which force Hollywood. And Japan is not far behind him with its anime. And how a little strange to see among the usual animation this project.
I won’t write a synopsis for myself, because I don’t know how to do it without spoilers. Apparently, I have come from an age when such stories are perceived easily and with childlike immediacy. In my opinion, there is too much detail here, and the story itself is rather strange. But that doesn't make it bad.
The plot is very interesting, and somewhere even touching. And of the particularly impressionable, it is quite possible to squeeze a tear. Sometimes there are scary moments too. But despite this, the cartoon does not slide completely into melodrama, but is diluted in the plot with funny jokes and characters. It is even quite unexpected to see such a mixture of genres in animation.
It is recommended to view, and do not pay attention to the “kind” drawing. The cartoon is really wonderful.
When you don’t know what you want to say, say the main thing.
I don't even want to start singing the visual-sound side of the cartoon. No one can cope with this better than him, because in a word and in part you will not convey the emotions experienced. According to trailers, screenshots decide for yourself what this style is for you. It was amazing to me.
I mainly wanted to note that the film is very expressive and understandable in its narrative. He is not the first to touch on the topics that come up in him. But when viewing this particular picture, I caught myself on an obvious but funny thought: “Why is it difficult – necessarily good?” Not always at the forefront of the interest of the work should be logic and plot twists. This movie is just one of those. It's not an extraordinary story, but a fascinating emotional journey.
As in most good films, you can find a variety of subtexts, meanings, morality, and Song of the Sea is no exception. I found a thought that I think is important, and that may not be at all. Perhaps there is no definite one and everyone is looking for their own. This is a film about accepting loss. I watched most of the cartoon as something strange and just fabulous, something that may not be allegorical, but just a story as it is. The moment of awareness of the message was the best in the film, when the perplexity of myself that I did not notice such an obvious move, mixed with a sad awareness of the understood.
Final. The final is amazing! It all came together in 1 tangle of emotions, one joyful and sad tension, when grandiose, colorful, calm and eye can not take off.
What's the result?
That would be 7 out of 10 for just a nice story. That would be 8 out of 10 if you consider a delightful and unconventional visual. I would put 9 for weaving myths, legends, legends. Unfortunately, I do not know them, but I have read them, penetrated and even without knowing, you feel this originality and reverent attitude to what is happening. 10 in the end for the message, for the beauty of the emotional “flight”.
This film was not shocking, but delighted.
Tomm Murr’s second animated film “Song of the Sea” (following his debut “The Secret of Kells” and also favorably noted by many critics and nominated for “Oscar”) begins with lines from W. B. Yeats’ poem “The Stolen Child”, which harmoniously interweave into the fabric of a fairytale plot. The singer of “Celtic twilight” and mystic, director of the Abbey Theatre for many years – W. Yates did a lot for the Irish revival of the late 19th century and to this day he is rightly recognized as one of the brightest figures of this movement, as he made an invaluable contribution to culture not only within the framework of contemporary ideas and his time, but also in general. The works of W. Yeats are full of folklore images and plots from ancient Celtic legends: in the fog of words, the ghostly outlines of Eman Mach appear, and in the branches of lines here and there the mysterious people of the Magic Hills hide. The work of T. Murr is rooted in the same rich soil of national Irish traditions; and once it shows the world miraculous fruits.
The main characters - brother and his younger sister, Ben and Saoirse - embark on their own peculiar odyssey through the streets of Dublin and the corners of the Emerald Island, where the ringing sun rays from time to time stretch the strings of the harp through heavy clouds and the rain taps its ancient motif. During the action taking place in the courtyard of Hallwin (aka Irish Samhain), the world of everyday reality comes into close interaction with the world of the other world, which plays a decisive role in the plot. Children are moved to the path “with a magical fairy after / i” – figuratively, or rather: the usual way of life is colored by the multicolored legends and fairy tales familiar from childhood and as if dissolved in blood. Because it is habitual, reality does not become more merciful: it undermines from within and on the days when the order of things seems unchanged, and people, selfish in their grief and blinded by it, hurt each other. In this case, fantasy and the game of imagination are what gives shelter to the beauty that lurks in everyone’s heart, despite all adversity, “for there is so much grief in the world that there is no other road.”
