Strange Magic (2015)

I have seen quite a lot of hate towards this movie, but I can't quite see where it comes from. It seems to be a either you hate it or love it movie. The animation was dark yet beautiful. The music was well timed and perfect for where it was placed in the story. I particularly liked how it truly stuck to the theme of looking past looks and not judging a book by it's cover, unlike a certain Disney movie with the same premise. Bog isn't cruel because of his looks in the beginning, he is cruel due to the pain he feels, which is a realistic way to depict it. He doesn't magically become handsome when Marriane falls for him, but stays the way he is and they fall in love due to similar personality traits and experiences rather than because of either of their looks. It also show that beauty is in the eye of the beholder from both standpoints. We as the audience might find Marriane to be the attractive one due to her being conventionally attractive, but the movie makes it clear that she doesn't fit what Bog finds to be physically attractive initially. Sometimes who we perceive to be unattractive can become attractive if you get to know them. I think that this movie portrays that very well.

The idea of the movie is that love conquers all, but it takes to an extent which is too gross for words. Beautiful graphics, but an excessive singing, characters which are too hideous or exaggerated, and a love story which is basically gross makes this movie unwatchable for adults and totally inappropriate for children. Stay away from this one.

So at 1830 on a Saturday night I stuck this film on for my 3 year old daughter thinking it would keep her amused for 30 minutes before bed. Turns out it kept me, my wife and my 11 year old daughter entertained too! We sat as a family and all thoroughly enjoyed this strange, funny, and charming film. Some great subtle comedy which made us adults laugh. Plenty for the younger ones to enjoy with bright beautiful animation, fairies, fantastic songs, and a scene stealing bad guy in the Bog King. Kristin Chenoweth brilliant as always as the Sugar Plum Fairy. No prizes for guessing what the first thing on the TV was Sunday morning.....

Nobody told me this was a musical before I watched it. That would have been fine, if it was a good musical. As it was, the song choice was strange as the music genres varied drastically (they use popular songs from the past few decades throughout the movie). It felt like someone went on Pandora and wrote a story about fairies based on what songs played. It felt very choppy and was not a good time (for me). I am having trouble deciding whether it was intended that these fairies were making these songs up or if they'd heard them from humans (I don't recall any sign of humans in the film).However the animation was pretty and the character designs were cool.And I really liked the character of Sunny. He was endearing.