In The Attic (Jiri Barta, 2009): Czech Republic/Slovakia/Japan

Reviewed by Emily Day. At the Chinese Theater, at AFI Film Festival, Hollywood.

In The Attic follows the life of toys in the attic, living in their own magical world. There was a good world and and evil world. When one of the main character’s is kidnapped and taken to the land of evil her friends must go on a magical adventure to save her.

This film was such a fun and creative idea. Characters made of bits of things and toys one would find in the attic, was such a great thought for a story. I was very impressed with Jiri Barta’s ideas. The creativity of this film is what struck me the most. Each character had a different personality, each had a dilemma and a fascination with something.  Inanimate objects came alive to show thunderstorms, rushing rivers, and dark violent oceans. Pillows became clouds that brought rain and snow that would fall on the characters as they journeyed from land to land.

I was delighted watching every bit of this film. The cinematography and editing must have taking hours as this was a stop motion film. The patience the director must have had for a a project such as this was incredible to me.

Though it was a foreign film, I was able to follow the plot. It was interesting but not confusing, exciting but not frightening. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone. Children will love the exciting story and adults will be brought back to their childhood remembering when they played dolls and soldiers.

The film was long but entertaining. It was amazing to me that an animated film had such an effect on me. I was sitting at the edge of my seat at times, and then smiling and laughing at other points in the film. The plot had conflict and climax and all that would be expected in any great story. I Very much enjoyed this film and would happily see it again.