Kirpianuscus good animation. or religious film. original characters. and seductive lesson about art. it has different sides. but it remains a beautiful show. not only for the wonderful art, for the wise mixture of love, tension, mystery and crumbs of history, for references to literature and history, for the final meeting or for the status of parable. but for its admirable manner to translate emotions and realities and desires. for the game of events and for the need of certitude of characters. for idealism. and for the grace of details. a film who remains different. for the science to explore old things in the inspired light. nothing more. only a story, a trip and a revelation. few characters. and the questions. short, one of stories who remains seductive for the art to reuse old problems in the right style.

Tad Pole . . . painter has been done previously, with Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello's SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR. "French" has always stood out as an imitative culture. The language is so much like English that French politicians pass laws as to how many "English" words can migrate onto French screens annually (just as Americans try to limit the influx of "guest workers"). "French cuisine" is virtually interchangeable with Italian cooking, and most French composers simply copy what the German, English, and Italians have done a few decades earlier. France has lost all its important wars because its armies are always equipped with the weapons of yesteryear. When a French person such as Madame Curie actually stumbles upon something new, such as radiation, they can't comprehend it. All Curie's original notes are too radioactive to be handled even today, and hundreds of Frenchwomen including Curie family members died from licking the little paint brushes they used to make the numbers on watches glow in the dark. (While the French were decorating time pieces, America beat Germany to using radioactivity to power and dominate the world!) This cartoon, THE PAINTING, is delightful enough to merit a rating of 8 (from 10). However, this film--which grossed slightly more than $11,000 in America--also is derivative and French (which is pretty much saying the same thing).

suite92 The Painting is about a painting in a painter's home. The painting is incomplete in several ways. The painting has a château, a flowering garden, and a dangerous forest, plus a multitude of characters.The characters are divided into (Toupins, Pafinis, Reufs) or (Alldunns, Halfies, Sketchies) in English. In the conceit of the film, the Toupins (completed, fully painted characters) decide they should rule the proceedings, treating the Pafinis (part finished) badly, and enslaving the Reufs (rough sketches).The protagonist is Lola a Halfie. Her Halfie friend Claire has fallen in love with a completed character, Ramo. Ramo tries to speak against the bad behaviour of the Alldunns in the château, but is shouted down. Claire is imprisoned. Lola, Ramo, and a Sketchie named Quill escape the painted through a perimeter weakness in the forest.Once outside, the painting style shifts to a mixed one. Our heroes keep their form and colours, but the outside is rendered in strongly realistic terms. This is executed quite well.The trio interact with characters in the painter's other paintings. Eventually they find that they can paint themselves. They speak with the painter's self-portrait, and gather up paint and brushes to take back the the painting of origin.Their return increases the chaos for a while, but levels out the inequalities.The ending where Lola again departs the painting and speaks with the painter is just delightful. There is another shift of mixing styles which is also well done.------Scores------Art/Animation: 10/10 Breath-taking.Sound: 10/10 No problems.Screenplay: 10/10 Loved the imaginative story with interesting infrastructure, and beautiful ending.

Clayton Davis For the past two years, animated films have seemed to take a dive in both quality and execution. The narrative structure taken in some of the films like Pixar's Brave and Dreamworks' Rise of the Guardians sound good on paper but when formally implemented onto the screen, many are left wanting more. In Jean-François Laguionie's Le Tableau or how many will come to know it as, The Painting, animation is back in the forefront with an imaginative and incredibly accomplished tale of wonder, love, and revelation.The Painting tells the story of a world unlike any other, a painting on a wall in a painter's home. There are three types of figures living inside the painting: "Alldunns" are figures that have been completely drawn with color and precision, that live in a castle and have declared themselves superior beings in the wake of the painter's absence. "Halfies" are figures that were left incomplete in color who have been barred from entering the castle. And living in the outer woods near the border of the frame are the "Sketchies", rough outlines of beings that are hunted by the Alldunns for mere sport.The film is told from our lovely Lola's perspective, a Halfie whose best friend Claire, also a Halfie, who has fallen in love with an Alldunn, Ramo. When their love is discovered and tragedy strikes, Roma, Lola, and a Sketchie named Quill are driven to the perimeter of the painting where they believe their creator lies. When they leave the painting, their wonder and imagination doesn't live up to the reality that is in store.As the film evolves moment-to-moment, and presents breathtaking animation, I couldn't help be in complete awe of what I was witnessing. Not only does the film breathe new life into a genre in desperate need of oxygen, it sets the bar high for all genres, both for children and adults, to challenge themselves with each new frame they present. It's pure magic on-screen.Le Tableau feels like Toy Story if it had been directed by Terrence Malick in an Italian opera that was written by William Shakespeare. It's so profound and moving that your heart fills to the brim with adoration and marvel. Jean-François Laguionie and co-writer Anik Leray treat the viewers with respect, never being fearful to ask the tough questions and not play us as if we're all adolescents. The Painting challenges the inner-child in all of us to grow up. The depiction of Venice alone with orange, yellows and the brightest colors you can think of is one of the finest creations of the year.The Painting is transcendental and unlike anything I've seen this year. It's not only the Best Animated films of the year but it's one of the best pictures of the year. Period. GKIDS continues to prove how they will become the quality-equal to Pixar Studios as they continue to push the boundaries and trust their innovation as filmmakers. Oscar should not think of voting on any category without seeing The Painting first. A true knock out!Read more reviews @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com