A Great Example of How to Make Stop Motion Film

Rating: 7/10 (23 June 2019)

Review:
'Mary and Max' is a very dark movie, that shouldn't be funny, but somehow is. This creates a very unique film. 'Mary and Max' is one of my favorite animated films of all time, and an excellent example of how to make a stop motion film.
The film centers around the friendship of two people, a young girl named Mary (who lives in Australia), and an old man named Max (who lives in the U.S.). And in the film communicate through letters.
Let's start with the excellent animation, the clay animation is unique and nice to look at. Even if it's meant to look dark and depressing, you can't take your eyes off it. The look of the film, is truly a marvel to behold, as the darker shades of color, really contribute to the tone of the film. As it is a dark film, with many elements of comedy.
Now: the characters, the two title characters of the film, are two very interesting, down to earth, and relatable people. As they are two very depressed people, who see nothing but darkness, but over the course of the film, grow a bond even though they are so far apart from each other. And learn to see each other as a light in the darkness, and just see the world in a nicer light. The only issue I have with the side characters, they are just not very well developed in my opinion. If the movie dedicated more time to these characters, I would've liked them a lot more.
Arguably the most important element of a great film, the story, is executed with flying colors by this film. From the surprisingly funny comedic writing, to the still very real and mature drama of the film. And also, this film has one of my favorite movie endings, it almost brought a tear to my eye. And the film is also a very quick 90 minutes. My only issue with the story, is the over-reliance on narration. But with writing this good, I can forgive it.
In conclusion, 'Mary and Max' is a film that shows animation doesn't necessarily have to be for kids. And this film is one of the best in its respectable genre of film.