Director: Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe
Cast: (voices) Abbie Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike RiandaWhere can I watch?: The Mitchells vs the Machines is streaming on Netflix
Rating: 5/5
Review: Sometimes, you come across a film that leaves you with aching cheeks from smiling so much at the screen. It's a rare occasion, and one that should be sought out, which is why I wholly recommend that you seek out The Mitchells vs the Machines. 'But, it's a kid's film,' I hear you cry, but I care not - sometimes the movies rated 'U' and 'PG' are more sensitive, more creative, more intelligent than anything daubed with a bright red '18' certificate.
The story of a dysfunctional family, their unidentifiable dog and a worldwide machine takeover, The Mitchells vs the Machines marries painfully accurate family interactions with clever animation and... wait, is that a Furby? It's brilliantly bonkers stuff, but the heart of the film is all about the reconnection between the nuclear family: filmmaker Katie (Abbie Jacobson) and her father, Rick (Danny McBride), have become estranged over the years; mum Linda (Maya Rudolph) is obsessed with their Instagram-perfect neighbours; and little brother Aaron (unfortunately voiced by a gruff-sounding Mike Rianda, who also directs) has concerns about when his big sister leaves for college. It's hard not to draw parallels between this virtual family and your own - didn't we all feel misunderstood by our parents as a teenager? - and that's where the real joy of the film comes from. And then there are the eponymous machines. There are a couple of knowing digs at the Tech Giants and our attachment to their addictive products, but there's no anti-tech flag-waving here, rather a realisation that all our gadgets and gizmos have both pros and cons. After all, Katie wouldn't have been able to make her movies without her creative involvement with tech and, on a more meta level, neither would this film either! There are so many joyous moments peppered throughout the film that I can't help but grin again while writing about it. In fact, I just can't do it justice - just watch it!
A Must-Watch?: The Mitchells vs the Machines is a real joy. It's bright, beautifully animated and full of brilliant, life-affirming comedy - few films that describe themselves as 'comedies' ever get it as right as this little gem does. Yes, it's a bit soppy and cheesy in places, but there's so much to love here that you can forgive the writers for going a bit weak at the knees when it comes to the importance of families. Great stuff.
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