By: Martika Allen

Martika Allen — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 18:26:00 +0000

I wasn’t planning on watching this since I wasn’t really into the animation style, but listening to your podcast convinced me to, and I’m so glad. I have autism, so I’m always interested in its portrayal, and this one certainly did it well. Right from the beginning, I emphasized with Max, though his autism is definitely more extreme than mine. Certain aspects that others might not consider were actually shown, and I applauded every time this occurred, from the flat tone the voice actor used to his book of feelings to the way a simple letter could trigger a complete meltdown. While exaggerated, it is all very much based in truth.
I feel the drab coloring was a little bit of a turnoff, but hearing the explanation made it actually interesting, and I always enjoy black and white with a color accent.
I loved seeing the contrasting story lines of Max and Mary, from as simple as the ways they write their letters to the way their stories progress. I loved seeing how much their friendship meant to each other, and how such little things meant so much to each other–for example, mailing a bar of chocolate or suggesting a way to stop some teasing. It was incredibly moving. I did feel a little miffed at the climax of Mary’s story–I thought it was much more interesting seeing the contrasts of mundane and odd. I also felt like it get very dark very quickly, but that is the storyteller’s choice, and that’s fine.
And the end. I recently read a book with a similar ending, and it infuriated me because it felt emotionally manipulative. This one just felt bittersweet and perfect. You start to cry with sadness, and just when you get worked up, they spin it so your heart melts and it’s absolutely worth it. I agree that it has a low rewatch value, and because of the darkness it hits, I hesitate to give it five stars, but it’s definitely a well-earned four to four-and-a-half. Thanks for reviewing!

By: Dante Panora

Dante Panora — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 21:51:00 +0000

It’s so nice to hear this film be talked about. I think this may actually be in my top 5 favorite movies of all time. It’s such a simple and sweet, but powerful film. Awesome soundtrack for the film as well. The director also made an amazing short film called Harvey Krumpet about a polish immigrant in Australia. His animation style kind of freaked me out as a kid but it was also an amazing film.

Comments on: Animation Addicts Podcast #159: ‘Mary and Max’ – Original Tim Tam Slam

By: Martika Allen

By: Dante Panora