Over the Moonby Patti MartinsonReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Studio
Credits Grade: 5 Fei Fei, a young Chinese girl, loses her mother at a young age. When her father, Ba Ba, starts a new relationship with a single mom and her son, Fei Fei is upset. Remembering the tales told her by her mother, of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e, Fei Fei builds a rocket ship to the moon. Fei Fei hopes that by proving that Chang'e is real, and helping Chang'e reunite with her lost love, HouYi, that it will make her father break off his new relationship.This movie strongly reminded me of Coco, about a young boy who journeys through a strange world with a purpose also related to family. In Coco we get strong cultural touchstones with Latino/Hispanic communities. We also get such touchstones with Over the Moon, with the mooncakes, white cranes, and moon goddesses. My reaction to this movie is mixed. I totally all over the concept of a smart, brave and adventurous girl and the lessons on how to deal with the loss of a loved one is a meaningful one. I just am not sure the execution was there. The movie works best when it is Fei Fei and her family, the animation is beyond lovely and emotive and I get a strong sense of time / place and culture. It is the sequences on the moon that give me pause. Everything seems chaotic, unfocused and jarred with the look of the rest of the movie. It's like wandering from a beautiful landscape setting and straight into a Picasso. The only part of the moon sequence that I found worked was when both Fei Fei and Chang'e help each other work their way through their grief and learn that being open to new things, doesn't mean you lose past things, or past loves. A worthy movie that doesn't quite scale the heights needed. Written: October 25, 2020
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