Dir. Ben Stassen, 2008, Belgium, 84 mins
Cast: Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Ripa, Philip Daniel Bolden, Robert Patrick, Buzz Aldrin
Review by Michelle Moore
Fly Me To The Moon is the first ever computer-animated film designed, created and produced exclusively for the 3D experience and aimed at children. Inspired by tales from a grandfather (Lloyd) and evolved from the dreams of three early adolescent flies, the film centres on the Apollo 11 mission, with the flies who rode along on the adventures into space as the main story line and not the astronauts.
Fly Me To The Moon brings a historic event into the lives of children in a much more childlike and understandable manner. To watch such a film in 2D would probably be as interesting as reading a book on the topic for young children. They may experience some of the emotion, but basically it would be like many other child-aimed films. The amount of time and effort that must have gone into production and creativity with this film is astonishing. Each detail is ten times as powerful in 3D, as it would be in a 2D movie.
The 3D experience brings the film to life. The way distance, be it foreground or background, presents itself is remarkable and the path from one shot to another is quite something. There are no cutting screens from one shot to another as previous films have done. This one uses long takes as the camera whizzes the point of view from one shot to another, rushing though the undergrowth of bushes and shrubs, soaring through space or simply flying from point A to point B, past all the objects real flies would have to pass on their journey. This detailed experience takes a viewer into the world of the flies, into a world so small a flower or a test tube looks huge in comparison; fly-vision is the ultimate viewing experience. You become physical with this film, to the point many children in the screening, and adults to, found themselves startled from buzzing of flies past your ears or sudden close-ups on screen that make you sit back in your seat. This film offers a hands-on experience, as if you are there alongside the animated characters, rather than viewing from a distance.
Not only is Fly Me To The Moon enjoyable to watch, with an equally detailed narrative which at times is also very funny. From one fly burping in the viewers face, to fainting parents and incredibly cute baby maggots, this film makes children and childlike adults laugh out loud. The world of humans and flies becomes one in this film, when the three little lives are spared by the astronauts, it brings harmony between the world of annoying bugs and humans in reality.
With voices from a range of actors including Lloyd, Ripa and of course, Buzz Aldrin, this film has a five-star cast alongside the five-star narrative and effects. Lloyd in particular as grandpa fly seemed to stand out as the greatest effect a vocal can have on an animated character since Tom Hanks on Woody.
The 3D experience is the only way to watch Fly Me To The Moon, a film enjoyable for all the family.
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