Nocturna, la nuit magique

This is the kind of children's movie I particularly dislike. I can't write any spoilers, as I quite watching about about half an hour.

The first 10 minutes or so make it seem as if this is going to be a very atmospheric, magical, mystical experience, but then it replaces all of that in favor of a mechanistic bureaucracy filled with clichéd characters. Most of the characters are some version of the lovable curmudgeon -- grouchy, impatient, irritable, with a heart of gold -- or the inept, incompetent stooge. The dialogue is trite and predictable.

As some one else wrote, it is not Miyazaki. It is not Neil Gaiman. It is, however, the Spanish version of "Monsters, Inc."

I can't believe I just discovered this movie a few days ago. It was also hard to look for it because there was also another movie named "Nocturna." Not much is also posted about this movie in the internet but I hope this will be more known soon because it's a fantastic tale.

I would disagree with one of the earlier comments which said that it's the Spanish version of Monsters Inc. because this one is quite different and is an unusual tale. There are also some scenes in the movie which reminded me of some movies of Studio Ghibli but I would say these things that reminded me are the style of the art and the feeling you get when watching a great movie.

Thus, this will definitely be in my favorite movies list and I will probably recommend this to other people because this is not what the negative comments speak of.

Nocturna is one of the best animated films I've seen, not just recently but ever. The animation is some of the most beautiful-looking I've seen from any animated film in a while, and I say this as a huge animation fan, with colours especially that have a perfect mix of Gothic atmosphere, surrealism and warmth. The music score is enchanting too, sparkling and adventurous, while the story is original in concept and very creative and simple with an appreciative message, the writing is is dynamic and never cheesy or stilted and the characters are both memorable and appealing, Tim is cute but never in a cloying sense, you actually do root for him. The voice work is wonderfully professional.

So all in all, a gem of a film, not just animated but of film in general. 10/10 Bethany Cox

It's always nice to accidentally stumble upon a movie that didn't get the praise and recognition it rightly deserved in the first place. It's even nicer when it's animated.

The story starts with Tim, a night-time fearing orphan who takes great refuge with mother nature's night-lights, the stars. After a prank by some of his fellow orphan brothers, he scrambles up onto the roof so the dark doesn't envelope him. And this is when he notices that the stars are beginning to disappear. But luckily for him he then meets the Cat Herder, his new found friend and ally to figuring out the mystery of the missing stars.

The story itself isn't strong enough to carry you alone, but thanks to a creative world and unique artistic style that reminded me of a Tim Schafer game in ways, the movie combines all aspects of film-making to create something worth-while and memorable.

At the movie's core is Nocturna; the name of the magical land that controls the night and sleep for all the little boys and girls of the world. In this land there's a Cat Herder that is in charge of all the cats that purr you to sleep. There's a trio of hair-dressers that give you 'bed head'. There's even a bothersome little man who with a tiny whisper, will have you wetting your bed. And that's just for starters.

With a tried and true, but rather simple story about courage, and not being afraid of the dark at it's center, you're not really blown away by any story arc. The delivery of it's message through imagination is the real saving grace. Because of the art style and professional voice work, the movie will eventually rise above it's unfounded place in that big well of under-appreciated films.

After downloading this movie I am going out to buy it on DVD. I was very pleased with it.

A Spanish - french production that portrays the more than typical story of the little boy afraid of the dark. Tipical? Maybe. But after you watch it you can be sure to be submerged into a childs world of spookiness and pure visual poetry. The story unfolds as stars start disappearing. So the boy meets the cats shepherd, whose purpose you will learn during watching this delightfull film, who will help little Tim (the boy) to go on a journey throughout the night. As the world is being devoured by what Tim fears most. He must struggle together to save the night.

I wouldn't say a touch of Tim Burton, but definitely this typical french and Spanish touch of Gothic visual in which nothing is straight but curvy and angled. A very pleasant eye catcher is the architecture of buildings in this little piece of art. It is what makes the whole ambiance plus the different light scalings and brightnesses. This movie is mostly in a blue tone which emphasizes more the suspense of darkness.

In the end it unfolds to be very predictable somehow but still a Wow for the lovers of old visual poetry as I use to call it.

Reminds me of summer nights looking up in the sky and staring at the stars with a full moon and some nice mellowy clouds.