Wordiezett So much average

Lawbolisted Powerful

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Pluskylang Great Film overall

JTurner82 The first thing I should mention about BIG FISH AND BEGONIA is that it is visually stunning. I do not recall seeing many Chinese animated productions (although I wouldn't be surprised if I had inadvertently stumbled upon one without realizing it), but this is one of the most visually impressive I've seen from the country. Like a magnet, it seduces you from the first frame and keeps you entranced for all 100 minutes. In a way, this film reminded me a bit of Laika's recent KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS. That film, while not a tightly plotted story, was nonetheless so visually stimulating that one could not help but be glued to their seats throughout. BIG FISH is the same way.Describing the plot, it's sort of a mixing pot of THE LITTLE MERMAID with shades of SPIRITED AWAY and Chinese mythology. Basically, this film imagines an "alternate world" way beneath the ocean -- a sort of mythological Chinese flavored kingdom whose inhabitants are some sort of humanoid "spirits" with powers who are responsible for guarding the balance of nature. One of its residents, 16-year-old Chun, participates in a sort of "coming of age" ceremony, in which she is transformed into a crimson colored dolphin and swims to the surface world. Here she comes face to face with a human boy and his little sister. But the visit turns tragic when she is trapped in a fisherman's net. The boy courageously rescues her, only to drown. Feeling responsible, Chun travels beyond the boundaries of her village to some sort of one-eyed demon (Lengpo, the Lady of Souls), where she strikes a Faustian bargain. The boy will be reborn as a dolphin, whom she will have to tame and grow until he is old enough to return to hid world. But the price is two-fold. First, she must give up half of her life force to revive the boy in question (whom she names Kun), and whatever pain he receives, she'll receive too. The second and more dangerous outcome involves unnatural disasters such as rainstorms, maelstroms, and even snow which threaten to destroy her world's existence. Only her closest friend Qiu, who secretly harbors a crush on her, might be able to set things right.As mentioned, BIG FISH AND BEGONIA is absolutely breathtaking to look at. The film is also rich with metaphorical imagery, particularly when talking about matters such as life and death. In one scene, for instance, when an old man dies, he is reborn as a tree. His similarly deceased wife, incidentally, is some sort of peacock who comes to rest on the tree in question. In terms of character development, BIG FISH AND BEGONIA isn't very heavy on it, but Qiu, oddly enough, emerges as the most interesting of the characters. When we first meet him he appears to be somewhat mischievous and playful. But he also has a very serious dedicated side to him, and ultimately goes to great lengths to help the person dearest to him. The rest of the cast don't stand out as much, but with the possible exception of one fairly negligible potential baddie (who lives in a rat-infested sewer), nobody comes across as truly unsympathetic. Only issue is that there are a plethora of minor characters who only have about five minutes of screentime, to the point where we don't get to know them as well, but that's my only issue.The dub by Studiopolis is well done for the most part, with no noticeably bad performances, although I DID detect some mistimed lines at least in the first half hour -- I do find it jarring to see a character's mouth start flapping only for no sound to come out until the second one, and this unfortunately sometimes happens in the beginning. Thankfully, this problem disappears in the second half, and other than that, as mentioned, everyone plays their roles well. Stephanie Sheh and Johnny Yong Bosch, in particular, do great turns as the lead characters, Chun and Qiu, respectively.Perhaps the best way to describe this film is that it is more visual poetry rather than a cohesive plot, but it also offers a sincere heart that somehow manages to win the viewer over. The ending is also bittersweet and will surely wrench tears. (I know I was crying toward the end!) Directors Lian Xuan and Zhang Chun spent more than 12 years(!) working on this film, most of it being a series of starts and stops. According to the making-of-featurette, this film started off as a wildly successful 7 minute short made in Flash, but acquiring funds for expanding it into a feature proved problematic, and nearly disbanded the animation studio B & J. So what saved the day? Crowdfunding, that's what. The amount of interest from said crowdfunds prompted a Chinese distributor to take a chance and fund the film. Xuan and Chun's lengthy labor of love was greatly rewarded: the film was a smash hit in China, the second most successful animated film over thereI wouldn't say this movie reaches the echelons of say, Studio Ghibil, but it doesn't have to. If you're an animation fan and want to see something this breathtaking and emotional, you can't go wrong with this one. Every second of it will have you nailed to your seat.

