Magnetosphere

Magnetosphere is a well-made, entertaining and enjoyable story about an adolescent girl with synesthesia, a neurological condition which causes her to experience multiple senses at once, e.g. To taste words or hear colors.

Like all of Nicola Rose's work, the film has professional production values (impressively done on an indie budget), a solid cast, and engaging characters. The film's serious subject matter is leavened with humor -- I found myself laughing out loud many times during the screening.

Magnetosphere follows a few months in the life of an adolescent girl as she navigates a new home, family conflict, first love, and school bullying. Her typical adolescent angst is magnified (sorry) by her undiagnosed synesthesia, which is brought to life for the audience through the use of colorful animation -- causing us to experience a medical condition as a kind of window into a magical world.

At times, I wished the storyline's conflicts were more focused, but this is a quibble. Overall, I very much enjoyed this impressive, original, and very funny film with its compassionate exploration of a little-understood but very interesting topic.

Magnetosphere is a really delightful film. The characters are endearing, and the story beautifully captures the experiences of an adolescent girl with synesthesia. The use of colors and the unique way her perspective is portrayed are captivating. The film masterfully blends humor and poignancy, offering a heartwarming and uplifting message about embracing and celebrating differences. It normalizes what makes us unique and presents these traits as gifts. The story resonates with the universal challenges of adolescence while maintaining a light tone. The comedic timing was spot-on, with a mix of slapstick and wit that appeals to all ages. My little nephew loved it, and I think audiences of any age will too. The script was well-crafted, the performances were stellar, and the music added depth to the overall experience. Steven He was a pleasant surprise, delivering a performance with far more depth than I expected based on his online presence. It was also fantastic to see Colin Mochrie and other familiar faces from the comedy and improv world. Magnetosphere also handles sensitive themes with great care, making them relatable without being heavy-handed. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a funny and moving movie for all ages.

What a charming cinematic adventure. "Magnetosphere" is a magical feast. I really enjoyed this coming of age story and was fascinated to learn about synesthesia. The child actors were so enjoyable to watch. Nicola Rose infused the film with such creativity to convey the characters' experiences. Watching this film was heartwarming.

I was fortunate to watch this movie at the NYC premiere where I had the pleasure of listening to other audience members laugh and react throughout. You can tell that people of all ages were reacting either collectively or at different moments. Clearly this film is great entertainment for any generation.

The talk back host at the end of the screening kept insisting this was a kid's movie. Aside from being a little condescending, I felt she missed the point. The movie (to me) is about recognizing how some of our talents can be both an asset and a curse. The discovery is made by a young teen, since we generally become self-aware around our puberty.

But her age does not detract from the philosophy that what makes us unique or apart needs time to be internalized. Much as I find the term 'individualism' overused and over exploited, the movie celebrates the journey to self-acceptance in a charming way. Neuro-divergence is a real thing, no more no less.

You have to be ready, in watching this one, to suspend disbelief and accept the world of the movie for what it is. On the one hand, you have a story about a young girl growing up, experiencing her first love, realizing her neurodiversity and coming to terms with loving herself. On the other hand, you have the zanier stories of the weird, often nutty and larger-than-life adults around her. It's a story where these worlds coexist as one. If anything, you get the feeling that one could not exist without the other.

Newcomers Shayelin Martin and Mikayla Kong are stars. Zooey Schneider as the little sister has some of the best lines in the movie. Tania Webb as the mom is an understated revelation, and Patrick McKenna as the goofy dad could not be more expressive. Colin Mochrie is a riot as sort-of-exterminator Gil, Tara Strong embodies the voice of not-quite-evil doll Captain Cassiopeia, and Debra McGrath as a kindhearted art teacher takes what could have been a one note role and fills it with depth and humor. Steven He radiates kindness as the boy too old for Maggie to fall in love with, and Jordyn Gillis is every middle school mean girl you've ever met.

Watch, accept the silliness and the seriousness as part of the same soup, and enjoy.