A fantasy about the all-too real ways humans deal with loss, Juan Antonio Bayona's "A Monster Calls" offers a cinematic heart that beats with anger, sadness, and inspiring vigor. Based on Patrick Ness's novel, the film the tells the story of a young boy whose struggle with life and loss reflect the universal education that is human existence.

Revolving around young Conor O'Malley, "A Monster Calls" finds the boy dealing with school bullies, a cantankerous grandmother, and, most importantly, a dying mother. Conor spends his days caring, as best he can, for his mother, drawing, and recoiling from both literal and figurative nightmares. When a monstrous, lumbering tree with fiery eyes appears at his window, Conor begins a journey that…

All those years ago I remember sitting in the theater watching The Lord of the Rings, looking around and thinking, "Man, I really don't love these as much as everyone else in here." I recognized them as a spectacular achievement but was rather bored through them, just not for me. My least favorite parts of those films were the talking tree scenes. Every time one of those tedious bastards showed up that was my cue to shuffle my way out of the auditorium for a piss.

Sooooooo, A Monster Calls felt a little bit like an Ent trying his goddamned hardest to make me cry for just under two hours. As I was at a bit of a disadvantage due…

Wow I had very high expectations for this movie after reading Patrick Ness's novel and I was really impressed by how the movie turned out.

I’ve been a fan of J.A. Bayona since I saw The Orphanage, which is a great horror film. In A Monster Calls, Bayona’s creative vision complements the imaginations of Patrick Ness, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie, very well. This is a very compelling drama with fantastical elements that work on a metaphorical level. As a film about terminal illness, bullying, and anger, A Monster Calls never came off to me as emotionally manipulative or overwrought. Some parts of the movie are told through stunning water-colored animation, which genuinely makes for some stunning…

Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall), de doze anos de idade, vive sozinho com sua mãe (Felicity Jones), que sofre de uma doença terminal. Além disso, as coisas não vão bem na escola, onde Conor sofre agressões de outros alunos. Certa noite, Conor descobre a existência de um monstro (Liam Neeson) que promete ajudá-lo a resolver seus problemas.

Sete Minutos Depois da Meia-Noite é um filme de proposta aparentemente infantil – a clássica premissa de um menino com problemas que conhece uma criatura misteriosa que o ajuda. Essa é uma impressão superficial que se desfaz rápido, pois o conteúdo encontrado aqui é o de um enredo preocupado com questões de profunda maturidade.

Mesmo em seus momentos mais fantásticos o roteiro se mantém…