The emphasis on grief, in this case, has a real-life inspiration. The film tells the story of Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) who, with the help of new arrival Chin (Robert G. Chiu), builds a rocket to travel to the. Furthemore, the amulet Fei Fei's mother gave her is the final piece needed for the ritual. Fei Fei's beloved mom, whose bakery makes the town's most delicious mooncakes, passes away after falling ill. A few years later, Fei Fei's dad (John Cho) plans to marry again (his fiance . This led to the adventure with the stowaway Russell, and when Carl eventually chooses to save the kid, leaving the house behind in Paradise Falls, it shows he's willing to love again. Ultimately, it's a myth of star-crossed lovers hurting a kid, damaging the concept of a family the same way Up did when Carl locked himself out emotionally. Kids can learn a little about Chinese customs and myths, and be reminded of importance of family. Read |What time does Move release on Netflix? Young girl loses her mother to illness, struggles to overcome her grief. The problem with Over the Moon isnt that it doesnt make enough sense; if anything, it makes far too much. [14] Prior to its October 23 debut, Over the Moon was shown at the Montclair Film Festival on October 17. Or perhaps this push and pull is exactly why it will appeal to so many people like me who grew up caught in between cultures, who forged our own way. Watch Video: 'Wolfwalkers' Directors Say Medieval Irish Folklore Highlights Same Fear and Division Prevalent Today. suggesting a diversity update. Fei Fei gets upset with Chin and leaves him, getting a ride with the Biker Chicks to the crash site. Parents need to know that the fantasy violence in Over the Moon is only mildly scary, and the sadder scenarios -- a dying mother, a "Chamber of Exquisite Sadness" for the grief stricken -- ultimately lead to positive lessons and personal growth. To top all this off, I've scribed short films and documentaries, conceptualizing stories and scripts from a human interest and social justice perspective. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. She soon starts floating to the moon. The story (written by the late Audrey Wells, who died in 2018, and to whom the movie is dedicated) derived from the Chinese myth of the moon goddess, who achieved immortality but lost her love . This finding is unsurprising when the President and other leaders continue to blame China for the coronavirus, using hateful rhetoric that rings like playground taunts. I am a Chinese American who emigrated as a child and worked at our familys takeout restaurant starting when I could barely see over the counter. This charming film combines magical locations, impressive animation, memorable musical numbers, sweet characters, and positive life lessons in a fairy tale about the boundless love of family. She was shown to be a caring mother who enjoyed telling Fei Fei Chang'e's and the Space Dog stories. Here are some examples of shows where this happened, from "Big Mouth" to "The Simpsons. Your privacy is important to us. Over the Moon (2020) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Read more about how we rate and review. [5][6] On February 6, 2018, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film and Glen Keane was set to direct. She fights to hold tight to the stories and memories of her mother, who died four years earlier . In her song and dance performances, Chang'e's curves are fitted with tight clothing. They're trained in creating high-quality parenting advice based on best practices in child development. So in these somber times, Over the Moon prompted in me a quiet rejoicing. She is portrayed by Cathy Ang. Her rocket almost succeeds until she realizes that Chin snuck aboard her rocket and they begin to crash to Earth. The film ambitiously balances tradition and progress. Just found out that Audrey Wells wrote Over the Moon as a last love letter to her husband and daughter before she died and now I am going to cry Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. It broke Carl because it was their dream to be explorers, causing him to hole up in their home. "We will do this film on a razor's edge of whether it happened, whether it was real, whether it was a dream or not, and leave it for the audience to choose.". I did mention the space chickens, regulation hooligans whose high-speed motorcycle chase might inspire a craving for a poultry-centered Mad Max movie. Over the Moon is about a young Chinese girl named Fei Fei who, in memory of her late mother, builds her own rocket ship to travel to the moon to prove the existence of the legendary Moon. Chang'e has grown tired of waiting on her lover's soul, so when the Jade Rabbit finally cracks the potion, she's all too excited. In Over the Moon, Fei Fei takes a bite out of the mooncake and finds the other half of the amulet, which is the gift she was looking for this entire time. Long ago, shetook immortality pills, which sent her to the moon and separated her from Houyi. Just as Dorothy went to a dream world filled with larger-than-life personalities, some of whom resembled friends and neighbors, Fei Fei encounters other characters on the moon, who are voiced by family members. Be prepared to cry. Did it happen?" Moreover Over the Moon is also based on a Chinese myth. Fei Fei is warned that if she enters the chamber she might never return but she goes in anyway and pleads Change to return. The opening sequences are lovely, with our heroine Fei Fei (voiced by Cathy Ang) enraptured as a young girl by her mothers stories of moon goddess Change and her sadness over her earthbound