Flow (2024)

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/flow-review-a-dialogue-free-tale-that-speaks-volumes/

"Flow is a celebration of resilience and collective spirit in times of adversity, as well as a potent reminder of the consequences of human actions on the environment.

With its immersive animation, emotional music, and unique narrative approach, Gints Zilbalodis invites viewers of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on the ability to adapt and unite - not just among species, but within society itself.

It's a testament to the profound, universal messages that can reside in the simplest of stories, inspiring empathy, respect, and awareness of the fragility and beauty of nature."

Rating: B+...

Yes, this film is largely a visual treat but what more do we get here? A fairy tale about different spices getting along – except for with fishes of course, who are merely colorful props who conveniently don't scream. But this fairy tale has little to do with reality, as seen in Europe during the last decade – even if its crude message probably is largely why this film has been received so positively.

Or maybe we are supposed to learn something about global warming? We know about that already but few change their lives much and this film won't change that.
So we are left with what is reminiscent of a PC game walkthrough video on Youtube. We can appreciate all the work that has gone into it but in the end it is a shallow experience....

A cat goes through some adventure. It's nothing for a movie lover. 2/10...

Sometimes the simplest yet most profound messages we can receive come from the unlikeliest of sources. So it is with the second animated feature from writer-director Gints Zilbalodis, a stunningly beautiful, inspiringly insightful odyssey about a band of animals seeking to find their way and survive in a new world. When a great flood essentially destroys the world of man, a wide-eyed black cat must figure out how to get by when this consuming deluge wipes out the existence he has known, armed with only his own wits and the cooperation of fellow animal kindreds, including a capybara, a meerkat, a secretary bird and a pack of dogs, most notably a yellow Labrador retriever. Together this band of different creatures navigates the waters of this new world in an abandoned sailboat, learning how ...

Beautiful movie but quite simple and obviously meaningless, you need to have studied art to get close to understand what they want to convey. Oscar for best animation but that's all it's good for. A lot of awards but it's really a movie that you don't understand.
And to think that another Oscar nominee for best animation 2025 was The Wild Robot ....

_**Good HDR TV color checker.**_...

After a fairly scary start with a group of growling dogs, our usually quite sedentary cat makes it’s way back to a comfortable bed just in time for an inundation to flood his surrounding forest dwelling. There is no sign of any human being anywhere, but a small boat floats by manned by a coypu. The cat hops aboard and after an initial spat, the host settles back to sleep and they continue to drift aimlessly along what appear to be brand new waterways, meeting an host of fellow creatures along the way. Some appear friendly, others less so with many of them dispossessed of their usual habitats and others rather thriving in their new aquatic environment. Initials suspicions and reticence starts to morph into something more friendly and the animals convey a message that better together might...

Director Gints Zilbalodis has created a visionary work of art with “Flow,” an absolutely jaw-dropping, stunning animated film that takes viewers on a breathtaking journey through both the natural and mystical realms. Following a courageous cat and an unlikely band of animal companions as they navigate a flooded, post-apocalyptic world, the film is an emotionally charged, visually immersive film that combines high stakes, environmental themes, and an unforgettable sense of adventure.

This is a film that completely drew me in from the very first frame, and not just with its beautiful animation, but with its deep, resonant story about survival, cooperation, and the fragility of our planet. This is one of the best films of the year, and it’s unlike anything I have ever seen before.

...

My wife liked it, I hadn't even heard of it. And I'll be honest, the animation irritated me, I found it jarring and off putting. It wasn't bad, it wasn't disturbing, it was just jarring and off putting, almost like the videos you see on social media of people cleaning barnacles off whales with a broom, it's that level of jarring and off putting.

But the story is actually not bad, it's a bit on the fun side and a bit on the heart warming side, so consider it a good review. I wouldn't watch it a second time, but I am glad that I watched it once. It was satisfying....