"The Secret of Kells," which sneaked under the radar to gain an Academy Award nomination for animation, didn't win, but it's one of the most beautiful animated films I've ever seen. Directed by the Irish artist, Tomm Moore, it was put together by artists in Belgium, Hungary, Brazil and France, and it's a slight twist on the Irish legendary volume that resides in Dublin.
Moore and writer Fabrice Ziolkowski have collected a group of characters that are so imaginatively and expressively created that they almost overwhelm the story, and its relatively short running time (75 minutes) is like a breath-taking journey through a museum. We have a young boy, Brendan (voice by Evan McGuire) who lives with his uncle Collach (Brendan Gleason) in an abbey, learning to be a monk. A monk named Aidan (Mick Lally) arrives with an unfinished book and a magic crystal, and he persuades Brendan to go out in the woods to find berries, a source of a primitive ink, so he can finish.
Once out there, Brendan meets a sprite named Aisling (Christen Mooney) and a variety of pagan creatures. Their conflict and resolution make for a fascinating tale, but no matter how interesting it might have been, or could be, it remains in the shadows of the masterly work created by many artists.
A glorious visual experience.
Opens today at the Plaza Frontenac.
–Joe