Magnetosphere

Maggie is an awkward, melancholy thirteen-year-old girl whose family has just moved to a new town in Ontario in the middle of 1997. There she will face those universal moments of young life: middle school bullies, teenage insecurity and self-loathing, her first true friendship, and falling in love for the first time.

But her perceptions are far different than most people's. She lives in her own world of color, experiencing sounds and moods and people's energies as bright rainbows, gentle glowing, and gloomy clouds in her mirror. She's never heard of synesthesia and doesn't want anyone to know what she's seeing and feeling; there's enough scorn and absurdity around her without the humiliation of just how "weird" she is.

Nicola Rose has made a wonderfully gentle new kind of tale about growing up, with all its anguish and discovery literally colored by a remarkable perspective that's rarely talked about. It may not look like a big-budget Hollywood confection, but the production design, camera work, and vfx keep it vibrant. The story takes its time, getting by on real warmth and a great sense of humor from its eccentric characters (especially Colin Mochrie's wonderfully delusional exterminator who keeps barging in). The acting is excellent across the board, with Shayelin Martin a standout as our protagonist. It elicited laughter and tears from the audience in the theater, connecting with children *and* adults who are caught in a cycle of being painfully hard on themselves. Maggie may be confused by what she sees and feels, and even her eventual diagnosis as a synesthete won't make everything happy and easy, but she is coming closer to self-acceptance and appreciating the human connection she's finally found.

The title comes from a nickname bestowed by the young man Maggie's fallen for, an astronomy student who shares her fascination with the passing Hale-Bopp comet. Like the things she perceives and dwells on, it's a mysterious connection that feeds her soul and helps her emerge from the bubble of deep confusion and self-pity. It's a beautiful and kind movie without a trace of cynicism, something families can share and feel good about as they remember their own times of doubt, confusion, connection, and ultimately a new understanding of the strange and wonderful things that make us who we are.

"Magnetosphere," featured during the Dances with Films Festival in NY City in December, is a delightful coming-of-age story of 13 year old Maggie as she deals with the typical adolescent ordeals of a first crush, self-doubt, self-image, ostracism in a new school, and so forth. These issues are compounded by also having to come to terms with her synesthesia and the perceptional issues that make her feel all the more different and awkward. This may seem like a heavy topic but in writer/director Nicola Rose's hands the drama is skillfully levened with welcome doses of both broad comedy and gentle humor.

The performances of Shayelin Martin as Maggie and the other young actors portraying Maggie's sister (played by Zooey Schneider) and her peers (especially, Mikayla Kong, as the girl who befriends Maggie and has her own puppy-love issues to contend with) are uniformly excellent. The adult performers-- Tania Webb as Maggie's mother, Steven He as the object of Maggie's crush, and Debra McGrath, as an understanding art teacher-- hit all the right emotive and gently comic notes. Patrick McKenna, portraying Maggie's eccentric regional theater director dad and Colin Mochrie as a wildly weird, Vietnam vet/burned-out hippie handyman deliver the farce and slapstick with appropriately scene chewing performances. Mochrie's characterization, in particular, plays like an over-the-top version of Bill Murray as Carl in "Caddyshack."

With it's deft blend of comedy and the drama of adolescent angst "Magnetosphere" is a perfect film for a target audience of tweens and young teenagers. It would be right at home as a feature on Nickelodeon or Disney Channel.

Magnetosphere is a really delightful film. The characters are endearing, and the story beautifully captures the experiences of an adolescent girl with synesthesia. The use of colors and the unique way her perspective is portrayed are captivating. The film masterfully blends humor and poignancy, offering a heartwarming and uplifting message about embracing and celebrating differences. It normalizes what makes us unique and presents these traits as gifts. The story resonates with the universal challenges of adolescence while maintaining a light tone. The comedic timing was spot-on, with a mix of slapstick and wit that appeals to all ages. My little nephew loved it, and I think audiences of any age will too. The script was well-crafted, the performances were stellar, and the music added depth to the overall experience. Steven He was a pleasant surprise, delivering a performance with far more depth than I expected based on his online presence. It was also fantastic to see Colin Mochrie and other familiar faces from the comedy and improv world. Magnetosphere also handles sensitive themes with great care, making them relatable without being heavy-handed. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a funny and moving movie for all ages.

You have to be ready, in watching this one, to suspend disbelief and accept the world of the movie for what it is. On the one hand, you have a story about a young girl growing up, experiencing her first love, realizing her neurodiversity and coming to terms with loving herself. On the other hand, you have the zanier stories of the weird, often nutty and larger-than-life adults around her. It's a story where these worlds coexist as one. If anything, you get the feeling that one could not exist without the other.

Newcomers Shayelin Martin and Mikayla Kong are stars. Zooey Schneider as the little sister has some of the best lines in the movie. Tania Webb as the mom is an understated revelation, and Patrick McKenna as the goofy dad could not be more expressive. Colin Mochrie is a riot as sort-of-exterminator Gil, Tara Strong embodies the voice of not-quite-evil doll Captain Cassiopeia, and Debra McGrath as a kindhearted art teacher takes what could have been a one note role and fills it with depth and humor. Steven He radiates kindness as the boy too old for Maggie to fall in love with, and Jordyn Gillis is every middle school mean girl you've ever met.

Watch, accept the silliness and the seriousness as part of the same soup, and enjoy.

I got to see Magnetosphere at its New York City premiere. Magnetosphere is a delightful, relatable coming of age story with a fresh perspective on growing up, self-discovery and acceptance through an engaging sensory journey. The film gives the audience perspective into the challenges of moving into a new home, going to a new school, experiencing first love along with insight into the extraordinary world of what it is like living with synesthesia. Director Nicola Rose and her talented cast give the audience an unforgettable exploration of how embracing our differences helps us find our place in this world. This is a film that the entire family would enjoy.