World Animation - 'Mary and Max' (2009)

Fig.1 'Mary and Max' Poster

Created by Australian director, Adam Elliot, 'Mary and Max' (2009) is a pleasantly un-pleasant film that captures the struggles of human life perfectly, it's a film that masks it's main themes with a cute animation and a simple narrative.  

What makes this film so great is the way in which its humour is portrayed, it is a very dry and blunt type of humour. This humour runs deep within Australian cinema. 

Fig.2 Film Still

The film follows the two characters in the title, Mary and Max. Mary a young girl from Australia and Max an older gentleman from New York.

The way in which the humour is used throughout is great, it's not in your face and over the top. If something funny has been said the film doesn't take time to acknowledge that it simply glides over it as if nothing funny was said at all. There are times where the comedy is something in the background or an object it's not always joke after joke. It's the little things. It's comedy is reminiscent of that of a recent film directed by Taika Waititi 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople' (2016).

'Mary and Max' hits home with it's blunt take on life, it doesn't sugar coat it, it's story is heartfelt and honest. It's evident that Adam Elliot took his time to develop a story that audiences across the globe would enjoy.

Fig.3 Film Still

Stylistically, the film has a slightly unappealing look, but it's cute. It's a claymation film which adds to it's charm as every detail of the character has been meticulously sculpted to convey their personality to the viewer. The colouring of the film adds to it's mundane aesthetic, colour is rarely seen unless it's the red of the pom-pom on Max's head or the slight sepia tone of Mary's world as opposed to Max's washed out grey apartment.

The entire aesthetic matches perfectly to the narrative making the two a well thought out combination.

In a way, 'Mary and Max' is destined to become a cult-classic within the animation world, if it's not already. It's story leads audiences down an ever winding path that challenges your emotions and leaves you feeling sad but happy, but still pretty sad, writing for The Guardian, Andrew Pulver says 'Mary is enthusing about her favourite TV show; the next, we are being treated to a lecture on the symptoms of Aspergers' (Pulver, 2010) This Juxtaposition of storytelling is what gives the film such an organic nature that captures the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.

Bibliography

Pulver, A (2010) 'Mary and Max: Review' At:https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/21/mary-and-max-review Accessed on: 20/01/2017

Illustrations

Figure 1. 'Mary and Max' (2009) [Poster] At:http://www.humshaughshop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mary-and-max-poster.jpg Accessed on: 20/01/2017

Figure 2. [Film Still] At: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSI1Uz6ThPVlDZ5zg0zrljS6_n1jt97xXnuDrmICf4duOnIcPE08JYwXPt7h14m6yvKRYiHmsrRu2K6IRTcq9-lhXNJWI4plPPMf3GNaNj-jDAkt3JTEpHBeffPsimqGqSByUVbB0Ax0/s1400/mary.jpg Accessed on: 20/01/2017

Figure 3. [Film Still] At: https://www.anonlineuniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mary-and-max.png Accessed on: 20/01/2017