Belle (2021)

Belle (2021)

An imaginative vision of virtual reality grounded in intense real-world drama

7.2

Movie

France, Japan
English, Japanese
Animation, Drama, Family, Music
2021
MAMORU HOSODA
Fuyumi Sakamoto, Kaho Nakamura, Ken Ishiguro
122 min

What it's about

Suzu is a 17-year-old high-school student living in a rural town with her father. Wounded by the loss of her mother at a young age, Suzu one day discovers the massive online world "U" and dives into this alternate reality as her avatar, Belle. Before long, all of U's eyes are fixed on Belle, when, suddenly, a mysterious, dragon-like figure appears before her.

The take

This Japanese animated film employs a gorgeous blend of CGI and traditional animation—as well as intricately orchestrated original songs—to present a plausible simulation of virtual reality where people are truly free to do anything. Belle might not be as careful with its characters and the difficult situations they're put into "off-screen," but this is still ultimately an optimistic movie. Director Mamoru Hosoda suggests that uniting ordinary people through the internet won't actually lead to chaos. Instead, it'll help each of us become more empathetic of people around the world. And while that means Belle is still a sci-fi fantasy story more than anything, the film's wondrous images and music make it feel good to dream.

Comments

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Moon Students (2023)

A white savior story masquerading as an empowering film

5.0

Little Richard: I Am Everything (2023)

A stirring but ultimately plain documentary on a music icon who was anything but ordinary

6.5

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

9.1

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Gandeevadhari Arjuna (2023)

A stylish Telugu bodyguard thriller with great action but strange pacing

7.0

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Wes Anderson’s debut might lack the meticulous visual style he's synonymous with, but it's full of the charm and understated emotion we love him for

7.8

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

Smoke (1995)

A gorgeous indie gem whose every note is worth inhaling

8.7

Hail Satan? (2019)

Forget everything you think you know about the Satanic Temple

8.0

A Silent Voice (2016)

A coming-of-age movie that circles around friendship and the atonement of a boy

8.7

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.