Here's how to fight back. If that's what you want to believe, absolutely. The reason that Over the Moon looks a lot like a Walt Disney animation, even though it's not is because its director Keane, has served as an animator forWalt Disney Animation Studios. The story (written by the late Audrey Wells, who died in 2018, and to whom the movie is dedicated) derived from the Chinese myth of the moon goddess, who achieved immortality but lost her love . Over the Moon is the final work of screenwriter Audrey Wells, who passed away from cancer in 2018. The film ambitiously balances tradition and progress. When Fei Fei sees that there are other characters with Change on the moon, she realises that Change does not need to return. The original songs A skilled archer named Houyi shoots down nine out of the ten suns and as a reward he receives the elixir of immortality. But it flies high past other films of 2020 and could actually be the best animated film of the yearmaybe. Chang'e cries in despair that she will never see Houyi again. She gifted Fei Fei Bungee along with Ba Ba. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Over the Moon is the final screenplay written by Audrey Wells (The Hate U Give), who died of cancer in 2018 a tragedy that ripples poignantly through the opening scenes of young Fei Fei, her father (John Cho) and her mother (Ruthie Ann Miles), who becomes ill and dies not long after we meet her. Prone to fits of temper and stardust tears, she dwells in a brightly hued palace that resembles nothing so much as an arcade-game Candyland, from the singing-and-dancing gumdrops packing the massive concert arena to the squeaky-voiced sentient mooncakes that do the goddess bidding. Fei Fei, who still believes in Chang'e four years later, is upset when she learns that her father is engaged to Ms. Zhong, and is annoyed by her son, Chin. Film producer Adi Shankar previously said that the show plans to drop the character altogether. It stars the voices of Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, and Sandra Oh. Fei Fei is the main character of the Netflix original, Over the Moon. See also: moon, over Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. Fei Fei is one of the main characters of the movie Over the Moon, who builds a rocket to the moon so she can prove that the goddess of the moon, Chang'e is real. In this animated musical, a girl builds a rocket ship and blasts off, hoping to meet a mythical moon goddess. And I havent yet mentioned the expressive-eyed rabbits, the portentous crane, the army of giant floating frogs or the fast-talking green dog (Ken Jeong) with the stretchable-taffy tongue. She was shown to be a caring mother who enjoyed telling Fei Fei Chang'e's and the Space Dog stories. Then, on Oct. 8, she posted a final update. Azaria also did the voice of Carl, who was voiced byAlex Dsert in its last season premiere. '", Keane then asked Wells if she believed Dorothy really went to the technicolor-filled world in the classic film, "The Wizard of Oz." If the three Biker Chickens felt a bit random in the film, they make more sense when you know they're voiced by the same actors (Margaret Cho, Kimiko Glenn, and Artt Butle) who play some of Fei Fei's aunts and uncles. Things get rather creakier once Fei Fei, a top student with a particular aptitude for science, decides to build a rocket ship that will take her to the moon, so that she can prove that Change really exists. DBS MORNING SHOW & OBITUARIES 25TH APRIL 2023 APRIL 2023 - Facebook Reply . So, does Fei Fei really travel to the moon? As sad as Up was over 10 years ago, it's still not as heartbreaking as Netflix's newest animated movie, Over The Moon. We miss being immersed in the hustle and bustle of dim sum rushes and watching our little one eat his weight in dumplings. Im curious how this film will perform worldwide. Over the Moon is a 2020 computer-animated musical fantasy film directed by Glen Keane and co-directed by John Kahrs, from a screenplay by Audrey Wells with additional screenplay material by Alice Wu and Jennifer Yee McDevitt. However, my 6 year old daughter cried for hours after watching this. RELATED: Netflix StreamFest Makes Service Free for 48 Hours. Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. ", "She just had this childlike sparkle in her eyes and I realized, 'Wow, how wonderful.' The 2009 film won two Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score, with the Pixar effort leaving audiences in tears from start to finish. Over the Moon is about a young Chinese girl named Fei Fei who, in memory of her late mother, builds her own rocket ship to travel to the moon to prove the existence of the legendary Moon. Catholic Daily Mass - Daily TV Mass - April 22, 2023 - Facebook Ma Ma was Fei Fei's mother and Ba Ba's former wife. According to her mother, she might be related to Houyi . Over the Moon 2020 | Maturity Rating: 7+ | 1h 40m | Animation Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess. Oh, FYI, I'd love to write the