one of THE BEST movies i have seen in ages. it's beautiful, the colors are vibrant, there's a nice stylization, character designs i never got tired of looking at, etc. (pixar movies are always stunning, though.) it's a great change in theme from soul, keeping things varied. the plot was captivating, and was really emotionally charged- i wasnt expecting to be hit with a ton of bricks when i started up this movie. i will refrain from spoilers, but the ladder 1/3 ish of the movie was really emotionally impactful, and nearly brought tears to my eyes. also, the characters were all interesting and not too flat, and it was great to see how they all interacted and how they reacted to twists and major events. And about the plot- they took something so simple and turned it so complex. the story of "mermaids go to human place" is done a lot, and the whole goal of the movie was a shoddy moped- but then (unexpectedly, for me) they took that simple premise and did SO MUCH MORE with it. the movie was probably more for young kids, but it had mature themes, too, for all the adults watching (personally, i took it as a metaphor for coming out). and is enjoyable for the whole family. i beg you, if you havent seen this movie yet, you NEED to watch it.