rannynm An emotional masterpiece, Big Fish & Begonia is an artistically magical and thought provoking piece of anime. The animation is beautiful. I felt as if I was watching a classic painting come to life. The story is unforgettable. Each scene left my heart yearning for the characters to succeed. The story follows a humble, brave girl name Chun who dedicates her life to help a kind boy, Kun, who gives his life to save hers after she travels from her magical to his human world. She goes to great lengths to bring him back and gives him all her love and care. However, when a variety of obstacles threaten Kun's survival, Chun risks everything to save him. The animation is mystical and brings Chun's fantastical land to life. The characters from Chun's world are unique and their strange characteristics bring a special quality that is unlike other films. Many characters have a quirky addition such as antlers or a completely other-worldly face with multiple eyes. These subtle additions enhance the fresh and original elements the film specializes in. The backgrounds and scenery take the animation to the next level. The water and ocean play a huge role in the film and the animation transforms the water, displaying its beauty and importance. At night the ocean reflects the sky, its stars and the sublime hues present; while during the day it is almost invisible and many objects look like they are floating through air. One of the most notable animation feats is the scenery. In many favorite parts we see Chun running across landscapes and the camera captures her world in the most artistic way.The emotions of this film left me in awe, showing the friendship and love these characters are capable of. In every scene, I was either smiling or in tears because of the sacrifices they make for each other and for each others' happiness. The music enhances the mood of these scenes with a mysterious and peaceful quality. The messages of Big Fish and Begonia are: 1. If your conscience is clear, it doesn't matter what others think and 2. Follow your heart. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 to 18. Reviewed by Sahiba K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.

Wenda Hu I have not watched a film made in China for quite a long time even if I am Chinese myself. Our film industry still has a long way to go. However, I am deeply impressed by the creative story and the perfect combination of 2D and 3D animation of DaYuHaiTang, and I personally consider the film as a revolutionary art piece. Through the story, the film emphasize the relationship of our life and our dreams. It encourages us to stick to what we eager for, to what we believe, even when the environment is against us. In the movie, Kun is the symbol of our dreams. It grows, it flies, and its life is tightly related to the one who raises it. We are born to achieve something, if the goal in our life isn't achieved eventually, our life is meaningless. Be brave and go ahead, that's what the film wants to teach us.The movie contains many Chinese traditional elements, which has seldom been seen before. I am also glad to see that Chinese animation has finally started to focus on how to move audience emotionally. However, there are many shortcomings as well. The film has a good story, but it failed to tell it well. The plot goes too fast at the beginning, and too slow at the end. Besides, a lot of redundant words can be found during conversations. Maybe the film crew should do something about that in their next movie.The film did a great job, but it's the audience in the cinema that let me down. I was shocked to see many people laughing mockingly at the characters at some meaningful scenes just because it seems funny to them. Some people are even insulting the film and the characters on the Internet as well. In my opinion, whether a film is good or not, it is an art piece, and it is the result of the film crew's diligence and creativity. We should talk about the strong points and drawbacks of the film objectively, not insulting it without thinking deeply. The poor moral quality of the audience can be seen in those rude remarks. The Chinese animation industry is developing rapidly, it's the audience ability to appreciate films that failed to keep up.

i-73517 It's not only a movie about love,but also a movie about dedication and toredeem.It's not clearly said what it want to show,but if you see the second time,it will be better.So i think it's a good movie. Some people who only see the movie one time is hard to make a gooe comment,because it's so obscure that hard to see.Da Hai is not like the movies made by Hollywood,it like a novel more,which want the viewers to watch twice or more in order to understand it.When I see some people think the love story in the movie is very unpleasant,I really want to tell them:it's better for you to see the twice time,because it never tell a love story,but a philosophy story.