true love Houyi. Theres pleasure in that one-thing-after-another randomness, up to a point. They wanted to go to Paradise Falls in South America, but life kept getting in the way, and eventually, Ellie fell ill and died. We've seen it all before, but the one thing that's different is the colours whether it's the weird and wonderful creatures walking around or the stunning picturesque views of China's landscape. "Over the Moon" is the final screenplay written by Audrey Wells ( "The Hate U Give" ), who died of cancer in 2018 a tragedy that ripples poignantly through the opening scenes of young Fei. Houyi does this till the day he dies. They return to Lunaria's palace, rejoin Chin and Bungee, and present the gift to Chang'e, who makes a full jade circle. Starring: Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong. What can we do to foster pride in our Chinese heritage during a pandemic that has been distinctly anti-Asian? However, one-day Houyis wife Change finds the elixir and drinks it. Contents 1 Personality 2 Appearance 3 History 4 Gallery 5 Trivia Personality Zhong is a caring woman, who had a tough time trying to bond with Fei Fei but was able to in the end. Oh, FYI, I'd love to write the Gargoyles movie for Disney. The country, which has the world's second most deadly outbreak after Italy, recorded 838 deaths from the pandemic yesterday, its third straight daily record for coronavirus deaths. She fights to hold tight to the stories and memories of her mother, who died four years earlier. The pain of losing a parent is devastating. The film was produced by Pearl Studio and Netflix Animation, and animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Things get rather creakier once Fei Fei, a top student with a particular aptitude for science, decides to build a rocket ship that will take her to the moon, so that she can prove that Change really exists. See details about Move release time & date here. The original songs I would never know. And things only get worse when Fei Feisees Chang'e on the dark side of the moon, becoming bitter and depressed in her palace, leaving her to wonder if true love actually exists and if it will eventually doom her as well. The title seems perfect as the characters are literally travelling to the moon, but the phrase also means a state of being delighted or extremely happy. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? However, Fei Fei's mother falls ill, and gives her daughter a white rabbit named Bungee before passing away. 11:02 PM EDT, Fri October 23, 2020, A playground sits empty at Kent Middle School on April 1, 2020 in Kentfield, California, A person wearing a face mask as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 disease walks in Vilanova i la Geltru on March 30, 2020. History At some point she married Ba Ba and gave birth to Fei Fei. When Fei Fei sing the films big I want number, Rocket to the Moon, it feels like a hodgepodge of various Disney belt-a-thons (Let It Go, Part of Your World, Into the Unknown), with a little Papa, Can You Hear Me? thrown in for good measure. Audrey wells who wrote the film wrote it to her daughter and husband before she died of cancer. I recognized in some recent comments from cast member John Cho one of the reasons this film is so powerful for my son and me it represents an Asian family on their own terms, not as bound up in oppression or shame or forced duty. All Rights Reserved. But for every quiet moment that lands, theres a flashy musical number or some half-baked character design (the biker chicks that are actual chickens are a funnier idea in concept than in execution) that breaks the spell. Young Fei Fei: Magnetic levitation's the coolest. If you're bored by now, then you also don't want to hear that I write for ESPN on the PR side of things. ". What began with genuine heartfelt emotion turns into another madcap go to the place and get the thing chase, with Mrs. Zhongs boisterous son Chin (Robert G. Chiu) tagging along on the expedition, and goofy moon-blob Gobi (Ken Jeong) providing moral support and wisecracks. Its about love. She told her stories about the Space Dog and Chang'e. Summary Analysis Luna pulls Xan 's frail body into her lap. This allows the two to accept their loved ones' deaths, restoring light to Lunaria. This tradition has become more popular across China and is celebrated as a mid-autumn festival now. Over the Moon is a charming Chinese inspired animation that's both victim to that but also different to that and thankfully sets the bar quite high in animated filmmaking. Some of the greatest themes from the movie are learning to deal with grief and moving on in life. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. get hair loss from every cancer med. appreciated. Editors Note: Michelle Yang is an advocate who writes about the intersection of Asian American identity, feminism, and mental health. It will often remind you of Spirited Away or Inside Out or other brilliantly successful animations. Check Out The Filming Locations Of This Netflix Show. While he is fading away Houyi tells Change that she needs to move on. Espaol (prximamente) - volver al inicio, Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More, 50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More, 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12, YouTube Kids Channels for Kids Who Love Cartoons, Exploring and Celebrating Multicultural Families with Entertainment. Sign up for notifications from Insider! This was the exact question director Glen Keane brought up to the film's screenwriter, Audrey Wells, who died during the film's production after a battle with cancer. Suddenly the entire place is engulfed darkness and the characters are taken into the exquisite chamber of sadness. We won't share this comment without your permission. She also excels at science and puts her gifts to use to build a rocket. Here she enters an imaginary space kingdom made up of candy-colored "lunarian" creatures and a goddess (voiced by Hamilton's Soo) who appears unexpectedly as a kind of pop artist. