Lost in Starlight

They said it's the first Korean animated film, so I lowered my expectations a little, but man, it exceeded them so much. This film is so beautiful. The places in the film look real. There are parts that are heartwrenching, so I cried while watching it. I can't describe the feelings after watching it because they linger. The OST is also good.

Good job to the director; you did it so well, even though you tried a different approach-one that is not common or conventional. Now I understand why you took the risk of hiring actors instead of voice actors this time.

All I can say is it's worth watching, and I'm thinking of rewatching it.

A nice little story, all the usual themes, the backgrounds are lovely. The music is suitable and, well, it didn't grip me. There was nothing unusual about it.

One thing that particularly bothered me though, was how the characters faces were drawn. It was awful. They didn't look Korean, but ok, that's fine, you can be from anywhere and look like anything... just the drawing and proportions seemed off. When the characters were laughing, speaking, singing or what-have-you it just seemed very strange and off putting - big round dolly eyes, a roughed in, unfinished look and I can't explain it, just an oddness, as if they were aliens wearing skin suits.

Maybe a stylistic choice, but it annoyed me - so much so that I can faithfully promise that I'll never watch this again, nor anything drawn in this style.

I was left feeling fairly 'meh'.

Perhaps I've reached the age where existential nihilism is making itself known, but I just didn't really care much about this at all. The story wasn't out of the ordinary, but I can see how a lot of people will like it a lot. I didn't care for it, but it's beautifully made, so there's that.

Lost in Starlight is one of those rare animated films that manages to pull you into its world effortlessly. From the very first frame, it's clear that a great deal of care was put into the visual presentation. The animation is stunning-fluid, expressive, and rich with detail. There's a certain magic in how the visuals unfold, making even the simplest moments feel immersive.

What really stood out to me, though, were the characters. They're written with enough depth to make them feel real, even in a story that leans into the fantastical. I found myself genuinely invested in their journeys, rooting for them, worrying about them, and even getting a little emotional by the end. There's a sincerity to their interactions that makes the relationships compelling, and the voice work brings them to life in a way that never feels forced.

Another unexpected highlight was the music. I went in not knowing much about the soundtrack, but it quickly became one of the film's strongest elements. There were even a few tracks that lingered in my mind long after the credits rolled. It's rare for music to feel like such an active part of an animated film's identity, but here, it absolutely does. The pacing is smooth, never dragging but also never rushing past the quieter, more introspective beats.

Would I recommend Lost in Starlight? Absolutely. It's a visually gorgeous film with heart, strong characters, and a soundtrack that adds another layer of beauty to the experience. Whether you're a longtime fan of animation or just looking for something thoughtfully made, this one is worth your time.

This film is suitable for those of you who are looking to relieve stress with a sweet romance story.

The movie brings us an unlikely relationship between people from different worlds. It shows how love can be complicated, and dreams can only make it more difficult. However, it also shows how that connection is hard to find and impossible to give up on. It is a beautiful love story which shows careers are important too, but knowing someone out there loves you in a way nobody else could is what shines through. The animation is beautiful, the music complements every scene, and the emotional rollercoaster keeps you wanting to watch more.

The movie wanted to be both romance and sci-fi, and ended up... Neither?

Well, kind of. In terms of romance it's not bad, but there is no real challenge for the relationship, there is no "messiness" or some "adversary" here, so it's not particularly interesting. Characters do develop a little bit after they meet each other, yes, but it's superficial. The only "obstacle" appears when the girl is, predictably, selected to go into space, and the guy just acts as a selfish child who just realized, that the girl he fell for had "going to space" as her job description and life goal.

The sci-fi portion was... As if it was not there for the most part. There psychological aspects of losing her mother were limited to some flashes, not really linked to anything and were, essentially abandoned half way through. Then the girl did go to space, and there was that perfect moment to build proper tension, that could have used her psychological state and bring in the "discovery" (which did not make sense, since these kinds of flowers are unlikely to grow that much within 20 years without any light), but...

They ruined it by turning it into a music video mash-up with what was happening on Earth and had very loose connection to happenings on Mars even if you consider symbolism. And they did not even bother to make a full song - just some bits and pieces of it. Let alone that it did not match anything else happening on screen. Then they abandoned sci-fi again by some walkie talkie being able to transmit between planets without delay, even though earlier they mentioned that some special equipment was able to have delay of "just 20 minutes".

It's not a bad watch, in the end, but it felt purposeless somehow, and did not land anywhere. I did not feel any impact at all. Perhaps if this was a TV show, and they had more time... But on the other hand there was almost nothing besides the 2 characters... I dunno, I guess if you like those romcoms from Hallmark, you may be able to enjoy this, but otherwise, you probably can save some time by ignoring this.