The titular character (played with charm by Lupita Nyong’o) finds itself stranded on an island with a bunch of wild animals. She accidentally discovers a gosling, who imprints on her. The rest of the story has her helping this little bird (voiced by Kitt Connor) fulfill its potential. The character animation is continually clever (that robot alone is a marvel of design). There are lots of cute critters, esp. the fox (Padro Pascal) and the family of possums (led by mother Catherine O’Hara). The writing and direction by talented creator Chris Sanders is continually clever and ultimately sweet (although the final third does bog just a bit with the drama). The pace is mostly lively and there are continually funny gags spoken and seen. This is undoubtedly the best animated film I’ve seen this year and guaranteed fun for the entire family. 
(4.5 / 5)