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). But it flies high past other films of 2020 and could actually be the best animated film of the yearmaybe. Though I struggled in those early years of transition after immigration, Ive not seen anything like the level of hatred currently directed toward Asians. Set in a picturesque canal city in China with carved stone bridges over waterways, the film offered a peek into the thrill of what it was like to revel in the festival before I emigrated. Until I watched Over the Moon, I didnt know how much I needed it, in this period when I feel pressured to downplay my Asian-ness, however futile and wrong it is. Stay up to date with what you want to know. It is the final film that Wells worked on before her death, and it was dedicated to her memory. The potion's catalyst is the Jade Rabbit and Fei Fei's pet bunny, Bungee, fallingin love. Fei Fei's journey from her home to the moon is meant to parallel Dorothy's journey from Kansas to Oz in the classic film, "The Wizard of Oz. Here's how to fight back. Short answer: Its about grief. Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown on "Family Guy". She admires the Maglev train . Early in the lockdown, my 6-year-old was on his scooter zipping away in front of me on our quiet Seattle neighborhood street when I sensed a car coming from behind. There they encounter some threatening creatures and embark on adventures that put their lives in danger but also bring them closer together and help Fei Fei work through her grief. Over the Moon 2020 | Maturity Rating: 7+ | 1h 40m | Animation Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess. Over the Moon Wiki is a FANDOM Movies Community. The film is currently availableon Netflix. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. Business-wise, I make big cheddar (not really) as a copywriter and digital strategist working with some of the top brands in the Latin America region. The wildcards are not here but you know what? Fei Fei becomes depressed and masks it by becoming a tomboy of sorts, but one can tell it still haunts herlater in life. A boy and a girl hug (not romantically). Fei Fei tries to reach out to Chang'e, but the moment she enters Chang'e's state of sadness, she also becomes depressed due to a vision of her mother. She will be recast into a new role and the role of Molly is intended to be given to a Black or mixed-race actress. What you willand won'tfind in this movie. The scientifically-minded teen decides to travel to the moon so she can prove that Change is real, as a way to remind Fei Feis father to remain devoted to her mothers memory. On the geek side of things, I write about comics, cartoons, video games, television, movies and basically, all things nerdy. Up has become iconic for its opening sequence where young Carl met Ellie and they fall in love. Glenn also voices Lulu, one of the Biker Chicks. We need this film, this small antidote, to shield our children and ourselves, to challenge harmful stereotypes about Chinese people and instill cultural pride. Did you know you can flag iffy content? All rights reserved. Our family decided afterward that it would be unsafe for our son and me to be out without a second adult, further isolating ourselves in an already lonely time. Fei Fei is very intelligent and determined and doesn't like to give up. Up has become iconic for its opening sequence where young Carl met Ellie and they fall in love. Natalie Behring/GettyWarning: this article contains some graphic descriptions.An Idaho forensic pathologist on Wednesday detailed how doomsday mom Lori Vallow's two children were killed in 2019, including how her 7-year-old son was allegedly strangled to death by a plastic bag over his head and duct tape over his mouth.Dr. Not bad for someone from the Caribbean, eh? Over the Moon. She is also a worker at her family's bakery, the specialty being mooncakes. Ma Ma was Fei Fei's mother and Ba Ba's former wife. Carl boxed himself up, but in Ba Ba's case, this damages Fei Fei more as the legends they told her about Chang'e being soulmates with Houyi, waiting for him on the moon, made her believe true love never dies. And then we have the the the lovely ladies and of course, there's the two wildcards. RELATED:Kipo And The Age Of Wonderbeasts Bosses Talk Potential Movie Spinoffs, Sequels. Not bad for someone from the Caribbean, eh? Parents Need to Know. It broke Carl because it was their dream to be explorers, causing him to hole up in their home. Trying to find a precious item, the girl rides on handlebars of a space motorcycle at high speed through a meteor shower, leaps onto the back of a space frog and between floating platforms, is nearly exploded to bits. Dreamy, China-set musical fairy tale has positive lessons. Who is Moon's mother WOF? The website's critics consensus reads: "Although many of Over the Moon's narrative ingredients will seem familiar, the film's absorbing animation offers colorful compensation. This is a film that so blatantly cribs from other popular works that it never develops a personality of its own. I said, 'Oh, OK. Zhong is Chin 's mother, Ba Ba 's second wife and Fei Fei 's step-mother. You know, I mean, you know how we do TV around here, don't they? The title also hints at Georges Melies' early film adventure, A Trip to the Moon, an image alluded to in the movie. Read |7 Best Halloween Movies on Netflix: List of thrillers to watch on October 31. 