Top

film

Stories

"Gravity"

By Stephanie Zacharek
"The Dirties"

By Zachary Wigon
'Jacques Demy'

By John Oursler
"Gravity"

By Voice Staff
"Concussion"

By Melissa Anderson
"Don Jon"

By Stephanie Zacharek
"Unacceptable Levels"

By Chris Klimek
"Out in the Dark"

By Alan Scherstuhl

The Painting is Almost Reminiscent of a Work of Art

A A A Comments (0) By Pete Vonder Haar Wednesday, May 8 2013

Location Info

Map

City Cinemas Village East Cinema

181-189 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10012

Category: Movie Theaters

Region: East Village

2 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Details

The Painting
Directed by Jean-François Laguionie
G Kids
Opens May 10, Village East

More About

We spend so much time complaining about the current state of mainstream grown-up cinema—all comic books, sequels, and comic book sequels—we sometimes forget how formulaic animation has also become, relying too heavily on rapidly outdated pop-culture gags and hoary "be true to yourself" storylines. For every Wreck-It Ralph or ParaNorman, there are a dozen variations of Madagascar 3: More Goofy Dance Numbers, and even Pixar, reliably eye-catching even when churning out product that feels like product (Cars, Cars 2), has resorted increasingly to cliché. All of which makes Jean-François Laguionie's The Painting (Le tableau) that much more of a joy. In the eponymous painting where our action begins, the "Alldunns" are fully painted figures who hold themselves superior to the unfinished "Halfies" and actually enslave the lowly "Sketchies." Naturally, a forbidden romance blooms between Alldunn Ramo and Halfie Claire. When Claire disappears, Ramo joins with her friend Lola and a Sketchie named Plume on a search that takes them to the edge of their own painting and beyond, as the trio discovers the studio of the painter himself and eventually enter his other works. A simple parable of class warfare and racism soon becomes a kind of existential quest, as Ramo and company seek out their missing creator to find some answers. With striking visuals reminiscent of Matisse and Chagall and a refreshingly (for domestic animation audiences) grown-up storyline, The Painting is almost reminiscent of, well, a work of art.