Gargoyles movie for Disney. She also excels at science and puts her gifts to use to build a rocket. WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Over The Moon, now streaming on Netflix. Creator Loren Bouchard agreed to recast this Black transgender character after a Twitter user made the request in June. Trying to find a precious item, the girl rides on handlebars of a space motorcycle at high speed through a meteor shower, leaps onto the back of a space frog and between floating platforms, is nearly exploded to bits. I recognized in some recent comments from cast member John Cho one of the reasons this film is so powerful for my son and me it represents an Asian family on their own terms, not as bound up in oppression or shame or forced duty. Netflix StreamFest Makes Service Free for 48 Hours, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Bosses Talk Potential Movie Spinoffs, Sequels, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts' Series Finale, Explained. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Near the beginning of Over the Moon, a strenuously bizarre animated riff on a classic Chinese myth, two characters discuss which ingredients to bake into their next batch of mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Read |7 Best Halloween Movies on Netflix: List of thrillers to watch on October 31. This myth inspired the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, which honors Changes sacrifice. 'Over the Moon' review: Glen Keane's animated myth doesn't lift - CNN Solaria The Monster Carver Explained! Netflix's new animated movie, " Over the Moon ," centers around a young girl named Fei Fei (Cathy Ang), who travels to the moon in a rocket ship to discover if Chang'e is real despite being teased for still believing in the legendary goddess, whom her mother introduced her to before she died. The director Glen Keane, making his feature debut, is a longtime animator whose storied Disney career includes character work for The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast; his co-director, John Kahrs, is a Disney and Pixar veteran who made the Oscar-winning animated short Paperman. Over the Moon may hail from beyond the Disney umbrella, but it nonetheless bears a recognizable corporate imprint, from its abundance of cute animal sidekicks and so-so original songs to its strategic exploration of grief as both premise and theme. Starring: Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong. Keeping up with their promise of no longer having white actors voice Black characters, "The Simpsons" announced that Shearer would no longer voice the Black doctor and that Kevin Michael Richardson would voice the character going forward. Her rocket almost succeeds until she realizes that Chin snuck aboard her rocket and they begin to crash to Earth. If you're bored by now, then you also don't want to hear that I write for ESPN on the PR side of things. Any parent would be scared, but news headlines about hate crimes against Asian Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic rushed through my mind, flashing images of seniors assaulted and children stabbed at a store. She discovers her Chang'e doll, which she suspects to be the gift, but the Biker Chicks snatch the doll and leave Fei Fei and Gobi behind. NOW WATCH: Netflix is headed for a huge profit milestone in 2018, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, during the film's production after a battle with cancer, Warning: There are spoilers below for Netflix's animated film "Over the Moon.". There are other characters too, namely Mrs. Zhongs son, Chin (Robert G. Chiu), a likably rambunctious tag-along whose narrative function is to wear down his sister-to-bes defenses. "She passed due to a massive urinary tract infection I had My guess is that Jake also killed Layla's father. The director of this film is the renowned Disney character developer behind such classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Tarzan, and Tangled. In the film, Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) travels to the moon in a rocket. Over The Moon focuses on Fei Fei, a heartbroken young girl who can't cope with the loss of her mother. Young girl loses her mother to illness, struggles to overcome her grief. Ever since the film was released, fans on Twitter have been appreciating its heartwarming storyline and mesmerising animated sequences. She fights to hold tight to the stories and memories of her mother, who died four years earlier . She also can't accept herfathergetting engaged to a new woman,Mrs. Zhong. The news came following the show's episode in February. Cathy Ang Change and Houyi reunite for a brief moment before he fades away. Houyi does this till the day he dies. I cant recommend it enough. Inspired by Pink Floyd's album cover for "The Dark Side of the Moon," the entire atmosphere of Lunaria is equally vibrant and luminescent. The comedy-drama is helmed by Glen Keane and based on the epic screenplay written by Audrey Wells