2023 Cable News Network. That said, I'm on Twitter @RenaldoMatadeen. Azaria also did the voice of Carl, who was voiced byAlex Dsert in its last season premiere. So she really did go, and really did meet Chang'e, and all of that really happened. When gentrification occurred around him, he tied balloons to his house so it would float away and preserve his wife's memories. She lit up, saying, "Well, of course. It's quite often when an animated film comes out and they try to imitate or to simulate the same narrative aspects or the same characterisation or even the same animated standards of Disney. Based on images from Nasa, Brown University, Rhode Island, published research in 2020 that claimed that while many speculate the moon is dead, recent images could show that the moon: "may still. When the amulet becomes a whole and complete piece, Changes deceased husband Houyi is resurrected. Kids can learn a little about Chinese customs and, Family, home, and tradition are pillars of a child, Fei Fei displays great courage in building a rocke, Young girl loses her mother to illness, struggles, Fei Fei's parents hug and show plenty of affection, The moon goddess is said to have taken a magic pot, Parents need to know that the fantasy violence in Over the Moon is only mildly scary, and the sadder scenarios -- a dying mother, a "Chamber of Exquisite Sadness" for the grief stricken -- ultimately lead to positive lessons and personal growth. Rolf didnt make the choice, he had to leave Sara behind and he did look back, he did everything he could to save the person he left behind and went back to find her. Fei Feis beloved mom, whose bakery makes the towns most delicious mooncakes, passes away after falling ill. A few years later, Fei Feis dad (John Cho) plans to marry again (his fiance, the widowed Mrs. Zhong, is voiced by Sandra Oh), which makes Fei Fei upset. Did you notice any Disney references or resemblances in this film? However, it is only enough for a single person. She designs a rocket that resembles a Chinese paper lantern in the shape of a rabbit that uses fireworks to boost her speed. A recent release,Netflix's Over The Moon, tries to follow in the same vein, even pulling off some similar beats, butsurprisingly, it's more heartbreaking than Up. Inspired by a crane and the legend of Chang'e, she decides to build a rocket to the Moon to prove that Chang'e is real. Directors Glen Keane John Kahrs Writers Audrey Wells Jennifer Yee McDevitt Alice Wu Stars Glen Keane Brycen Hall Ruthie Ann Miles See production, box office & company info Watch on Netflix with subscription Since the pandemic began, I havent been able to bring myself to wear my favorite Its an honor just to be Asian T-shirt quoting Sandra Oh. "Cherish life and everything you love." Xan asks if Luna's magic has started and says that she'll die soon. Sometimes it's so good it stands out, but other times the story mechanics are very familiar with Disney that it can make the film very far from being a success. She also can't accept her father getting engaged to a new woman, Mrs. Zhong. If that's what you want to believe, absolutely. The comedy-drama is helmed by Glen Keane and based on the epic screenplay written by Audrey Wells in collaboration with Alice Wuand Jennifer Yee McDevitt. Netflix's "Over the Moon" is the story of a girl who goes to the lunar surface and finds a Disney castle, a Disney princess, and even an Olaf character. I wonder if Over the Moon will be too Chinese for Western audiences while simultaneously too Western in its theme and philosophy for Eastern ones. Movies. YOLO. The news came following the show's episode in February. I remember eating fresh mooncakes as a child and learning that everything is round to symbolize unity and coming together. She died shortly after, in which Ba Ba tells Fei Fei. Animators often observe, correctly, that their form of filmmaking isnt just for kids, so its depressing to watch this movie take a 180 from sweet and relatable to noisy and wacky. I also write about music in terms of punk, indie, hardcore and emo because well, they rock! This Mid-Autumn Festival season, a holiday like Thanksgiving where loved ones reunite over a feast under a harvest moon, help comes from an unexpected source, a Netflix original available this week. Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. Upon her return, Fei Fei and her family begin celebrating the moon festival. This kind of denial isn't easy and manifests in resentment towards Ms. Zhong and her son, Chin, to the point Fei Fei becomes a cruel, selfish bully. The impact of her death is palpable, yet we know nothing about her, only that Bastian is a very sad little boy. So, does Fei Fei really travel to the moon? It's likely that Netflix will go to the Oscars with this but whether they'll get the prize is a different story. Chang'e challenges Chin to a game of ping pong to learn the location of the gift, but Chin wins, further upsetting Chang'e. I called out for my child to stop, but under his bright helmet painted with a cartoon lion, he couldnt hear me. A scary place called the Chamber of Exquisite Sadness. Houyi is very angry at Changes selfish actions but still misses her. Updated Expect some innocent expressions of affection; iffy language is limited to childish taunts, plus "butt" and "poo.". For him, that was animating light. Robert G. Chiu as Chin, Mrs. Zhong's 8-year-old son and Fei Fei's stepbrother.
