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CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

K James I have to say, I did not see this movie coming. The premise alone is an interesting one - a baby is born with the ability to speak, to cut his own umbilical cord. He's born in a small, cursed village in Africa, indebted to and terrified of an evil Sorceress who is always watching them. And, somehow, it gets even more fantastical from there.I really enjoyed this movie, which carries several surprises my viewing party didn't guess until they happened.

princessgemmell Kirokou et la Sorcière is a colorful, beautifully animated story of conquering initial perception of one's actions, and healing pain to find acceptance. The artist portrays the characters in their traditional clothing. Although not recommended for children, this film is highly recommended for those who are mature enough for cartoon nudity. In the film opening we see the birth of Kirokou. The fact that he speaks while still in the womb and births himself sets the imaginative spectrum of this film in a place that we, as Americans, aren't used to. I found this amazingly refreshing! Finally a story that isn't completely predictable! Kirokou sets out immediately after he is born to help his uncle defeat the evil sorceress, Karaba. After meeting Karaba, and returning home, Kirokou asks the most important question: "Why is the sorceress so mean and evil?" There are many things in life that can turn people's attitudes sour. Many bullies are found to have underlying issues at home and they have angry outbursts towards others. Other cases, allow their exterior to develop rumors. Kirokou discovers that tragic events in Karaba's life caused her to leave the village, grow a hatred for men, and allow the villagers to think that she was the source of their misfortunes. Karaba wasn't completely innocent of all charges, but the evil done to her left a thorn in her back. Everyday she relived that pain and found ways to get revenge. Kirokou searched for the reasoning for Karaba's out lashes and sought to rebalance her life. In America, Karaba would've been killed for her evil deeds. African literature has a very different way of resolving things. Instead of decapitating her, Kirokou removed the thorn and re-introduced her to the village. All problems solved, life rebalanced, and everyone was happy. The animation of the film reflected the mood of the scene and not everything was perfect. Most animation has things exposed only if they are visually perfect. Kirokou et la Sorcière depicts how things as they really are in real life. Not everyone is the same. The village coloring was simple, but happy; the sorceress was shown in bold, richness and the land around her was devoid of color, lifeless; and Kirokou's grandfather, who was a being of a higher power, is in bright light, dressed in white, and seems to emit a brightness about him. Kirokou et la Sorcière is a breath of freshness that is highly recommended for mature audiences around the world. No one should be forced to endure the pain and suffering that Karaba did, but we should all have the courage to help heal the wounds that have been inflicted.

catscholle Kirikou and the Sorceress is a delightful story of an unlikely hero whose confidence and quick wit enables him to overcome the evil in his village. Although quite small, Kirikou comes into the world with a sense of optimism that can only come from his pure innocence. He begins asking his mother questions then makes decisions that he will help his village become a better place. He is able to convince everyone in the village that he is strong and clever all while enduring their taunts about how small he is. He also is noticed by the Karaba, the Sorceress, as a threat to her and orders her fetishes to watch him. Kirikou finds out from his mother that only his Grandfather knows why Karaba is "so mean and evil". Kirikou's journey to get to the mountain to find his Grandfather becomes a series of challenges that we hear him think through and endure. Along the way, Kirikou earns the trust and admiration of forest creatures that are able to overcome their own fears and help him. Once he finds his grandfather, he learns the source of Karaba's evil and that his own strength is within him and he has carried it all along. My favorite quote was from Grandfather, he told Kirikou that "you will always find people that want to harm you no matter how good you are to them, as water will drown you and fire will burn you".This type of story has been told hundreds of time, in many cultures, over many generations. In my generation, this story of overcoming evil by finding the strength within was told through The Wizard of Oz and a variety of Walt Disney feature films. Unlike all of those, Kirikou and the Sorceress takes on a more traditional folktale approach to telling the story. The story told through the eyes of a child, retains its innocence by using simple illustrations and the music serves to enhance the narration instead of foretelling the story as it moves along. The artistic interpretation of what is good and what is evil makes the entire movie flow and would be very easy for a child to understand. With wisdom beyond his years and the ability to forgive, Kirikou is more of a man than all others in the village. Those two were both misunderstood and found a mutual respect and understanding that no other would be able to provide them. Although I initially found the ending to be odd, as I thought about it, it was perfectly fitting.As with any movie, it is important for parents to review it first before sharing with young children. The story is beautiful and perfectly suitable for kids; however, cultural differences may cause some discomfort with the nudity. I found it tasteful and an opportunity for an open family discussion.

jasonhahnfl I felt that the animated film Kirikou and the Sorceress, directed by Michel Ocelot, and was an enjoyable film. Ocelot does a great job portraying African culture in a fun and traditional manner.This culturally rich African folklore presents a classical hero story which was great because of the unique manner in which it was presented. Although the film was your typical hero story, it was the introduction of an unlikely hero that first got me. Little baby Kirikou, fresh out of the womb; lighting quick and very wise is what first took me out of my comfort zone. In addition to our hero being a naked infant, all the characters run around topless which wasn't bad thing, just different. The movie was very simple and yet very complex at the same time. Simplistically speaking it was the actual story line, the graphics, the communication between characters it all very direct meaning if there was a problem the character would state the problem and then how he should fix it, which made the story easy to follow. The colors in this film made it clear how you were suppose to feel. With technology and the evil sorceress being represented in dark colors and culture, tradition seen as the village represented in light colors and fun music. I felt the complexity lied in the overall message the movie was trying to convey and by many people this message could be interpreted in different ways.Overall I enjoyed the movie because it conveyed a serious message in a fun and entertaining manner. As I stated before, the movie was culturally different for me but this unique experience also kept the movie exciting. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes anime-folklore films or almost any Disney fan of any type because I felt this film had a strong "Disney" element to it. Disney element, basically meaning the film was friendly and the manner in which they told their story was cute and fun.