With its jewel-bright colors and intricate use of lines, the result is absolutely luscious to behold.
The Secret of Kells
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
France, Belgium, Ireland · 2009
1h 15m
Director Tomm Moore
Starring Evan McGuire, Christen Mooney, Brendan Gleeson, Mick Lally
Genre Animation, Family, Fantasy
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Brendan lives in an outpost that is under siege. So when a master illuminator arrives with a magical book Brendan begins to hope that it can help end the siege. But the book is unfinished. Brendan journeys into an enchanted forest and, with the help of a mysterious fairy, ventures to complete the book.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The New York Times by A.O. Scott
It is only fitting that a movie concerned with the power and beauty of drawing -- the almost sacred magic of color and line -- should be so gorgeously and intricately drawn.
A gorgeous transcription of medieval decorative art and its themes into a contemporary animated narrative, one that should enthrall children older than 8 or so, along with the adults lucky enough to watch with them.
There's something kind of captivating about a film that's been painstakingly drawn to glorify the craft of illustration, and that's comfortable using retro techniques. Because after all, what else makes sense for bringing to life the gold and scarlet ornamentation in ancient manuscripts?
The movie isn’t quite suitable for the extremely young, but its apocalyptic tint may be catnip for smart preteens. They’ll breathe in the chilly air of a mysterious forest--the way forests should be.
Quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.
The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen
Kells proves that in the increasingly high-tech world of feature animation, there still can be a place for old-time tradition.
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
Regrettably, the film's story is so busy yet flat that the effect isn't magical -- it's more like watching the tale of some very enchanted wallpaper.
Boxoffice Magazine by Pam Grady
The exquisite art and fairytale ambience will win over animation fans and children alike.
Users who liked this film also liked
Distant
(Uzak)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Turkey • 2002
- Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Cast Muzaffer Özdemir, Emin Toprak, Zuhal Gencer, Nazan Kirilmis, Feridun Koc, Fatma Ceylan
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
(人間の條件 第3部望郷篇/第4部戦雲篇)
First Sequel of an Anti-War Masterpiece
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1959
- Director Masaki Kobayashi
- Cast Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Kokinji Katsura, Jun Tatara, Michirô Minami, Kei Satō
- Genre War, Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel
A Town Called Panic
(Panique au village)
They came… They saw… They panicked...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Belgium, Luxembourg, France • 2009
- Director Vincent Patar
- Cast Stéphane Aubier, Bruce Ellison, Vincent Patar, Jeanne Balibar, Bouli Lanners, Benoît Poelvoorde
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
- Available on OVID, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Georgica
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Estonia • 1998
- Director Sulev Keedus
- Cast Evald Aavik, Mait Merekülski, Ülle Toming, Andres Ait, Katri Altmäe, Maret Elbing
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Father and Daughter
Moved to tears in 8 minutes
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands • 2001
- Director Michael Dudok de Wit
- Cast
- Genre Animation, Drama
- Available on Kanopy
Nirvana in Fire
(琅琊榜)
A story of family honor, political betrayal, and warring dynasties set against the unrest of 4th-century China.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China • 2015
- Creator Kong Sheng, Li Xue
- Cast Huang Xiaoming, Liu Haoran, Tong Liya
- Genre Drama
- Available on Rakuten Viki
Last Known Address
(Dernier domicile connu)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy • 1970
- Director José Giovanni
- Cast Lino Ventura, Marlène Jobert, Michel Constantin, Paul Crauchet, Alain Mottet, Béatrice Arnac
- Genre Thriller, Crime
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Humpbacked Horse
(Конёк-Горбунок)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Soviet Union • 1975
- Director Ivan Ivanov-Vano, Boris Butakov
- Cast Aleksei Gribov, Mariya Vinogradova, Georgiy Vitsin, Vera Yenyutina, Svetlana Kharlap, Aleksandr Khanov
- Genre Animation, Fantasy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Ringing Bell
(チリンの鈴)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1978
- Director Masami Hata
- Cast Akira Kamiya, Minori Matsushima, Seizō Katō, Hitoshi Takagi, Taeko Nakanishi
- Genre Animation, Drama, Family
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Moth Diaries
- ✭ ✭
- Canada, United States, Ireland • 2011
- Director Mary Harron
- Cast Sarah Bolger, Lily Cole, Sarah Gadon, Scott Speedman, Valerie Tian, Melissa Farman
- Genre Horror
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Plex, Plex Channel
Song of the Sea
Ben helps his mute sister find her voice in a world of Celtic mythology.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Ireland, Denmark, Belgium • 2014
- Director Tomm Moore
- Cast Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle, Pat Shortt, Jon Kenny, Lisa Hannigan
- Genre Family, Animation, Fantasy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Breadwinner
An enchanting story of a brave young girl who puts her life at risk to provide for her family.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg • 2017
- Director Nora Twomey
- Cast Saara Chaudry, Soma Bhatia, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Ali Badshah, Noorin Gulamgaus
- Genre Animation, Drama, Family, War
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Gabriel and the Mountain
(Gabriel e a montanha)
Before entering a prestigious American university, Gabriel Buchmann decides to travel the world with only a backpack for one year.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Brazil, France • 2017
- Director Fellipe Barbosa
- Cast João Pedro Zappa, Caroline Abras, Rashidi Athuman, Luke Mpata, Alex Alembe
- Genre Drama
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, VUDU Free, Kanopy
Lourdes
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2019
- Director Thierry Demaizière, Alban Teurlai
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Hoopla
Sundown
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2020
- Director Shanshan Zou
- Cast Léna Soussan, Clara Poudevigne, Sam Horowitz, Léonard Hicks, Daria Pisareva
- Genre Animation
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Superhost
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United States • 2021
- Director Brandon Christensen
- Cast Grace Phipps, Barbara Crampton, Sara Canning, Osric Chau
- Genre Thriller
- Available on Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Hoopla