In this cartoon, there are many layers, so harmoniously combined with each other that everyone could find something in them, including regardless of age. In many animated films, children are the main characters primarily for the reason that they please the target audience, which consists of the same children; in this case, the distance between the hero and the person on the other side of the screen is reduced, they are more closely attracted to each other – a very sure way to immerse the viewer in the action and make them feel. Although this work is still not about children, but how much about children’s attitude, and it has a truly magnetic effect on people of different ages: on everyone who remembers for many years that he himself was once a child. When, if not in childhood, toys come to life at night, the tooth fairy comes under the cover of darkness, and under the bed lives a monster who is about to grab his heels and tickle; it is in the early years that we, like the ancient Scandinavians, especially clearly see the shine of the armor of the Valkyries in the gleams of the Northern Lights. Unconditional and sincere childish faith in fantasy saturates the game with the movement of life. But is such a game a long series of events taking place with Ben and Saoirse? Yes or no, this is the case when a certain answer to a question is not important. This is the multilayered reality of both artistic and real: whatever facet you do not turn, each will sparkle with its unique brilliance, illuminating the meaning in its own way and making it shimmer with various shades. And no matter what position the viewer leans to, one thing is important - the fairy tale here, you can feel its light breath nearby, just open your eyes and try to see.
What a joy that at any time there are amazing people who create masterpieces. Masterpieces that make everything inside tremble, remember, in our deeply material time, that there is something intangible, but so alive and important as the soul.
Tommy Moore and his international team created a masterpiece.
Sound, graphics, plot create the effect of a complete immersion in the magical world of Irish myths. Myths whose heroes are so close that they can be heard, seen, felt, so alive they are. And this combination of real and fabulous is so touching that from the first frames of the film, the soul begins to cry and laugh, hurt and rejoice, moan and sing, believe and hope.
Very good sounds of magic lights, so reminiscent of the voices of forest spirits Hayao Miyazaki. And the witch Maha turned out to be very similar to the witch from Ghost Away. But there is no plagiarism in this, just as there is no absolute good and evil. And there is a piercing story about love in its various manifestations, about family, about devotion, about the fact that the world is huge and beautiful and is ready to accept you if you are willing to do it in return.
This film is a song of the soul.
Song of the Sea was a real shock to me. It’s completely different from the cartoons we’re used to through the efforts of big Hollywood studios. And it is not in the graphics, unusual for the era of computer animation, and not even in the fact that the plot is based on Celtic mythology. The fact is that modern cartoons are tailored more or less according to one pattern, in which “Song of the Sea” does not fit categorically.
That is, here the main plot, which is more for children, is not accompanied by jokes for parents - so as not to be bored. And there are no comic secondary characters that have already become mandatory. And there is no morality to which the main character should come in the final, and with him the small spectator. Not that it's all bad - I love modern animation. But it’s nice to see something different from time to time.
“Song of the Sea” tells the magical story of a brother and sister who go to their grandmother, but in fact go on a mythological journey. Reality and fairy tale are bizarrely intertwined in it, and gradually the contours of a completely different world appear through our world. In it, sorrows are cured by turning to stone, and a song can save from destruction; in it people coexist with the magical people, and even half-silk seals - and this is one of the most poetic images I have seen in animation in general.
“Song of the Sea” is literally imbued with love, love in it is the cornerstone of the world, the reason and meaning of its existence. It seems banal, but this unsophisticated idea is presented in such a way that I cannot imagine a person who would remain indifferent to the final. Personally, I roared into three streams.
And “Song of the Sea” is a very beautiful cartoon. There is an abyss of charm in traditional graphics, and Irish artists made the most of it. And of course, it is worth noting the music of the composer Bruno Coulé, which is very beautiful and suitable for the picture - it plays a very important role in the Song of the Sea (which is already clear from the title).
Song of the Sea is a real gem of modern animation. I am grateful that I came across this work of art.
"Song of the Sea" fascinates from the first seconds of viewing with its unusually beautiful picture. While most major studios focus on fashionable 3D animation, Cartoon Saloon, an Irish studio, uses hand-drawn animation in Song of the Sea, which, in my opinion, is only good for the cartoon. There’s always some magic in hand-drawn animation, and here it’s fully revealed.
Magnificent animation throughout the picture is accompanied by no less than a delightful soundtrack, which amazingly conveys the mood of the whole story and helps to immerse yourself in this amazing world. The culture of Ireland boasts unusual, characteristic and recognizable music, so the soundtrack “Songs of the Sea” is accompanied by such charming melodies that it is simply impossible not to pay attention to them.
