Anne of Green Gables: The Downer

Anne of Green Gables: The Downer is a 2022 animated film based on the PBS show Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series. The film is directed by Richard Allen, who also worked on the show itself.

## Plot

Anne Shirley is told that she will receive a week where no one else but her is in Avonlea, but after just 3 days, Anne decides to go looking for her parents and friends while meeting up with a cat named Grammar and others.

## Why It Rocks

1. Beautiful animation that's almost 100% faithful to the original show.
2. Most of the actors do a good job as their characters. It even has a rather all-star cast including Kylie Cantrall, Gerard Butler, Samuel L Jackson, Timothy Olyphant, Willie Nelson, Miranda Richardson, Ed Helms and others.
3. It's nice to see Miranda Richardson return to voice an animated character. Plus, Miranda was a good casting choice for Marilla as Patricia Gage died in 2010.
4. The concept is rather great, as Anne goes to look for her family and friends after a few days of being all alone.
5. Edgar Carlton is a very threatening villain. His goal is to try and kidnap Anne before she finds her family and friends.
6. Winston Reed is a very nice person to Anne as he tends to help Anne along the way.
7. It does have it's use of emotional moments such as a backstory of what happened to Diana Barry's grandparents and why we may not have seen them in the show. Even the cover of "When She Loved Me" by Imagine Dragons fits the scene perfectly.
8. In regards of Diana Barry, it's very amazing to see her original actor Emily Hampshire return to voice her as she does a very good job to try and keep her voice correct.
9. The scene where Anne Shirley reads her world essay to a talent show is very beautiful, and the way she sings What A Wonderful World is also nice.
10. Another beautiful moment is when we see Diana's play about Swan Lake where it's filled with a lot of great colors, and the song that plays, "Waltz of The Flowers" by Peter Asher fits the scene perfectly.
11. Fabulous score by John Powell.
12. Like the majority of modern 2D animated films throughout the 2020's, the animation has great quality in it
13. There are some great dialogues such as:
	* "**We all have different opinions, and that's what makes you special.**"
	* "**I WANT THAT MAN HUNTED BEFORE HE KILLS ME!**"
	* "**What in the gladiator heaven?.**"
	* "**Put, that everlasting pitchfork, DOWN ON THE GROUND!**"
	* "**Oh I wish Diana, I wish.**"

## Bad Qualities

1. Some rather non funny moments, such as when a boy looks at Anne while she bathes as she sings a song called Unforgettable.
2. **Bad Release Date:** The film premiered the same day as The Batman, but it actually managed to do very successful at the box office.
3. Edgar Carlton's actions against Anne look almost similar to Jimmy Crystal from Sing 2.
4. Some jokes aren't that funny such as, "That Edgar man, it's like John Booth learned how to hunt like Davy Crockett, and then a spooky scary skeleton ate his guns!"
5. Some questionable songs such as "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol which plays during the scene where Anne becomes happy that she's all alone and she plays around in Avonlea.
6. Sometimes, Miranda Richardson's portrayal of Marilla Cuthbert sounds a bit like Mrs Tweedy from Chicken Run.

## Box Office

As of August 11, 2022, Anne of Green Gables: The Downer has grossed $123.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $155.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $279.1 million.

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside The Batman and Triho: A New Story and was projected to gross $12 million over it's opening weekend. After earning $9 million on it's first day. (Including $1.7 million from Thursday night previews), estimates were raised to $20 million. It went on to gross $35.8 million, finishing at #2 behind The Batman. It's opening weekend gross broke Little Women: A Much Different Story's record. The film stayed in number 2 throughout it's second and third weekend with a gross of $26.8 million and $16.9 million respectively. During it's fourth weekend, it moved down to number 3 behind The Batman and newcomer The Prowler: Locked And Loaded, in which it grossed $10.8 million. It finished fifth in it's 5th weekend grossing $11.5 million. It stayed in fifth place during it's 6th weekend with $3.2 million.