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Each actor skilfully layers individual personalities into connections with their partners, revealing passions and insecurities, nervous energy and strong emotional bonds. These are openly emotive performances, as Peet, Davila, Rysdahl and Duncan play people who are trying to express themselves, both wanting to be a better partner and wanting more in return. But is also becomes clear that they may be running from themselves. Meanwhile, Walker's Nia hovers around them as a sensitive provocateur.

Because of the story structure, the film feels strongly meditative, repeatedly pulling underlying themes into the spotlight as each character circles around the others, opening up in unexpected ways. Leterii is tapping in to the deep longing everyone has to be loved and wanted, and how this is complicated by our perhaps warped image of who we are. So while the low-key, pointed approach sometimes feels pretentious, this is a complex, often haunting portrait of how magical it is that people get together at all. And how much work it takes to stay together.

themes, language, sexuality

15.Aug.21

Visually, the movie is packed with terrific touches, even if many of the best elements are borrowed from classics like The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Toy Story and Minions. So it's frustrating that the enormous barrage of characters have little nuance. With cool textures of hair, clouds and steel, they look amazing but never have much more than one personality trait each. This, combined with the jarringly over-complicated plot, makes it difficult for the adequate voice cast to being them to life.

The script namechecks a variety of themes, including bullying and teamwork, while delivering a rather standard message about how siblings should look out for each other. Even more interesting is the idea that the wonder of nature is something worth preserving. But the writing and direction rush past all of this in an attempt to keep up with the frantically overstuffed premise, missing the chance to find something deeper that might actually catch the imagination.

themes, violence

4.Aug.21

The young actors are encouraged to run wild, relishing their childish impulses alongside snippets of dialog and sometimes pushy plot points. Zeitlin crafts the footage to create snappy characters, honing in on the remarkable France, who oozes charisma and intelligence and puts her entire physicality into the role. The way she takes on a tired, ageing community is lovely. And the actors around her, both young and old, deliver equally singular performances, adding textures that ripple through Wendy's journey.

Zeitlin gives the imagery a scrappy Gilliam-style kick, from the eye-catching fantastical elements to the dusty bleakness of the island's squalid old-folks' community. Meanwhile, the plot feels stretched longer than the film's style can support, leading to an oddly drawn-out final act (followed by a lovely coda). Still, even the most action-oriented scenes grapple with a range of positive and negative sides of leaving childhood behind. So Wendy's steely determination to hold onto her youth is both moving and inspiring. "You can't lose hope," she says. "That's what's making you old."

themes, language, violence

10.Aug.21