Whatever their age, children will find their happiness in cinemas at the end of the year. With, of course, feature films, but also beautiful collections of animated shorts and nuggets from Laurel and Hardy.
Y “Even mice go to heaven”, by Jan Bubeníček and Denisa Grimmová
Beyond the singular look at death, this adaptation of a children's book benefits from an irreproachable technique, based on puppets and a touch of 3D. Czech animation pioneers Jiří Trnka and Karel Zeman would probably be proud of it. From 6 years old.
Y “The Wolf People”, by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart
In an Ireland placed under the boot of Oliver Cromwell, the forest is the only haven of freedom. A gem of an animated film carved like a Celtic legend, by the director of Le Chant de la mer. From 8 years old.
Y “We are made to get along”, by Pascal Elbé
From blunders to bickering, a fifty-year-old teacher who loses his hearing drives his new neighbor crazy. A romantic comedy full of tenderness and bursts of laughter, with a cast in unison (Sandrine Kiberlain, Pascal Elbé). From 12 years old.
Y “Waiting for the snow”, collective work
This anthology of five short films around the snow links animation jewels. Special mention to Première Neige (Lenka Ivancíková, 2015), which recounts the awakening of a baby hedgehog during its hibernation, with puppets larger than life animated frame by frame. From 4 years old.
Y “Encanto, the fantastic Madrigal family”, by Byron Howard, Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith
Disney brings families together for the holidays! This new enchanted fable, with the false airs of the brilliant Coco (2017), takes up residence in the casita Madrigal, an improbable residence nestled in the depths of Colombia where all its tenants have a magical gift... except one! From 7 years old.
Y “Mom is raining ropes”, collective work
This series of animated shorts applies in particular to the last of them. With tenderness, Hugo de Faucompret recounts the holidays of a little girl, while her mother is depressed, in a magical Normandy: superb decorations, painted by hand. From 6 years old.
Y “Any Day Now”, by Hamy Ramezan
An Iranian family seeking asylum in Finland faces deportation. This beautiful first feature film at the height of a child renews the genre of film on migrants with an unexpectedly gentle staging. From 10 years old.
Y “The Snow Panther”, by Marie Amiguet and Vincent Munier
This sumptuous documentary closely follows travel writer Sylvain Tesson and wildlife photographer Vincent Munier in their quest for the elusive creature of the Himalayas. An ode to nature, hypnotic and mysterious. From 10 years old.
T “Growing up is great!”, collective work
Less rhythmic than usual, this new program of animated shorts from the La Chouette du Cinéma collective is dedicated to the transition from childhood to adolescence. From 4 years old.
T “Zébulon the dragon and the flying doctors”, by Sean Mullen
A program of four animated short films that tell stories of princesses on rollerblades, with extraordinary bodies... And that are worth watching. From 4 years old.
T “Ron unblocks”, by Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio Rodriguez
Disney picks a good subject (the danger of hyperconnection and the systematization of the social network as a mode of interaction) but struggles to move. There remains the funny Ron, a defective and affectionate “B-Bot” robot, at the crossroads of Eve from Wall-E and a Tamagotchi. From 7 years old.
T “The Treasure of Little Nicolas”, by Julien Rappeneau
A new team takes over Sempé and Goscinny's little hero… and it's the decoration that wins. The lack of vitality threatens this film which bets on kindness and gentleness. From 8 years old.
T “The Little Brown Hare’s Christmas”, collective work
The harshness and mildness of winter, in four animated shorts. The best, which gives its title to the program, is an adaptation of the album Guess how much I love you, a classic of British children's literature, with beautiful old-fashioned graphics. From 3 years old.
T “The Horn Quartet: Up there on the mountain”, collective work
The four cows discover the Alps in winter. With two pretty short preambles, including a funny animal cohabitation, which draws its swift humor from Chuck Jones cartoons. From 4 years old.
T “Clifford”, by Walt Becker
Do you remember Stuart Little (1999), the nice little mouse from New York? Well, in Clifford, the name of a giant all-red doggie, we find the same “everything-is-well-in-Manhattan” atmosphere. A family and entertaining film, right on time for the holidays! From 6 years old.
T “Ghostbusters: The Legacy”, by Jason Reitman
A fast-paced, loving tribute throwback to the good old Ghostbusters of yore. Through a brand new plot, many winks and joyful reunions await fans of the famous comic-fantasy saga. From 10 years old.
T “Where is Anne Frank!”, by Ari Folman
Kitty, Anne Frank's imaginary confidante, comes to life and shares their friendship with us. Bright like youth, dark like the destiny of the Jewish teenager from Amsterdam in 1942, a contrasting, sometimes uneven but very creative animated film. From 8 years old.
T “The Elfkins: Operation Baking”, by Ute von Münchow-Pohl
Elfkins are dapper, pointy-capped pixies, no bigger than toys. A nice end-of-year show for (little) sweets lovers, in an animated film sparkling like a Christmas decoration. From 6 years old.
T “Princess Dragon”, by Jean-Jacques Denis and Anthony Roux
Her name is Poil, she spits fire, but she doesn't look like her fearsome dragon father at all... tolerance. From 6 years old.
COMING
“All in scene 2”, by Garth Jennings
Return of the dreamy koala Buster Moon and his singing artists who, this time, take the show business empire by storm, managed by a long-toothed white wolf! After a first part in 2016, this sequel promises new covers of pop-rock songs, interpreted by a funny menagerie. In theaters December 22. From 6 years old.
“Laurel and Hardy: first strokes of genius”, collective work
Or how to introduce children to silent burlesque, with three short films from the late 1920s. On the program: selling Christmas trees in summer, prison escape, boxing and cream pie. In theaters December 22. From 6 years old.
“Beautiful”, by Mamoru Hosoda
The author of The Wolf Children (2012) and The Boy and the Beast (2015) returns with a sci-fi anime, where an introverted teenager becomes a beloved singer in a virtual world. Vertigo in perspective. In theaters December 29. From 12 years old.
