Sunday Afternoon Movie: The Secret of Kells

There's nothing J and I like better than to curl up under a blanket on a Sunday afternoon whilst watching a movie.

To say that I'm animation geek would be an understatement, so you know that given the choice, my vote will always go to an animated movie. Our latest pick was 'The Secret of Kells'. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't heard of this flick until last year's Oscars, where it was nominated for Best Animated Picture - and the only film in the category I hadn't seen. So needless to say, I sought it out, and I was not disappointed.

The film tells the story of Brendan, a young apprentice at an Irish monastery, during the creation of the illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells.



Personally, I think this trailer makes it look like slightly more of a Hollywood-epic than it is, which is a shame as The Secret of Kells' charm lies in its gentleness (though when it counts, they don't pull any punches with the drama - not one for the tinies perhaps) and its absolutely jaw-dropping visuals. Every scene is perfectly crafted, which is perhaps not surprising considering the depth of its source material! 

Another pleasant surprise was the blend of Christian lore and Celtic mythology - seemingly working together in harmony. Given the subject matter, it would have been very easy to sway too far in either direction, but the filmmakers have struck a very happy balance.

This is definitely going to be an addition to my dvd collection - I can't recommend it highly enough!

(In other news, I had the pleasure of seeing the real life Book of Kells when I visited Dublin a couple of years back. It's housed in the Trinity College Library and it's well worth a look-in.)