U (2006) Online

How good it is to wake up and remember that animation does not mean Hollywood only. In the last years, we had Japanese Ghibli studios (soon under Disney's control apparently?!), Sylvain Chomet's Belleville triplettes and MICHEL OSLO (loved Azur & Asmar !!). I'm now discovering U by GRÉGOIRE SOLOTAREFF & SERGE ELISSALDE and falling in love with U. What a wonderful story ! After a couple of minutes you are not looking at a film anymore, you feel part of this colorful family, listening to their welcoming, friendly and warm-hearted chat. Little story, no showing-off but what a major film at the end. You can look find a lot of different things in this movie but even if you are just waiting for a bit of entertainment you will love it too. I know that you are probably struggling to keep a different animation style alive (this water-color is so vivid and full of life) and I wanted to thank you for keep trying. I'm not saying Pixar or Dreamworks are crap, but just that need something else too to keep being filled with wonder. Cheers guys !

Anyone who complains about a lack of creativity in or an actual lack of 2D animation has but to go to France. Two of the films I have seen from the French animation scene in the last few years, The Triplets of Belleville and this film, U, are about as unconventional as you can get. And by "unconventional" I mean "really freaking trippy".

U is not as good as The Triplets of Belleville, but it's quite a touching tale of loneliness, acceptance, and growing up. U, a little unicorn, becomes a part of Mona's life when she's very young. Mona is a mouse, by the way. She lives with her father and grand-mother (who is mean, as many kids sitting around me were generous enough to point out about a hundred times). Their existence is shaken up with the arrival of the Ouais-Ouais (Yeah-Yeahs, if translated literally), who are… I don't what the hell they are, actually. One of a lizard, another is a cat, that I know.

In a way, U represents Mona's innocence, which is taken away by one of the new arrivals. I was surprised to see surprisingly frank and almost sexy scenes in a film for young kids, but then I remember that it's from France. Here in Geneva the film is rated 0, which means anyone can come see it. I don't quite agree with that. A neighboring state has it rated 7 and up, which is more correct. There isn't much of a story, but most of it is metaphoric anyway, I guess. The grand-mother's intolerance of the new arrivals can be considered a good analogy for conservative Europeans who reject any new cultures coming into their countries.

It's all good and well, but it still made the film slightly unpleasant to watch at times. And the fact that the grand-mother has to DIE for everyone to finally be happy and be able to do what they want is… a little disturbing, but often very much true. I've known and heard about many parents who were strict to the point that their death elicited a few tears, sure, but mostly a sigh of relief.

There's a certain complexity behind the film's gorgeous imagery and narrative simplicity, and in the end the good outweighs the bad. So if you're looking for something different in animation, or are just tired of your kids watching The Little Mermaid for the 50th time, take a look The Triplets of Belleville and U. Any kind of mind-altering substance beforehand is also recommended.

7/10