Movie Review: Over the Moon

Movie Review: Over the Moon                                                                                                     11-3-20

From Pearl Studios, the people behind last year’s Abominable, and legendary Disney animator Glen Keane comes Over the Moon, a story about a 14-year-old girl named Fei Fei, who works at a moon cake shop with her widowed father. When her mother was alive, she told Fei Fei stories about a woman who lived on the moon. However, Mrs. Zhong Fei Fei’s father’s fiancé, thinks the tale is farfetched. Destined to prove that Chang’e (pronounced Chung) the Moon Goddess, is real, Fei Fei builds a rocket to fly to the moon, and brings along her pet bunny Bunjee and, unintentionally, Chin, Mrs. Zhong’s son. When they arrive on the moon, they discover an amazing city inhabited by aliens, and even meet Chang’e in person. Now, if Fei Fei and Chin want to go home, they have to participate in a competition to find Chang’e’s missing gift.

Over the Moon is a diamond in the rough with beautiful animation, a heartfelt and emotional story, catchy songs, and a colorful cast of characters.

Gobi, an alien who used to be friends with Chang'e, trying out 'moon pants'.

Glenn Keane and his team at both Pearl and Sony Pictures Imageworks did an amazing job on designing both China and Lunaria, the moon city. As the world of Ponyo was like a hybrid between My Neighbor Totoro and Finding Nemo, Lunaria is like a hybrid of Treasure Planet (which Keane also worked on) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

The movie also has a strong message about accepting change: At first, Fei Fei hates Chin with a passion. However, through the course of the film, she, with the help of a space pangolin named Gobi, starts accepting him as a stepbrother.

In conclusion, while not as good as Onward in my opinion, Over the Moon is a delightful film for the whole family. I'll be flabbergasted if it doesn't get the KCA nomination for Favorite Animated Movie and shout 'You cretins! You don't know what art is! I'LL SHOW YOU!'

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5