Vopata
In ‘Memoir of a Snail’ directed by Adam Elliot, humor, heart and absurdity exist side by side in a way that only Elliot can achieve. The action of the film is set on Grace and Gilbert, who are twins, live apart, suffer a great deal, and write letters to each other, in addition to a mutual passion – snails.
This odd, yet touching, story tells the viewers about love, struggle and how one can learn to live with the weirdness of the world.
Memoir of a Snail Highlights
- Unusual “Cartoon” Style: The compare & contrast essay about cartoon more custom cartoons in this movie are the use of Adam Elliot’s. This film, unlike the careful productions of Laika or Aardman, makes room for flaws, thus the characters are more human and deep than the presentation of these other movie animators.
- Bounding into Comics: This can be seen in the performance of Grace by Sarah Snook that illuminates Grace’s weird, yet loveable character. The character of Pinky, voiced by Jacki Weaver is another entertaining and emotional performer who fits appropriately in the off-the-wall film.
Notable Reviews
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- A Hundred Secret Senses Film Book: Considers the film to be almost flawless and a successful marriage of funny storytelling with emotional involvement; gives it 9.5 out of 10. It highlights how the film would resonate with every person who tries to do something against all odds to achieve their dream. FILMBOOK
- Chronicles the specific cultural traits of Australia depicted in the film and how it manages to include humour in more serious aspects of the film which is described as ‘comic genius; brilliant’. It mentions coconuts and other inclusions such as Vegemite and Chiko rolls that make it easier for Australian audiences to relate to the film. MASHABLE.
About Memoir of a Snail
This film is Adam Elliot’s second feature film, and it is entitled Memoir of a Snail. It talks of creative independence and creativity through the use and art of stop motion animation, which has not lost its magic over the years.
It has been 15 years since the release of Mary & Max, and after spending so long, Elliot was able to defy the temptation to not only create the film that was expected by the industry and the audience, but an intimate and thus, untainted piece of art.
Like the works of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, Memoir of a Snail contains childlike delight exuding from the imaginative screenplay as well as mature storytelling filled with heart wrenching elements.
At the center of it all is Grace (Sarah Snook), who chronicles her life after Skylar’s death through an unexpected lens — that of a pet snail. The story then shifts to her best friend pinky (Jacki Weaver), and how pinky all but can survive the unravelling tension between Grace and her estranged twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who was adopted out at birth.