It is also worth saying that the cartoon is simply incredibly pleasant style - rough edges, simple forms, sometimes broken perspective, imitating children's drawings, color palette create such a cozy atmosphere that you forget about everything. Every landscape, every frame, every detail is just a pleasure for the eyes. Song of the Sea is the most beautiful animated film I've ever seen. Special attention is paid to compositional solutions, which not only perfectly share plans, but also tell a story, having a great influence on the understanding of the plot. (Reflections on the influence of the visual part on the plot in the 1st comment)
A touching story based on the interweaving of ancient Irish legends, creating an inimitable atmosphere, and the modern world, is so addictive that in the end one cannot remain indifferent. It is worth noting that Irish folklore in this picture is presented very competently and clearly, so that people who are completely unfamiliar with it can understand. More about the plot and not worth talking, because it is something that everyone can see and feel for himself. (Reflections on the plot for those who saw in the 2nd comment)
Despite the fact that the cartoon was nominated for an Academy Award in 2015, it did not receive wide publicity in Russia (and was officially translated almost a year after the world premiere), as well as did not collect a large box office in the world, but apparently for the author this is not the main thing. In the modern world of conveyor filmmaking, aimed only at profit, you rarely find something done with the soul. Director Tomm Moore really illuminated the genre with his masterful work. It is felt with what love for art, as well as its culture and history, this masterpiece was created Tomm Moore really loves Ireland and animation, for which he is undoubtedly very grateful.
The Song of the Sea is a piece of high art that speaks to us in the language of images and allegories.
Meeting the Song of the Sea. Like probably most, he noticed the animated film Song of the Sea after it was nominated for an Academy Award in 2015. Excellent reviews, a colossal high rating on various resources, various awards and nominations did not allow to pass by him. Soon "Song" entered the top 250 best films of the Kinopoisk. But I managed to watch the film only a year and a half after the premiere. And why didn’t I do it earlier?
Visual series. I'll start with the picture. It is fascinating from the first seconds of the film. I wouldn’t be fooled to say that Song of the Sea is the most beautiful animated film I’ve ever seen. Everything is perfect here: from stunning, hand-drawn landscapes, which I literally parsed into shots, to seemingly simpler, yet stunningly drawn characters. Symmetry, clear lines, bright colors - everything here pleases the eye. Every second of the film is the hard work of professional artists. Such a visual series confirms that animation, in itself, is a work of art, and equates the Song of the Sea with the paintings of great masters.
History. The film is based on Irish folklore. “Song of the Sea” is a fairy tale from childhood, masterfully transferred to the screen. There are silks, mythical creatures, half-humans, and spirits, and witches. One can feel with what love for art, as well as its culture and history, this masterpiece was created. The authors managed to remind the Irish themselves of their rich mythology, which should not be forgotten, and introduce it to the whole world. The plot as a whole is simple, but this allows you to plunge headlong into the atmosphere of the fairy tale.
Heroes. Since the Song of the Sea is more perceived as a folk tale in an interesting interpretation, the characters here are appropriate. Various mythological creatures are shown beautifully and versatile. All characters are written perfectly, to the extent required. Their spiritual growth is visible throughout the narrative, and emotions and experiences transmitted, including through chic animation, make you forget that you have drawings, not living people.
Total. "Song of the Sea" is really a masterpiece of modern animation. Everyone should watch it. The film will be interesting for children, for its beautiful story, and adults, due to all the above advantages. I strongly recommend watching this creation in the highest quality, and then it simply will not disappoint you.
10 out of 10
If only animated films could be exhibited as exhibitions in the Louvre...
I cried. Honestly.
There's something Tomm Moore always brings to his movies that makes you cry. Even Pixar is not able to influence a person as much as the creators of this film did.
The plot is quite simple, although it has five or six unique twists, but the sequence of actions is not at all important.
The main thing is what we see and hear around the main characters. And everything we see and hear here is just the height of art and creative thought. Backgrounds, decorations, ornaments, weather changes, houses, forest... This whole traditional Irish theme is breathtaking in every single frame, in every single second!
The soundtrack here also works at 100%. Bruno Cole, the same composer who voiced Oceans in 2014 and Coraline in Nightmare Land in 2009, knows exactly what he’s doing. Here, in fact, it is just right to download musical compositions from the film and listen during the day - as independent works they cope perfectly, unlike the tracks of the old Disney and some other companies.
