SNAPSHOT
Travel past space and time to a place of infinite mystery… Jake Gyllenhaal lends his voice to Searcher Clade, the son of a steadfast explorer. The original action-adventure journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest—and by far— most crucial mission. Strange World is directed by American animation writer / filmmaker Don Hall, director of the Disney movies Winnie the Pooh, Big Hero 6, Moana, and Raya and the Last Dragon previously. The screenplay is written by Qui Nguyen, who also co-directs with Hall. Produced by Roy Conli, made at Walt Disney Animation Studios. (courtesy First Showing)
There is nothing more joyously exciting to watch if you’re animation nerd than a movie which is both wildly, colourfully imaginative and full of huge amounts of raw, highly emotional humanity, all delivered with a spoonful of sugar-enabling heaping helping of hilarious humour.
Judging by the brilliantly vivid poster art and emotionally resonant and delightfully funny teaser and full trailers released so far, Disney’s next animated feature, Strange World, which has an appealing Jules Verne meet familial therapy vibe to it, looks set to tick all those boxes and then some.
The setting looks extraordinarily original and beautifully realised while, the characters pop right off the screen, delivering laughs and really emotional moments and the storyline looks to have pell-mell action meets raw, personal humanity sensibility that makes so many modern animation features such a pleasure to watch.
In fact, it could well be on the animated films of the year and a great way to see out near-to-the-end of the year when life is getting busier and busier in the lead-up to Christmas, and the end of the working year here in Australia (which means HOLIDAYS!), and blissful escapism is very much necessary and wholly welcome.
I can’t wait to head into this “uncharted territory”!
Strange World releases 23 November in US and UK and 24 November in Australia.