CJ Munn

Magical and emotionally powerful film that deserves to become a family classic. A simple but poignant story is fleshed out in a blend of animation styles that reminded me of Watership Down, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and early Hollywood backdrop paintings, backed up by an apt and moving score, clever sound editing, and the kind of connection to the beautiful little details of nature-watching that made The Detectorists so soothing to watch. Avoiding spoilers here is hard, but there is one drop of ink in the film that took my breath away and had my throat in knots. It’s beautiful, powerful, emotional, yet comfortingly familiar. A film to cosy up on the sofa under a blanket with your favourite young family and rewatch every year to remember the important themes of anti-war and respect for nature that run through it. Beautiful film.