in collaboration with Alice Wuand Jennifer Yee McDevitt. Our family decided afterward that it would be unsafe for our son and me to be out without a second adult, further isolating ourselves in an already lonely time. Robert G. Chiu as Chin, Mrs. Zhong's 8-year-old son and Fei Fei's stepbrother. They explained she would break down into tears saying "mum is dead and she's not coming back" the school thought she was talking about me. However, the story gets dark from here because Houyi arrivesonly for a few seconds,telling Chang'ethat sheneedsto move on. When her father reveals his plans to remarry, Fei Fei embarks on a mission to prove that love never fades away. he continued. "We will do this film on a razor's edge of whether it happened, whether it was real, whether it was a dream or not, and leave it for the audience to choose.". over the moon mainly BRITISH, INFORMAL COMMON If you are over the moon about something that has happened, you are very happy about it. But we can see that multiple moon festivals happen . But, things don't go exactly as planned on the moon, and Fei Fei learns a few lessons herself. Here she enters an imaginary space kingdom made up of candy-colored "lunarian" creatures and a goddess (voiced by Hamilton's Soo) who appears unexpectedly as a kind of pop artist. Over the Moon on Netflix has been dedicated to Audrey Wells, its screenwriter who passed away in 2018, after a long battle with cancer. Phillipa Soos singing 'Over the Moon' Film Review: Animated Family Tale Borrows Too - TheWrap 2. A girl named Fei Fei is being told the legend of the Moon goddess Chang'e who took a potion for immortality, causing her to become a goddess and ascend to the Moon without her lover Houyi, and awaits for him there. Theres a lot of death. I called out for my child to stop, but under his bright helmet painted with a cartoon lion, he couldnt hear me. Kids can learn a little about Chinese customs and, Family, home, and tradition are pillars of a child, Fei Fei displays great courage in building a rocke, Young girl loses her mother to illness, struggles, Fei Fei's parents hug and show plenty of affection, The moon goddess is said to have taken a magic pot, Parents need to know that the fantasy violence in Over the Moon is only mildly scary, and the sadder scenarios -- a dying mother, a "Chamber of Exquisite Sadness" for the grief stricken -- ultimately lead to positive lessons and personal growth. I said, 'Oh, OK. Stephen is Marc's niave, wholesome persona but Jake is the ruthless, evil persona. Summary Analysis Luna pulls Xan 's frail body into her lap. Moon first appears in the prologue of Moon Rising which is set four years ago (her hatching). With such dire statistics and rhetoric adding to my anxiety, I have struggled to protect my child physically and mentally. 4/5. It has left her putting love on a pedestal she shouldn't, and she has to mature and experience this realization on her own. The potion's catalyst is the Jade Rabbit and Fei Fei's pet bunny, Bungee, fallingin love. Justin Chang has been a film critic for the Los Angeles Times since 2016. Chang'e has grown tired of waiting on her lover's soul, so when the Jade Rabbit finally cracks the potion, she's all too excited. Main character shows how scientific knowledge can prove useful and that girls can excel at science and engineering. This was the exact question director Glen Keane brought up to the film's screenwriter, Audrey Wells, who died during the film's production after a battle with cancer. Ayo Edebiri has since taken over the role. Fei Fei (voiced by Cathy Ang) and her mom (Ruthie Ann Miles) and dad (John Cho) sell mooncakes from their bakery and form a happy threesome, until the mother passes away, in OVER THE MOON. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. I also write about music in terms of punk, indie, hardcore and emo because well, they rock! Based on images from Nasa, Brown University, Rhode Island, published research in 2020 that claimed that while many speculate the moon is dead, recent images could show that the moon: "may still. And yes, I've written sports for them too! By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider The derivations arent surprising. Photographed Mother (voice) James Taku Leung . Over the Moon follows 12-year-old Fei Fei during the Mid-Autumn Festival as she struggles to cope with the loss of her mother. I was taught since childhood that suffering is a venerable requisite in life, that there is honor in embracing ones bitter fate. Bastian is doing his best, but he is doing poorly in school, has lost interest in activities, and has recurring dreams about his mother. Parents need to know that the fantasy violence in Over the Moon is only mildly scary, and the sadder scenarios -- a dying mother, a "Chamber of Exquisite Sadness" for the grief stricken -- ultimately lead to positive lessons and personal growth. "Over the Moon" is the final screenplay written by Audrey Wells ( "The Hate U Give" ), who died of cancer in 2018 