Mary and Max Movie Analysis in Film Criticism Course

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    • #114978

      Mary and Max movie analysis in LELB Society’s film criticism course forum for ESL students to enjoy learning English by immersing yourself in interesting and useful content. Join LELB Society’s English and Persian students to practice languages synchronous and asynchronously.

      Mary and Max movie review

      A very odd, very unlikely animated film from Australia that manages to be sickly-cute, alarmingly grotesque, and right-on at the same time – often in the very same scene. The two principal characters are an unloved, unregarded kid from Melbourne – Mary – and a heavyset middle-aged New Yorker with Asperger’s syndrome, Max; they become pen-pals after Mary’s random encounter with a telephone directory, and their exchange of letters swiftly emerges as the emotional lifeline for their unhappy existences. All of this is rendered in almost completely monochromatic claymation – only occasional colours stand out, such as the red pompom Mary sends to Max at one point – and writer-director Adam Elliot inserts many a throwaway gag and impressively leftfield (and largely insect-related) detail.

      Source: https://www.theguardian.com/

      Mary and Max movie trailer

      If you cannot see the embedded video below, click here to watch Mary and Max movie trailer directly.

      Mary and Max movie analysis

      Parents need to know that this stop-action animated drama is not for young children. Although the style of animation is popular in movies like Fanastic Mr. Fox and Coraline, this film-festival-hit indie isn’t appropriate for single-digit-aged kiddos. There are the far too many grown-up themes, including, substance abuse, body image problems, severe depression, Asperger’s diagnosis, and the like. Ultimately, this is a completely unsentimental but beautiful look at a highly unusual, inter-generational, long-distance friendship, but it’s best for mature teens and parents who know that sometimes the unlikeliest people can become your best friends.

      Source: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

    • #114998
      Armaghan Houshmand
      Participant

      My score to this movie is 8
      I really enjoyed the plot and the atmosphere.
      Overall stop-motion animations are my favorites.
      I think the relationship between Max and Mary was really uncommon but special at the same time. One from New York and the other one from Australia.
      And I have to add that the dialogues were the things that fascinated me the most, I found them really clever.
      Spoiler Alert*
      I wish Mary and Max could seen each other in person.

    • #115107

      Mary and Max is an animated movie, which is not suitable for children or young people because its main purpose is not to make us laugh. The movie is full of dark comedy and satire with so much exaggeration, and for this reason, some scenes tend to be repulsive.
      The main point of the film is a huge paradox in today’s life. Max was living in New York, one of the most densely populated cities in the entire world. Yet, he didn’t have any friend! The film discreetly portrays the major issue of people in large cities who are desperate for companionship, which is a big irony!
      What’s worse is that even Mary and Max could not meet each other in the real sense of the world. The film has a pretty down-to-earth ending. Despite being so saddening, I particularly liked the ending. This is pretty much the same thing we deal with in the real world.

    • #115128
      Soroosh Houshmand
      Participant

      I give it 10. Everything in this animation was nice .
      The interesting thing in this animation was that it was real and happened.
      This make me so sad that Mary lose everything in his life mother , father, husband and the important one, FRIEND.

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