Plot: When Pinky dies, Grace Puddle looks back on her life. With Pinky gone, she has nobody to rely on except her pet snails. While Grace has a positive mindset, her life has been challenging, and little by little it has chipped away at her gleeful disposition. The death of her mom at birth was just the beginning. The untimely death of her dad split up her and her twin brother, and left them with less than desirable foster parents. And Grace's bad luck would continue to haunt her still. Luckily, Pinky left behind a legacy that will free Grace from her internal prison.
Watches
November 24, 2024
The only negative thing I can say about Memoir of a Snail is that it looks a lot like Mary & Max. The 15-year lull didn't do much to influence Elliot's style of filmmaking, but as someone who adored Mary & Max, that's not such a terrible thing. The mix of poetic charm and dark comedy is a delight, the stop-motion work is exquisite and while a little dense and repetitive there wasn't a single moment where I felt my attention slipping. Elliot made another masterpiece.
March 13, 2025
I rarely rewatch films this quickly, but Memoir of a Snail was playing on the big screen here and I wasn't going to let that opportunity pass by. I loved Eliot's second feature the first time I watched it, and it's just as great the second time around. That is, if you can stomach his mix of drama and comedy.
The stop-motion animation is lovely, the art style is evocative. The story offers a pleasant mix of heartfelt drama, peppered with a mix of edgier/dark comedy, the pacing is perfect, and the film has the ideal length. Eliot is a director who needs to be treasured, hopefully his next film won't take as long.