Kindly animated movies about the lonely and marginalized
September 14, 2016 9:53 PM
I recently saw But Milk is Important and Mary and Max and realized that I like this kind of movie — a stop-motion or animated film about sympathetic characters wrestling with their loneliness, neuroses or mental illness, and perhaps finding love or connection anyhow. Can you think of other similar movies or shorts along these lines?
It's Such A Beautiful Day: a strange, absurdist film about a man struggling with mental illness, loneliness, and other such existential things. Quite funny and bleak, at the same time. It's stick-figure animation.
posted by stellarc at 10:42 PM on September 14, 2016
posted by stellarc at 10:42 PM on September 14, 2016
The Brave Little Toaster.
From Wikipedia:
...the film's themes included a "fear of being abandoned and wanting to be reunited with somebody that you love..." - the opposing forces of feeling like you're worthless and the joy of redemption.[10] Another important notion was that of "valuing things from the past and taking them...into the future", both in terms of objects and relationships.[7] All of the main characters have personalities that are unique twists on the appliance functionality.
Blanky is a security blanket but is insecure without its owner, the bright Lampy is mentally dim, Kirby is supposed to hold everything inside but has a nervous breakdown, Toaster is warm and reflective so can easily empathise, and Radio is constantly switched on and entertaining.[7] He has the philosophy that despite being inanimate, they each symbolised things we actually feel.[7] As the foundation for writing the story, Rees reasoned that the characters would only be happy if they were being used by the Master.[7] As a result of this, a major aspect of the film is about inanimate objects becoming alive when you are not observing them.[7]
posted by she's not there at 10:50 PM on September 14, 2016
From Wikipedia:
...the film's themes included a "fear of being abandoned and wanting to be reunited with somebody that you love..." - the opposing forces of feeling like you're worthless and the joy of redemption.[10] Another important notion was that of "valuing things from the past and taking them...into the future", both in terms of objects and relationships.[7] All of the main characters have personalities that are unique twists on the appliance functionality.
Blanky is a security blanket but is insecure without its owner, the bright Lampy is mentally dim, Kirby is supposed to hold everything inside but has a nervous breakdown, Toaster is warm and reflective so can easily empathise, and Radio is constantly switched on and entertaining.[7] He has the philosophy that despite being inanimate, they each symbolised things we actually feel.[7] As the foundation for writing the story, Rees reasoned that the characters would only be happy if they were being used by the Master.[7] As a result of this, a major aspect of the film is about inanimate objects becoming alive when you are not observing them.[7]
posted by she's not there at 10:50 PM on September 14, 2016
I'm pretty sure LILO AND STITCH is the definitive example of this. And also, it's awesome and you will cry every time even though you know the story. Because it's that good.
You're welcome :))
posted by jbenben at 11:11 PM on September 14, 2016
You're welcome :))
posted by jbenben at 11:11 PM on September 14, 2016
Tokyo Godfathers
posted by ariadne's threadspinner at 11:30 PM on September 14, 2016
posted by ariadne's threadspinner at 11:30 PM on September 14, 2016
(I know you didn't ask for TV series, but Welcome to the NHK is so perfectly what you've described...)
posted by thetortoise at 12:39 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by thetortoise at 12:39 AM on September 15, 2016
I know this is a really well known film, but I'd put Wall-E in this category. Especially the first half set on earth (which is just stunningly beautiful).
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 1:20 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 1:20 AM on September 15, 2016
Up. Like, the characters travel in a flying house and meet talking dogs and stuff, but mostly it's about Carl working through his own shit
posted by mskyle at 4:40 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by mskyle at 4:40 AM on September 15, 2016
Tokyo Godfathers was mentioned above, but in terms of Satoshi Kon films Paprika may be an even better fit. It's absolutely about people wrestling with being atypical, just expressed through dazzlingly active animation.
posted by selfnoise at 4:52 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by selfnoise at 4:52 AM on September 15, 2016
The Triplets of Belleville
Featuring Madame Souza - a tiny, brave, idiosyncratic grandma determined to save her grandson.
Champion - her grandson - grows up sad and lonely, but has one love: bicycling. He gets kidnapped by the French mafia while trying to compete in the Tour de France
The Triplets of Belleville - retired music hall singers from the 30s - very strange ladies who help Madame Souza save the day.
It's a very surreal, charming and funny movie about love, creativity, fidelity, melancholy, family and the French mafia.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:16 AM on September 15, 2016
Featuring Madame Souza - a tiny, brave, idiosyncratic grandma determined to save her grandson.
Champion - her grandson - grows up sad and lonely, but has one love: bicycling. He gets kidnapped by the French mafia while trying to compete in the Tour de France
The Triplets of Belleville - retired music hall singers from the 30s - very strange ladies who help Madame Souza save the day.
It's a very surreal, charming and funny movie about love, creativity, fidelity, melancholy, family and the French mafia.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:16 AM on September 15, 2016
Song of the Sea.
About wrestling with grief, loneliness, and much more.
posted by Tevin at 7:09 AM on September 15, 2016
About wrestling with grief, loneliness, and much more.
posted by Tevin at 7:09 AM on September 15, 2016
The Illusionist (2010), also directed by Sylvain Chomet.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:41 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by hydrophonic at 8:41 AM on September 15, 2016
Came in to suggest Triplets of Belleville also, but was beat to the punch by Dressed to Kill. It's such an interesting, melancholy movie.
posted by hydra77 at 9:29 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by hydra77 at 9:29 AM on September 15, 2016
My Dog Tulip. It's a beautiful, funny, and poignant movie.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:23 PM on September 17, 2016
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:23 PM on September 17, 2016
I enjoyed the 2014 adaptation of The Boxcar Children far more than I expected.
posted by Small Dollar at 10:52 PM on September 17, 2016
posted by Small Dollar at 10:52 PM on September 17, 2016
All Miyazaki movies. Wolf Children. Bill Plimpton's Idiots and Angels. A Letter to Momo.
posted by SinAesthetic at 12:09 PM on September 18, 2016
posted by SinAesthetic at 12:09 PM on September 18, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Sassyfras at 9:57 PM on September 14, 2016