The Red Turtle

This Oscar-nominated animated fable is memorable for its dazzling aesthetic and imaginative storytelling. The survivalist story revolves around a man who washes up on a tropical island, inhabited only by birds and curious, scuttling sand crabs. Exploring the lush vegetation, thick forests, and rock walls beyond the beach, he slips and falls into a crevasse, but instead of drowning, he manages to find a way out. As time goes on, the protagonist builds a bamboo raft and sets sail, only to have it destroyed by some beast lurking under the water—a process that happens again and again, as a gigantic red turtle simply will not let him leave. In the man's fantasy, the turtle mysteriously shape-shifts into a beautiful red-haired woman, discreetly covered by a large shell. When he decides to abandon the raft, she discards her shell. They mate and have a child, but danger lurks over the decades, as they struggle to find food and survive tsunamis. Collaborating with Japan's renowned Studio Ghibli, Dutch director Michaël Dudock de Wit went to the Seychelles to research the film, which features no dialogue and uses spare, hand-drawn imagery to convey emotion as the castaway adapts to and makes peace with his situation. A leisurely, dreamlike film that is more likely to appeal to adults than children, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary with director Michael Dudok de Wit, a “making-of” featurette (57 min.), an AFI Fest Q&A (21 min.), and “The Secrets” behind-the-scenes segment (18 min.). Bottom line: a fine extras package for this Oscar-nominated animated film.] (S. Granger)