alombardy

Watching this for the first time over 20 years after it released (although remembering it being advertised at the time) it's clear this came out at the wrong time. Fully 3D animation was surpassing 2D and this moves away from many classic Disney tropes like the musical numbers and a classic villain, and that just wasn't selling at the time (and I would say does leave this a little hollow at times).

But watching this for the first time as an adult? Honestly it's some solid steampunk/sci-fi. Having a morally grey villain and some fun characters, not to mention some beautiful animation makes for a diverting 90 minutes or so. There is admittedly a little to be desired in terms of the main character maybe not being the most compelling and the fact they introduce a cool woman character only to have her taken out by injury for half the movie. But for what it is, it's honestly not bad, it just is also not the sort of thing that was ever going to have mass appeal. If it was released now, by a smaller studio, I feel like it would be the kind of thing that gets critically lauded.

I just like the ambition of it, even if not everything completely comes off, and it's rare a huge studio like Disney takes a risk likethis (and the history behind why it finally decided to do so is fascinating).

This really hits the spot. Wholesome without being cringey, irreverent without being crass and witty without being snide. It's a show that is more than the sum of its parts, with the strength coming from the quality of the writing and the chemistry of the leads more so than any particularly outlandish premise.

It's relatable in an understated way, and even though a lot of the comedy is quite blunt and awkward there's also something very gentle about it. Sometimes a show just seems to have great vibes effortlessly and this really fits into that category.

Being in the UK I haven't seen a lot of Australian TV full stop (outside of soap operas) but this is a great advert if it's any way indicative of the wider landscape down under. Really good stuff.

I first watched this on the small screen not long after it came out and remember being very moved by it. Recently I had the chance to watch it again, this time on the big screen, and it did not disappoint on re-watching.

It's almost hard with where to start with this film, there are just so many elements I love. Thematically, it's a wonderful exploration of the fragility and malleability of memory and nostalgia, and how beautifully messy, and often heartbreaking, the twists and turns of time and fate can be. It's about how the past, present and future interweave in powerful and often unexpected ways.

But at its core, for me, it's about empathy. About (quite literally) putting yourself in someone else's shoes and learning to appreciate and love other people through experiencing the world through their eyes. It's also very much a coming of age story, framed around the process of realising the world doesn't revolve around yourself, and how by coming to terms with this you open yourself up to love in a way you hadn't experienced before or had even seen coming.

I struggle to think of another movie that conveys the sensation of yearning for *something*, that you can't quite put your finger on, so well, and how so many of these strong feelings and desires are tied up in fuzzy, often contradictory memories and impressions from our formative years.

But not only is it complex and deep thematically, it is also a piece of absolute art in a practical sense. The visuals? Stunning. The soundtrack? Stunning. It's even got the odd laugh in there. Every single aspect of this film just seems to have had so much attention to detail paid to it and it really does produce something truly wonderful which will stick with you for a long, long time.