It is safe to say that I never expected to have my soul ministered to by a tiny, one-eyed mollusk wearing orange sneakers, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a stop-motion animated mockumentary that depicts its namesake protagonist’s determined efforts to find his lost family and foster joy in a time of grief and uncertainty.
Transcending its twee viral origins, Marcel features the kind of visual beauty that would not be out of place in a Terrence Malick film. Bianca Cline’s cinematography allows audiences to see familiar domestic spaces anew through Marcel’s loving and resourceful, miniscule gaze. As the camera focuses on the chipped paint of a dusty windowsill or the cheerful torchlight of the birthday candles used to illuminate Marcel’s ‘formal’ dining room, one cannot help but feel wonder at the mundane trappings of daily life.
In a world where the wounds of the Covid-19 pandemic are still fresh, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On serves as a healing balm for those who wish to believe, like Marcel, that it is still possible to “not just survive but have a good life.” –Prisca Bird (2022)
Arts & Faith Lists:
2022 Arts & Faith Ecumenical Jury — #3
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