I highly recommend it. Children and adults. Lovers of animation and real pictures. Busy and free. Everyone. Everyone should appreciate this masterpiece.
“Song of the Sea” from the first frames stands out against the background of multimillion-dollar Disney-Pixar projects. It is unhurried, rather primitively painted, filled with ancient Irish legends, childishly naive, but deep. In a word - lamp, European value.
Clouds - caricature zagagulins, seals - stone hemps with shiny eyes, sometimes even the urban landscape - and then on the plane, like an upgraded version of a children's drawing. Dad has square nails and chin, and grandmother has eyebrows with one thread. There is something in this from a distant hollow time, when happiness was taken as the basis of life and there was no doubt about where it is good and where it is bad.
This is how a child should feel in the world, but Ben has a restless soul. The boy lost his mother, and his sister, whose birth was marked by tragedy, only annoys him with her strangeness. Saoirse does not know how to talk and will constantly swim away into the sea, only Ku - a big shaggy dog understands Ben: according to him, he shakes his head in response to indignation, everywhere he accompanies the boy, but in trouble he equally rushes to save both him and Saoirse.
Their family is closely connected to the sea: they live on a lighthouse and heal wounds from the grief-stricken beauty of the sea waves, which once took away their beloved mother, and now call for their daughter and sister. Ben and Saoirse have to face the unknown world of spirits, heroes of mother's fairy tales for the night, and with their help to understand what is happening to the girl.
“Saoirse” means “hope” in Irish, and “Bronach” (the name of the mother of the children) means “sad” because she was forced to leave her loved ones. But Saoirse will be able to correct what her mother did not have time or could not, restore freedom to the spirits enchanted by the evil witch Maha. She will sing a song and get her voice back.
But the path will be difficult, and the most faithful friend and assistant will be her brother Ben. When he realizes that he may lose his sister, only then will he feel how much he cherishes her. And the dog Ku will bring them both closer as a sign of friendship and love and find a way home with them.
And the song is kind, slow-singing, wise, will sound at the very end of the film, although the attentive viewer will feel it from the very beginning. Because the whole cartoon is a touching melody of the North Sea, harmoniously lying on a powerful and reverently love director folk background. And words are an exceptionally childlike sense of goodness that binds all the characters of “Song of the Sea”.
Attention to detail, to traditions, to the homeland and ancient fairy tales, nostalgia, friendship, family, love and a pinch of sadness, so as not to forget how wonderful it is to be alive, especially on the shore of the boundless giant of the sea.
P.S. I advise both adults and children. Very, very touching and kind cartoon.
Song of the Sea is Tom Moore’s second standalone animated project, an undeniable step forward from his previous work, The Mystery of Kells, in which he confused himself with the theological complexities of Christianity and paganism. This time, he gave up the religious background of history, which only benefited her, because you should never incorporate elements into the story that you do not understand. However, in “Song of the Sea” there are all the signs of Moore’s style, his love for complex ornamental patterns in animation, his interest in Celtic mythology, and at the same time a completely new Freudian line for him, allowing a new look at history.
Before us unfolds the story of love-hate in a single family, where everyone is worried about the other, but at the same time in these experiences he observes his own interest, cherishes his interest in the fate of his neighbor, and is proud of it. Moore hints that the characters in the story have mythological archetypes: The father is like a frozen giant, the grandfather is like a water giant, the grandmother is like a witch-owl, so the private family story unfolds to the scale of a universal parable of loss and finding oneself in sorrow.
The picture could be called “The Cry of the Sea”, because according to the legend told in the film, the ocean arose as a result of the giant’s long tears for his dead wife – just as the father of the heroes cries for their dead mother, just as the grandmother seeks to protect her family from suffering, the same sorceress owl enchants everyone she notices to save them from anxiety and suffering. A beautiful song of a little girl on a shell can break the spell, save frozen, frozen souls, bringing them out of the captivity of the sorceress owl. The boy goes from rejection of his peculiar sister to selfless service to her.
The conceptual outcome of the cartoon is simple and at the same time profound: grief for a loved one should never cause us to lose strength and dampen the joy of experiencing every moment of life. Yes, sometimes, it is bad and bad, and life seems meaningless, but this is not a reason to lock yourself away from it in the tight world of home comfort, as the grandmother-witch wants. The song that the girl sings embodies the freedom of creativity, which frees a person from the need to grieve, it is the power of a free voice, a force of free will that no determinism can nullify, no cruel conditions of life can deprive a person of creativity.
