We continue our Fantastic Fest coverage with two of the most heartfelt experiences of the entire festival. Both have beautiful messages and were crafted with such love and care. The first is Dreamworks Animation’s latest effort, The Wild Robot, which sees the filmmaker behind How to Train Your Dragon tackle a new experience about parenting and raising children through the eyes of artificial intelligence. The second entry is a surprising documentary titled Will & Harper with Will Ferrell. It explores what it means when friendships change and how to react to those changes. Given these two entries, it was one of the best days at Fantastic Fest. Here are my reviews of The Wild Robot and Will & Harper from my screenings at Fantastic Fest 2024.
Dreamworks Animation’s The Wild Robot has depth and heart
Parenting is a complex road, balancing emotions, stresses, and the hope of giving enough life lessons for a child to survive. The Wild Robot might not seem like a parenting film on the surface, but within its colorful advertisements is a sentimental story about the emotional journey of preparing a kid to flee the home. Animation filmmaker Chris Sanders brings all the heartfelt sensibilities from How To Train Your Dragon and once again applies them to a touching story about mother and child.
The story centers around a futuristic robot who wakes up in the wilderness. The robot named Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) has one directive: when requested to assist, she must fully succeed by any means necessary.
For the film’s first portion, Roz encounters the chaotic dangers of the wild, such as skunks, bears, and the hilariously dangerous army of raccoons. As time passes, Roz analyzes the animals’ communication and establishes a rapport with all the nature around her. From here, we get a sense of the voice cast, which includes a mischievous Fox named Fink (voiced by Pedro Pascal), a motherly possum (voiced by Catherine O’Hara), and a weak, neglected gosling who Roz rescues named Brightbill (Kit Connor).
At the emotional center of the story is Brightbill and Roz’s relationship. Brightbill is the runt among his species, and according to nature, he should not survive. In contrast, Roz is simply a computer and should not care as much as she does, but there is an evolution of life forms between them.
The Dreamworks team brings all the inventive energy that the team brought from Puss In Boots: The Last Wish. The animation is vibrant and beautifully rendered, making all the nature around the story feel like its own character. A simple detail, like leaves blowing in the wind, feels as alive as the animals around the helpful robot.
Overall, Dreamworks made a film with such depth and heart that it will undoubtedly bring tears. The story is wonderfully simple and gorgeous in animation, almost like every background is a Bob Ross painting. This reviewer cannot state this enough: we loved the movie, and the movie going audience will love it when it hits theaters. Dreamworks’ The Wild Robot releases in theaters this Friday, September 27th.
Will & Harper is a heartwarming documentary about friendship with a closer look at the trans experience
When one thinks about Will Ferrell’s catalog of movies, earnestness, sincerity, and sophistication are typically not at the top of one’s mind. As a comedian, Ferrell has made it his life mission to be as low-brow as possible. Will & Harper might be the documentary that reshapes how people perceive the legendary actor. Will & Harper is one of the most touching documentaries of the year in terms of how it discusses friendships and dissects the need for conversation when changes occur within friendships. And for an experience involving the SNL alums, it’s a heartfelt surprise.
The documentary focuses on the enduring friendship between Will Ferrell and Harper Steele (formerly Andrew), a writer for Saturday Night Live and Funny or Die. It starts with a recount of these two individuals’ lives over the past few decades. Harper and Will have been friends since their time at SNL, and their bond has only grown stronger as they have worked together more and more.
In the present day, Harper sends a heartfelt email to those she cherishes and confesses about the transition. While reading the letter, Ferrell unpacks his overwhelming emotions about the change. He admits to being unsure about what everything means now and what it means for their friendship. Instead of acting insecure or invoking humor that punches down, he becomes curious and turns his curiosity into a plan. Ferrell invites his longtime friend on a road trip so they can get to know each other all over again.
From here, Will & Harper journey across different areas of the United States and begin an incredible dialog with one another. Will ponders many questions to Harper as they journey through some friendly and not-so-friendly regions of the country, such as: How did she pick the name Harper? What does their friendship mean now? What are the ground rules now that Harper has made the change? Sometimes, they have these discussions in a car, in restaurants, or in a Walmart parking lot, eating Pringles. It’s in these moments that the film takes on such a more profound and beautiful meaning.
Throughout the comedic setting, a compelling documentary highlights the significance of asking questions in unfamiliar circumstances. In some instances, ignorance can breed hate because the lack of knowledge makes one afraid. It’s a tragic result that typically brings out the worst in people. Will & Harper beautifully demonstrate how asking questions can replace fear with enlightenment. With each passing conversation, one can feel one’s heart getting fuller and fuller.
Overall, Will & Harper is a remarkably heartwarming documentary about lasting friendships. It is tender in its examination of the trans experience, and this reviewer could spend hours watching these two hang out. Will & Harper is a must-watch when it hits Netflix.
Will & Harper releases on Netflix and in select theaters on Friday, September 27th.
Follow this site for more film reviews from Fantastic Fest 2024!
Follow The Cosmic Circus for more coverage of Fantastic Fest 2024, and be sure to visit our YouTube channel where we will be updating details about the festival. Are you looking forward to seeing The Wild Robot or Will & Harper soon? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
Fantastic Fest 2024 Movie Reviews: Anora and Saturday Night
