Have you heard of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On? If you haven’t, don’t worry you’re not alone. But this stop motion animation character got a viral internet following on Youtube over a decade ago, and now has his own movie.
Marcel, you see is a shell with a face and a pair of shoes. After his family disappears, he’s left alone in a house with his grandmother after the home has been turned into an Air B&B. The current renter Dean actually talks to Marcel and starts documenting their interactions – and just like the original videos, Marcel is a hit online going viral. But this viral nature doesn’t always mean good things.

The stop animation and filming of the movie, in general, is beautifully done. Dean mostly stays behind the camera and is just a documentary-style voice but Marcel (voiced by Jenny Slate as she did in the original shorts), is on camera through the bulk of the film. Marcel has a child-like and innocent quality most of the time, and conversations are ones viewers can relate to having with the children in their own lives. But then other moments, Marcel seems to be older and more adult-like.
The movie is cute, but Marcel seems to be better in smaller doses. No doubt fans of the shell and his family will love the film but unless you know what you’re getting into – you may wonder why you chose this film. It does, at times, seem to drag on a bit and a few times felt like a more natural end to the story than the movie had. However, as far as Mockumenatry films go, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is one of the sweeter and more genuine ones out there.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is in theaters now, and will charm viewers with its quirky animation and child-like quality. The Mockumentary style film is sweet and has moments of genuine emotion. Kids are going to love this movie and fans of the original shorts created by Dean Fleischer-Camp and Jenny Slate for Youtube over a decade ago.
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About MARCEL THE SHELL

Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family. A beloved character gets his big-screen debut in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connection in the smallest corners.