El secreto del libro de Kells

This Oscar nominated animated film is about a young boy in a Celtic walled village who has to prepare for his book by wandering out into the forbidden woods.

"The Secret of Kells" is visually rich and artistic. The characters are simple in design, almost minimalistic. This interestingly contrasts with the imaginative and stylish background, that never ceases to amaze. The background of the animation blends modern art and traditional art, and is only limited by the boundary of imagination. It takes viewers into a stunning flight of psychedelic journey. Though the plot may not be the strength of this animation, the artistic visuals makes up for it.

The Secret of Kells is a film I've been waiting for for years after seeing some early footage at the Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny. I'm here to tell you now it's been worth the wait. The cartoons are heavily stylised but not annoyingly so as I'd feared. The whole film is a thing of beauty and great imagination, I particularly love the animated illuminated book where the little figures come to life on the page. The characterisation is superb, I love Brendan Gleeson's voice as the stern Abbot and I especially liked the voice of the sprite Aisling. The forest is a triumph, such a beautiful place. The story is well realised, a mix of fact and fantasy. and really draws the viewer in to cheer on Brendan in his quest for the perfect materials for the Book. I'm a lover of calligraphy and illumination anyway so the subject is close to my heart, but all the people I know who've seen this and are not fans of the craft agree that it's a lovely little film. I will definitely buy the DVD when it's released, and would like to say, well done Cartoon Saloon and all the people involved in this mammoth project. May there be many more. :) Coming back in here to say that I bought several copies of the DVD as soon as I could and gave them out at Christmas, everyone loves it! And I wish them all the luck in the world at the Oscars, such a joy to see this nominated.

In an age where it seems all animation is either expensive computer generated, a-list celebrity vehicles or anime, which seems like it's all drawn by one man, it's refreshing to see an throw back to a time when animation was hand drawn and more attention was paid to the use of color and intricacy of design than mimicing real life or creating 3D.

The characters in this movie at times take a back seat to the scenery. The scenery alternates between what seems to be illuminated water color to illuminated manuscript illustration. It is breathtaking to behold on the big screen.

My main complaint about this film is that it was too short! I wish more time had been spent in the forest scenes, which are the richest in detail and color. One can imagine how the scenes in the Irish forest and wilderness inspired the illustrators of the Book of Kells.

The story is not simply a child's tale, and there's no potty humor as is prevalent in many Pixar and Disney movies today, but children with vivid imaginations and who love to draw will love this as will their parents.

The Secret of Kells is one of the most unique, beautiful, and eye- popping animated films I have ever seen. Before watching this film, I was convinced that nothing could give Up a run for its money and that it was a shoo-in to win in this category, but I found in Kells a serious contender.

The Secret of Kells tell the story of a young orphan named Brendan, who lives with his uncle, the Abbot of Kell. The Abbot is a loving guardian, but perhaps a bit too strict and much more concerned with fortifying the wall around the town from a coming attack by vikings than he is at nurturing the boy's imagination. When the legendary Brother Aidan (who looks surprisingly like Willie Nelson) shows up and takes the boy under his wing, Brendan goes on a journey into the woods and meets a lovely forest nymph named Aisling who takes a liking to him (and saves his life more than once). With Aisling's help, he attempts to save the town and help Brother Aidan complete the mystical book which—legend has it—can turn dark into light.

See my full review of The Secret of Kells at: http://theoscarsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/movie-review-secret-of- kells.html

When I first watched the movie, the way everything was drawn kind of made me lower my expectations; that still didn't make me stop watching. I soon began to see that the two dimensional drawings came to life more and more as I watched. Watching the movie was magical.

The story was also great. The characters and their looks and accents made me interested in what was going on - I especially loved Aisling. Brendan is the main character, a young boy who is adventurous like any other his age however has to face some of his fears to help finish a book.

The whole movie was a magical, colorful, pictorial, unforgettable ride.