It is the song that miraculously transforms a person into a living sea creature that is able to freely swim in the water column, in the thickness of everyday life, swim through storms and bad weather to get what is necessary for a loved one. Moore uses the poetics of unstoppable figurative transformation to express meanings in unusual metaphors, he prefers complex multi-level parable images in which his imagination and poetry as an artist are visible.
“Song of the Sea” is a story of loss and gain, finding oneself in the struggle with sorrow, the struggle of the joy of life and creativity with room conformism, with an attempt at self-isolation, the struggle of the joy of creativity and the joylessness of a closed existence. It is a song of freedom, a hymn to human creativity against the decadent melancholy moods that are full of European cartoons of recent years, it is an animated masterpiece made as a protest against the era of postmodern decadence, against the emasculated cynicism of the weary world, it is a statement of the value of existentialism in an era when any serious discourse is drained.
Overcoming his own phobias begins with the forgiveness of his family members: so for a father who blamed his daughter for the death of his wife, this step of reconciliation with his daughter becomes a path to liberation, everything can be interpreted in the film as a figurative expression of conflicts within a single family, the cartoon is valuable that it is Freudian in essence, but this essence does not stick out and gives out in the form of a children's fairy tale.
An Irish cartoon that tells the story of a boy Ben who lives with his father, younger sister Saoirse and beloved dog Ku on an island with a lighthouse in the middle of the sea, far from the city. Everything sounds simple, of course, but in fact - the cartoon introduces the viewer to the heroes of the Irish folk culture - it's Selki, spirits, the owl witch Macha, the Great Sage Shanashi and all this to the accompaniment of beautiful ethnic music. The most amazing thing is that there is no such thing as a good/evil confrontation, but the boy has to help his sister find Selkie’s coat after his grandmother took them from the island to Dublin. Saoirse needs a coat so that she does not turn into stone, she can speak and release already petrified spirits with her song - after all, she, like their late mother, is a selki.
The cartoon is incredibly beautiful, bright, painted very nice and unusual, in the old way in the “flat” style. He is very kind, magical, though somewhat intimidating to a younger audience - thanks to a few moments, such as when Saoirse is dragged to her house by the spirits of the dead, but for the good purpose - to help her go to the port and sail home, where she can put on Selki's cloak and free them all. And the moment with Shanashi, his shining eyes in the dark is also a bit creepy, somewhat similar to the moment with “Mysteries in the Dark” from “The Hobbit”. But all these spirits and creatures, all the folklore in general, are presented in a very competent and intelligible way, so that not only the people of Ireland, but also people like me, who are completely unfamiliar with it, can understand.
Last year, it turns out, the cartoon was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to the newfangled and no longer surprising 3D animation – “City of Heroes”. As for me, this is very strange, because such a beautiful animation has not been for a long time and the film clearly looks much more winning, because in addition to aesthetics, it carries some educational meaning, thereby causing increased interest.
10 out of 10
Nowadays, it is difficult to forget that you are an adult and immerse yourself in a fairy tale. Hard, but possible. There are many good, talented directors, animators, screenwriters who, despite everything, are able to immerse us in childhood. Tomm Moore was no exception.
The Song of the Sea turned out to be exactly the link that was able to plunge us into those already forgotten years, when everything seemed to be magic. It all begins with the fact that we begin to tell a fairy tale, as Mother used to do before going to bed. You look at it and you remember. But this effect is unattainable if you look at it through the prism of reason. If you look like this, the cartoon does not shine with any unique plot, and the drawing may seem flat and boring. But again, when viewed through the prism of reason. This film can be put, as I personally think, on a par with the Little Prince. Like Prince, you can't take everything with your head. Otherwise, you get abracadabra of pure water. You need to perceive it with emotions and feelings. Only in this case, the picture can be loved from the first view.
To be honest, I have been doubting whether to watch it or not for a long time, as I am a big fan of Miyazaki, and honestly thought it would be at least difficult to beat Mater. That was my delusion. Tomm Moore was able to compete with him. The cartoon has a simple, but at the same time very beautiful animation, a great plot (although I began to contradict myself now), beautiful music. And most importantly, you want to watch it literally to the holes. That's a significant figure.
Therefore, I rated the film at 9 out of 10. He's a phenomenon. There is nothing Superior in it, but what is balanced so well that it seems like a little miracle.
