Directed by Peter Sohn, Elementaire plunges us into the heart of Element City, a city where fire, water, earth and air coexist in perfect balance, each living according to their own customs. At the center of this Disney-Pixar animation, Flam, a feisty, determined young woman, meets Flack, a gentle, tender water boy. While their opposite personalities seem incompatible, their budding friendship will shake up preconceived ideas and lead Flam to see the world from a different angle. Starring Adèle Exarchopoulos as Flam and Vincent Lacoste as Flack, this animated comedy with spectacular visuals promises a charming exploration of relationships between elements.
Élémentaire will be broadcast on Disney+ from November 28, 2024.
Synopsis: In Element City, fire, water, earth and air live in perfect harmony. This is the home of Flam, an intrepid, quick-witted young woman with a strong character, and Flack, a sentimental, fun-loving boy who's more of a follower at heart. Their friendship challenges Flam's beliefs about the world they live in...
Elementary is aimed at families and young viewers aged 6 and over who appreciate animated stories filled with endearing characters and amusing situations. This film should appeal to those who have enjoyed other Pixar works, such as Vice-Versa or Soul, which explore emotions and relationships in unique ways. Audiences looking for animated films with universal themes, such as acceptance of self and differences, may be particularly drawn to the journey of Flam and Flack, who overcome their differences to better understand each other. With its message of inclusion and tolerance, this story sheds an accessible light on the stereotypes and judgments we may have towards others.
The visual universe of Element City is one of Elementaire's major assets, with each neighborhood representing a specific element in immersive, original detail. Director Peter Sohn and his team set up a complex system of animated sets to capture the contrast between Flam and Flack, embodying fire and water respectively. The film also features carefully chosen French voices, with Adèle Exarchopoulos and Vincent Lacoste lending their talents to bring the main characters to life.
With its unique visual style and a story about diversity and tolerance, Elementary looks set to provide entertainment that's as moving as it is instructive. Combining humor, family values and a fascinating visual framework, this Pixar animation promises to be a film to enjoy with the whole family, perfect for a moment of escape and reflection.
Our verdict on Element City:
InElement City, fire, water, earth and air live in perfect harmony. That is, as long as each one stays in its own corner. For the elements don't always mix well, and their cohabitation can quickly become explosive. This city, clearly reminiscent of New York, is home to Flam, an intrepid, quick-witted young woman with a strong character, and Flack, a sentimental, fun-loving boy who's more of a follower at heart. Their meeting is the starting point for a succession of disasters, but above all for a beautiful love story.
Pixar's new film is the first romantic comedy of its kind. The viewer soon realizes that Flam and Flack are not just friends. Rather rare in a children's film, this genre is well brought out this time, not always subtle, but wildly endearing. There's no great originality in this tale of impossible love between two opposing "races". As is often the case in Pixar films, there is a subtext, and this is obvious: Elementary is about racism and the desire for social as well as racial diversity (Flam's family is immigrant and poor, while Flack's illustrates a bourgeoisie rooted in art culture).
If the premise doesn't appeal to you, at least let yourself be carried away by the film's sumptuous animation. A pioneer in CG animation, Pixar proves once again that it's miles ahead of its competitors in this field. Elementary is brimming with dazzling visual ideas, and the pinnacle of visual demonstration is reached during an incredible basketball game scene - or at least, the equivalent of this sport in the world ofElementary. Here we see the countless possibilities that such characters offer in terms of animation, and the way the film plays with these bodies of fire, water, plants or air is very reminiscent of Monsters & Co.
What's more, each of these races is animated in a very specific style, giving the whole thing a strange feel. Like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (although the latter pushes the envelope much further), the characters inElemental seem to come straight from different movies, and we'd almost like to see a film entirely dedicated to their little daily lives. For it's true that while the two main characters are fire and water, the plant and wind protagonists are less exploited.
Last but not least, we must mention the short film that precedes the film, Carl's Rendezvous, a true marvel of less than ten minutes. As the introductory sequence to Là-Haut proved, Pixar is capable of upsetting us in record time, and this short, featuring the character of Carl once again, takes its cue from its predecessor. Given the film's brevity, we won't reveal anything about it, except that it's a concentrate of emotions!
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