a tragedy that ripples poignantly through the opening scenes of young Fei. Chang'e thanks Fei Fei and allows her and Chin passage back homeexcluding Bungee, who stays on the Moon with Jade Rabbitand lifts Gobi's banishment. Chang'e challenges Chin to a game of ping pong to learn the location of the gift, but Chin wins, further upsetting Chang'e. Animators often observe, correctly, that their form of filmmaking isnt just for kids, so its depressing to watch this movie take a 180 from sweet and relatable to noisy and wacky. She died shortly after, in which Ba Ba tells Fei Fei. In both films, the female protagonists go on a journey with their beloved pets to find something in order to grow that they take back home with them. A boy and a girl hug (not romantically). A man and woman flirt and the man touches the woman's hands tenderly. [16] In January 2021, Netflix reported 43 million households had watched the film. She would recover when she realizes Fei Feiis suffering from abandonment issues too. When the amulet becomes a whole and complete piece, Changes deceased husband Houyi is resurrected. The impact of her death is palpable, yet we know nothing about her, only that Bastian is a very sad little boy. There they encounter some threatening creatures and embark on adventures that put their lives in danger but also bring them closer together and help Fei Fei work through her grief. We cant visit extended family out-of-state, let alone travel out of the country. This Mid-Autumn Festival season, a holiday like Thanksgiving where loved ones reunite over a feast under a harvest moon, help comes from an unexpected source, a Netflix original available this week. Did you know you can flag iffy content? However, it is only enough for a single person. What can we do to foster pride in our Chinese heritage during a pandemic that has been distinctly anti-Asian? She lit up, saying, "Well, of course. The emphasis on grief, in this case, has a real-life inspiration. Read more opinion on CNN. As he disappears, it's heartbreaking, with Chang'e going into a depression and blacking out her kingdom. The views expressed here are her own. "Cherish life and everything you love." Lastly, it makes reference to the Chinese festival known as the Autumn Moon Festival. Rolf didnt make the choice, he had to leave Sara behind and he did look back, he did everything he could to save the person he left behind and went back to find her. This page was last edited on 14 April 2023, at 13:08. [5][6] On February 6, 2018, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film and Glen Keane was set to direct. In modern retelling of Over the Moon in which Change, along with Fei-Fei and her father, finds freedom is revolutionary in allowing its characters to quest for happiness beyond loyalty to the deceased. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. Fei Feis frustration is understandable enough, and the early scenes of her home life full of warmth and color, family and food (I especially appreciated the photorealistic sheen on the bok choy and mushrooms) are easily the pictures best. Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. [17], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of 100 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. Chang'e hoped she'd bereunited with Houyi's soulwhen he died, believing hisspiritwould meet her on the moon. However, one-day Houyis wife Change finds the elixir and drinks it. Business-wise, I make big cheddar (not really) as a copywriter and digital strategist working with some of the top brands in the Latin America region. K-pop star Moon Bin, a member of the boy band Astro, has died at the age of 25, his music label Fantagio said . Harry Belafonte's Spouses: Remembering the Legend's Family Life - People Director Glen Keane said he'll leave that for the audience to decide, but screenwriter Audrey Wells told him Fei Fei's adventure is real. Houyi is very angry at Changes selfish actions but still misses her. However, nan (who lives with us) didn't know anything about the.movie and just decided on that one when having a movie day with my daughter. Moreover Over the Moon is also based on a Chinese myth. Read |What time does Move release on Netflix? Zhong is Chin 's mother, Ba Ba 's second wife and Fei Fei 's step-mother. Losing those you love can change you, and it's important to remember them but also to continue living your life and loving others. She soon starts floating to the moon. He is the author of the book FilmCraft: Editing and serves as chair of the National Society of Film Critics and secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. - A man and a woman hug and we hear about their love. Over the Moon (2020) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Over the Moon SEX/NUDITY 1. She is the step-sister of Chin. And yes, I've written sports for them too! Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. After the death of her mother, and her Ba Ba finding someone else (Ms. Zhong), she . Netflix's new animated movie, "Over the Moon," centers around a young girl named Fei Fei (Cathy Ang), who travels to the moon in a rocket ship to discover if Chang'e is real despite being teased for still believing in the legendary goddess, whom her mother introduced her to before she died. as well as other partner offers and accept our. She also can't accept her father getting engaged to a new woman, Mrs. Zhong. Fei Fei's family joins them for the Moon Festival celebration, and she remembers her mother. Suddenly, the rocket is captured in a mystical beam of energy and taken to the Moon. Read |Where is Dream Home Makeover filmed? It's also prophesiedthat Fei Fei will bring a gift toChang'ethat will help reunite her with Houyi. YOLO. A scary place called the Chamber of Exquisite Sadness. Parents Need to Know. Contents 1 Personality 2 Appearance 3 History 4 Gallery 5 Trivia Personality Zhong is a caring woman, who had a tough time trying to bond with Fei Fei but was able to in the end. Over the Moon - Movie Mom Fei Fei | Over the Moon Wiki | Fandom Fei Fei and Chin bid farewell to the Lunarians and return home, where Fei Fei accepts her father and Mrs. Zhong's marriage and Chin as her brother. [9], Animation was provided by Pearl Studio and Sony Pictures Imageworks. Hence, Houyi decides to stay mortal and hides the elixir. I'm exaggerating, but not by much. Over the Moon's Ending Isn't as Happy as It Seems - CBR Arif Zahir has been recast in the role. She thinks about her mate, who is confirmed to be Morrowseer. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [14] Prior to its October 23 debut, Over the Moon was shown at the Montclair Film Festival on October 17. In the penultimate episode of the show's final season, Franklin's mother Cissy killed Teddy mere seconds before he could get back half of his stolen funds, and that marked the point of no . This is a film that so blatantly cribs from other popular works that it never develops a personality of its own. The film was produced by Pearl Studio and Netflix Animation, and animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. While she reignites Lunaria and sends Fei Fei home with her lesson learned, Chang'e still has a feeling of emptiness and despairshe must learn to cope with. At least Carl knows love is fluid and he can move on, but for Fei Fei, she just can't understand it without anyone there to guide her. Our first glimpse of Lunaria, the neon-drenched moon kingdom ruled by the ancient goddess Change, might have been designed to trigger memories of Dorothys first glimpse of Oz: a trippy Technicolor overdose that makes clear weve left Kansas and China firmly behind. Furthemore, the amulet Fei Fei's mother gave her is the final piece needed for the ritual. Parents need to know that the fantasy violence in Over the Moon is only mildly scary, and the sadder scenarios -- a dying mother, a "Chamber of Exquisite Sadness" for the grief stricken -- ultimately lead to positive lessons and personal growth. I expected the car to slow, but instead, it sped up. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Chang'edoes the right thing for Fei Fei, but she's resigned to living life alone on the moon, knowing she's actually the onewho abandoned her soulmate. Fei-Fei builds a rocket to the moon to prove the existence of the Moon Goddess to her father. The film is currently available on Netflix. It launches Fei Fei and her soon-to-be brother, plus pets, into a fantasy world on the moon. Fei Fei is warned that if she enters the chamber she might never return but she goes in anyway and pleads Change to return. The problem with Over the Moon isnt that it doesnt make enough sense; if anything, it makes far too much. It's quite often when an animated film comes out and they try to imitate or to simulate the same narrative aspects or the same characterisation or even the same animated standards of Disney. In closing, let me remind you that the geek shall inherit the Earth. The country, which has the world's second most deadly outbreak after Italy, recorded 838 deaths from the pandemic yesterday, its third straight daily record for coronavirus deaths. The film was produced by Pearl Studio and Netflix Animation, and animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Updated Did you know you can flag iffy content? Theres pleasure in that one-thing-after-another randomness, up to a point. It teaches us to champion heritage while evolving beyond the rules that hold us back. What began with genuine heartfelt emotion turns into another madcap go to the place and get the thing chase, with Mrs. Zhongs boisterous son Chin (Robert G. Chiu) tagging along on the expedition, and goofy moon-blob Gobi (Ken Jeong) providing moral support and wisecracks. There are some flaws in Over the Moon, including not enough screen time for the adorable Gobi, played by comedian Ken Jeong, and especially the abrupt change in tone and pace when Fei Fei leaves her immaculate, golden-hued Chinese village and rockets to the moon.