“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is likely not going to win the Oscar. Let’s just get that out of the way. That being said, this film absolutely should not be skipped for that reason. Add it back to your watch lists, watch it, and enjoy it. If you’re wondering what on earth Marcel the Shell is, don’t worry, you’re not alone in that. I am one of the only two people I know who has even heard of this movie prior to its Oscar nomination, and the other being the person I saw it with.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is a stop motion animated feature length film about the titular Marcel, who is a shell, with shoes on. This movie is based on a series of youtube short films from the early 2010s, which follows an interview/documentary style interview with a little stop motion shell. The man off camera asks him about his life, and Marcel spends the videos showing off how he gets around, what his hobbies are, and his pet lint that he drags around tied to a hair.

These shorts, all stop motion animated, were already technically impressive, but the transition to a movie allows this format of stop motion animation to truly shine. The lighting in this film is incredible, the seamless transitions between animation and live action, this film is beautiful and technically impressive.

As for the story, the movies follow a similar theme in the beginning, but eventually develops into a story about Marcel trying to connect with part of his family he and his grandmother have been separated from. Thus spans a journey to try and find them, with the help of the documentarian following him around.

This may not sound incredibly exciting, and it’s certainly not an action film, but it is a well written and beautifully animated film about blood family and found family, and the importance of connection in life. No one deserves to be alone, and at the end of the day no one can truly be alone. So whether your friend is a little shell living in your air bnb, or in my case the sister who rushed out of work to see the film with me on a random Wednesday in Boston, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is an important reminder of prioritizing what, and who matters most in your life.