RaveVlog

I love this masterpiece of a movie so much.

I’m not the only one who will remember shedding tears during “this “Elemental,” a tender, beautifully animated Pixar film. It’s a superb film that I will name as one of my favorite Pixar films of all time. With great wit, clever writing, eye-popping animation and an incredible score, this movie will please both adults and children.

The story is set in a magical world where “elemental” creatures made of earth, wind, fire and water dwell.

Some, like the fire people couple we meet at the beginning, leave their homelands to come to Element City, where all the elements live together.

Fire people Bernie Lumen (Ronnie Del Carmen) and his wife Cinder (Shila Ommi) come to Element City to begin anew. But people fear the fire they bring, and they are not welcome everywhere.

They have a baby girl (Leah Lewis supplies the voice for Ember Lumen) who grows up figuring she will help her parents run their popular general store. Ember struggles with patience while she waits on the sometimes-frustrating customers.

One day, her anger gets the best of her, and the result is a flood in the store basement that brings in water person Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie.) The two are attracted, but Ember doesn’t believe it will ever work out – they’re fire and water, after all.

Ember faces another challenge when she realizes that she wants to pursue a career outside the store. But she doesn’t want to disrespect her parents and all the hard work they put in to create a thriving business.

The voice actors all are wonderful (you may recognize Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s mother, Brooke) and lend extra emotion to the heart-tugging story.

It is no exaggeration to say the animation is breathtaking. Prepare to be dazzled. The music, including Lauv’s “Steal the Show” and the gorgeous score by composer Thomas Newman enhances every moment.

See this where it deserves to be seen: On the big screen. (I enjoyed it with the enhancements of D-BOX and 3D, and it was quite the experience.)

Go early, and enjoy the wonderful short about Carl and Dug from “Up.” Stay late, and see character follow-ups during the credits, as well as a brief tribute to a filmmaker’s parents.

And take some tissues.

4 stars

Rated: PG for perilous situations.

Running time: One hour and 43 minutes.

At Cinemark, Davenport; Regal, Moline; and Palms 10, Muscatine.

Watch the trailer here.   

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