Welcome to Marwen

There’s something not quite right about this film. But also right. Welcome to Marwen is one of those randoms you catch on a spontaneous cinema visit when you haven’t read its synopsis, but give it a go anyway. And I guarantee it pops up on Netflix within months, discovered by the keen genre-flicker.

This film’s winning streak has to be its blend of animation with real life action. Director Robert Zemeckis gets handy with his filming style and how he creates the production as a whole is of a quality I can only describe as unique. In an almost Thunderbirds-style fashion, the characters move around the set with bendy limbs as each scene unfolds (think Barbie) and the most distinguishing feature of this is the fact their faces barely move (think Katie Price). Slightly eerie, this gives Welcome to Marwen a feeling of sadness as glazed eyes stare at each other through unmoving features. It then shifts into human mode and Carell continues his story alongside Leslie Mann, with whom his character develops feelings for. This plot is a bit boring really but is saved by the fact the movie shifts back into animation mode as he starts talking about the timeline of his dolls / action figures. It really is a strange little feature.

A lot of people are going to dislike this movie.
A handful are going to bloody love it.