2016 ( UK | Spain | USA ) ( Drama, Fantasy )
DIRECTOR: J.A. Bayona
STARRING: Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones
“A Monster Calls” is a fantastical children’s tale with grown-up elements that recalls the inventive, imaginative work of directors Guillermo Del Toro or Tim Burton, and is a better movie than either of them have made in years.
It tells the story of Conor (Lewis MacDougall), a boy “too old to be a kid, too young to be a man,” whose mother (Felicity Jones) is dying of cancer. He’s also picked on at school and doesn’t get along with his grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). When he retreats into the recesses of his mind, he befriends a giant tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) who tells him stories and provides some much-needed comfort.
This film packs a powerful emotional punch. It takes on adult issues and doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of its subject matter.
(1hr 48min)