One of the competitors to the Oscar 2025 for best animation, the film by Australian filmmaker Adam Elliot is an extremely well done work and with the short participation of singer Nick Cave; Read the criticism
One of the competitors the best in this, “Memories of a Caracol” is a pleasant surprise from where I didn’t expect anything. Stop motion movies are a big challenge. In a studio with a lot of money, the work is easier. The resources that the Oscar 2004 winner of best animation shorts, the Australian He had in hand with productions like Wallace & Gromit (which we will talk about another opportunity).
The film consists of the life memories of Grace Pudel, a now adult who was born far from a golden cradle and already with various challenges, physical, emotional and financial. She is Gilbert’s twin, a boy with a completely different personality and a key point in this story of resilience and overcoming.
What happens from Grace’s birth is simply chaotic and painful. Construction of a person can be or more, or less easy, but here there is a lot of sadness, many dark tones, a lot of sobriety and most of the time, little joy. But the joy is to understand that everything is fixed, everything is straightened, everything recovers, after all “a snail never turns through the trail, he always goes on” leaving his trail, disgusting in the vision of many, backwards.
Grace used her shell for a long time and in many situations, until she learned from Pinky, an eccentric and fun character who teaches a lot about enjoying life as much as she can. Exactly what you have in life (and what takes it on her when she dies) is learning. Often with bad acts, errors, dissatisfaction and losses. All this serving to boost you forward and seek new experiences.
This is definitely not an animated movie that is for children. “Memories of a Caracol” is an extremely well done work with the participation (short, true) of the singer also Australian . For some that are attached to the past, it can serve as a point of reflection on how to conduct delicate situations and how to move on.
Beautiful work to compete for the Oscar. With a shy campaign and better and more engaged opponents, it is not the favorite and should not be, but it is a good story without a doubt. Adam Eliott confirms that after 20 years he continues to have quality to work with animations.
