Unforgettable

Rating: 10/10 (6 March 2011)

One of my favourites of 2009, Mary and Max is a truly unforgettable film in all respects. The clay animation is just gorgeous with all the characters well modelled and the colours done in atmospheric shades, and gives a nostalgic and unique feel to it, and the music is beautiful and heart-breaking. The characters add a lot to the film as well, the title characters are sweet, emphatic and engaging, with Mary very cute and Max endearing in his own way, and the audience sympathises with them and their predicaments, while the writing is both funny and poignant and the haunting, affecting and personal story packs a real emotional punch on its own and is thematically quite deep. The voice work is top notch, Barry Humphries provides a both amusing and gentle narrative and Toni Collette(Bethany Whitmore as the younger Mary) and Phillip Seymour Hoffmann are brilliant as Mary and Max. What made Mary and Max other than the superb direction and gentle pacing was the adept mix of hilarious humour and poignant drama, there is evidence of both and both are done wonderfully. Overall, a beautiful, unforgettable film with a 10/10. Bethany Cox