Snowtime! (2016)
England rarely has snow. We had it once this year and it went as quickly as it settled. But could we deal with the heavy white stuff? Not really - we’d spend a good hour grumbling about our ruined shoes or delayed trains, sniffing our snotty noses and wishing for summer to come so we can complain about that too. We all dream of White Christmases and building a snowman, but really, we couldn’t cope with constant snow. Not like Canada or those countries controlled by Queen Elsa herself!
So Snowtime! offers all that excellent snow joy without anyone suffering the cold either….
Snowtime! Revolves around an all-out battle between the sexes where Luke and Sophie lead a giant snowball fight during the Christmas holidays in order to win Luke’s prized bugle. However, as the war gets bigger and “bloodier,” Luke and Sophie begin to bond… Can these cold hearted enemies warm a chilly winter? All is fair in love and war….and snow-fights in Canada’s latest animated adventure, after all.
Crudely developed, the block characters are fashioned unusually for what is essentially a despairingly similar children’s flick. Somewhat amateur animation for our rambunctious children and stripped from an over-abundance of colour that usually fills the sugar-addled American and UK family farces. The biggest triumph of technology here was the dog with delicately detailed hairs of this ruff pup that look intensely beautiful and meticulous. This all being said, the animation may be simple but does well in translating the story and charming audiences of every age. Whilst this may not be Disney, it is certainly good enough to keep the young ones invested in this snowy landscape.
What works best for Snowtime! is the poignant storyline that has many layers under the blanket of the glorious white stuff. Whilst you can enjoy a perfect capture of grade-schoolers and all their different personalities, racing for dominance in perfect innocence and glee (your children will fall in love with many of the different characters on display,) underneath is a burning tragedy that is slowly and evocatively unfolded. The gradual realisation that this is more about the domestic casualties of war, there is a small lesson rolled up with every ball thrown at a child and an endearing one too. As the tender history of Luke collides with the fun, this movie has an emotion weight that pulls it away from the usual tirade of family films such as the tyrannical Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Perhaps not impeccable, Snowtime! is invigorating as a movie - reminding us all about childhood and how it was enthused with all these joyous elements. Whilst there may be times where directors Jean-Fracois Pouliot and Francois Brisson struggle to balance the different parts of the story, leaving questions on whether the heart or the action should be focused on, the overall product can be impressively good. Added to a contemporary soundtrack that includes crooner Celine Dion, Snowtime! maybe a choppy and average wintery affair but when it works, it’ll warm an icy heart.
Snowtime! is out in the US 19th of February.
There is no official release date for the UK.