If you want something uplifting and funny among the best Netflix movies to get you through the week, don't sleep on Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. It's a twee movie about a documentary maker, Dean, who discovers that the house he's renting is inhabited by a sweet talking shell (with shoes on) and his grandmother.
The movie starts with Marcel explaining his life and the miniature world of being a funny little guy who potters around a house, but when the videos of him become popular online, he and Dean have to deal with the fame that's suddenly coming their way. With a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, this movie is loved by basically anyone who watched it.
Marcel is such a guileless innocent, you can't help but be charmed by him, helped by an excellent voice performance from Jenny Slate. He just wants to show you all the clever things he does and ideas he has, like a young child, but it's full of funny moments when Marcel is asked questions by Dean, or when Marcel's sheltered world interacts with the rest of the planet.
His grandmother, voiced by Isabella Rossalini, is also great fun, and has a bit more knowledge and cheek to her than Marcel has. The movie is fuelled by how funny it is to see Marcel expand his horizons, but at the same time how much you want him to stay protected and innocent. And bubbling through it as a plot is the mystery of where Marcel's family went – he used to live with many more folks like him, but ended up with just his grandmother. You may tear up more than once…
It's 90 minutes, it's adorable, it's excellent, and it's ready to go on Netflix. Give Marcel a run out!
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