“Over the Moon” – It’s sort of a myth.
After the very excellent Klaus last year, I was hoping for a good follow up from Netflix in Over the Moon. By the end of the film, I found myself explaining to my son what is a MacGuffin and why the plot’s urgency makes no sense (the antagonist says she has until a specific time to find the gift, but was not bothering to look for the gift nor did she bring the protagonist to help find it). In other words, the plot is a giant mess, even for a fairy tale. But I will let my son tell you more.
What movie are we reviewing today?
Over the moon.
What is it about?
A girl who tries to convince her dad or give proof to her dad that a space lady named Chang’e exists on the moon. And she builds a rocket to get up there, and makes a lot of friends, and can’t get back.
Why does she want to prove that Chang’e is real?
It’s to keep her dad still in love with her mom…I thiiiiiiiiink?
What happened to her mom?
She died.
Aw, that’s sad. Who is Chang’e?
Chang’e is a space girl who lost her true love and was on the moon and stays there with a rabbit.
A rabbit?
Yes.
What does the rabbit do?
It’s just like a henchman….a hench….rodent?
What is the girl’s name who tries to find Chang’e?
I forgot.
[Mom injects] Fei Fei.
Oh yeah!
Isn’t the story of Chang’e just a fairy tale?
Some say yes, and some say no. Like, it’s sort of a myth.
What culture is it a myth from?
I think it’s Chinese…??
If you had to compare the myth of Chang’e to something in American culture, what does it remind you of? Is there an American myth similar to what we watched?
I don’t think so.
Did you like the story?
Yes. Wait, just of Chang’e?
Yes.
Yes, I liked the….I don’t know.
When Fei Fei goes to the moon, does she really go to the moon?
The movie doesn’t really show us that. At the end it’s a fade out to black.
Do you think it’s good or bad that they don’t tell us?
If they show that it’s a dream, I think it would make the movie a little better because it would make sense a little better.
What other characters are there?
There’s Fei Fei’s dad….there’s the [air quotes] brother…the [air quotes] brother’s mom…the brother’s pet frog…that weird THING that sings a song to Chang’e.
What is Fei Fei’s plan to prove Chang’e is real?
She goes to the moon, and she brings a camera and she tries to get a picture of Chang’e to prove to her dad.
And what does Chang’e want in return?
THE GIFT. DUN DUN DUNNNN.
Does she tell Fei Fei what the gift is?
No. DUN DUN DUNNN.
So, how does Fei Fei know what she’s looking for?
I don’t know. She just finds it.
Well that’s convenient.
What does conveeeenyent mean?
It means she doesn’t have to work hard for what she’s getting. What did you like about the movie?
I liked that there was cooking.
Cooking? Who was cooking?
Their entire family.
Whose family?
Fei Fei’s entire family?
What were they cooking?
Moon cakes!!
Did you want to eat moon cakes after the movie?
Maybe.
Did you want to cook moon cakes after the movie?
Maybe.
What was your least favorite part of the movie?
Ummm…I think my least favorite part of the movie is when they were on leap frogs.
What do you mean on leap frogs?
On the moon.
There were leap frogs on the moon?
According to the movie, yes.
Is that part of the myth of Chang’e?
No.
Who was your favorite character in the movie?
What’s the bunny’s name?
[mom injects] Bunjee.
Is that the rabbit that’s on the moon with Chang’e?
No, there’s a different rabbit that’s green that’s on the moon, but Bunjee is a different rabbit that is Fei Fei’s pet. But I know the “brother’s” pet frog has a name too, but I forgot. Every time you say “brother” you have to do quotes.
Tell me about the music.
The music was pretty good. I liked the music. There were a couple songs that I didn’t like. One was the glowy thing thing. And Chang’e’s voice is a voice in Hamilton – Eliza.
And she’s a good singer, isn’t she?
She IS.
If you could change one thing about the movie, what would you change?
I wouldn’t necessarily change, I would add.
What would you add?
I would add if you find out if it’s a dream or not.
In summary, did you like it or did you not like the movie.
It was a medium.
Rating: Let’s say you paid $20 to see that movie, how much would you ask back?
$4 because I think it could have been a little better. With the ending and part of the music.