Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara Suggest Audiences Bring Tissues to Tear-Jerker ‘The Wild Robot’

As a cinephile who has spent countless hours in darkened theaters, I can confidently say that “The Wild Robot” is a must-see animated film that promises to tug at your heartstrings. With a stellar cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara, and Mark Hamill, this sci-fi survival story is not just for the younger audience but also for those who appreciate a good emotional rollercoaster.

Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara, and the cast of “The Wild Robot” urge those planning to watch their latest animated film in theaters to remember to pack some tissues.

The upcoming movie, a sci-fi survival tale centered around a stranded robot on an isolated island, premieres Sunday evening at the Toronto Film Festival and could stir some emotional responses from viewers. In this story, Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), an android identified as ROZZUM unit 7134, navigates the challenging environment and develops connections with various animal companions – O’Hara voices a witty possum named Pinktail, Kit Connor portrays an orphaned gosling called Brightbill, while Mark Hamill lends his voice to a grumpy grizzly bear named Thorn. As Roz takes on the role of nurturing Brightbill, she faces the task of teaching the young one essential skills like eating, swimming, and flying before migration season, which turns out to be a more challenging (and emotional) experience than her programming might suggest. Stephanie Hsu voices another robot named Vontra, yet her character’s development may not resonate with audience members in a heartwarming way.

Nyong’o stated during EbMaster’s Toronto Film Festival studio, supported by J.Crew and SharkNinja, ‘I watched it just once, but it was incredibly touching in the end. It’s a kind of tear that makes it all worthwhile.’

Her fellow actors understand if someone gets emotional, and it’s perfectly fine to shed tears. In fact, Connor encourages it by saying, “Go ahead and embrace it.

Hsu emphasized that crying can be beneficial, even helpful. As a nominee for the Oscar-nominated film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, he suggested audiences bring tissues and gummy bears along.

oh, the last idea left O’Hara puzzled. “You mean gummy bears, specifically?” she joked, hinting at a specific type.

“Oooh, yeah,” Hsu said. “Mine was more innocent.”

Although the animated film “The Wild Robot” is primarily intended for a younger audience, Nyong’o suggests that its narrative resonates emotionally with mature viewers as well, due to its portrayal of grace in the role of parenting.

The adventure Roz embarks on, as a robot taking on the role of a mother, highlights the truth that every parent is essentially a newcomer. There’s a steep learning process involved,” she pointed out. “We witness this learning process reflected in Roz, who despite being a parent, shows the innocence of a child, yet we anticipate her to be all-knowing.

Hamill contends that due to these themes, adults are likely to find the viewing experience equally enjoyable as children do, and this is coming from someone who’s endured more than his fair share of family-focused films.

Hamill, being a father of three, recalls taking them to what were supposedly children’s films back then, enduring some truly difficult scenes… But this one manages to captivate audiences of all ages effortlessly. Parents will enjoy it just as much as the kids. It’s quite uncommon to strike that perfect balance.

Chris Sanders, a seasoned animation professional recognized for “Lilo and Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” took on directing “The Wild Robot,” which is based on Peter Brown’s book. He stumbled upon this project during a casual encounter at DreamWorks when he was searching for his next venture. As he put it, “During our conversation, they placed ‘The Wild Robot’ book on the table. A brief explanation of its storyline made me realize that it was the perfect fit for me.

After Sanders agreed to join the film, he promptly reached out to Brown. During their conversation, Brown disclosed certain aspects of the plot not explicitly mentioned in the script. Among these details was the underlying theme that empathy could serve as a crucial life skill for survival.

At the core of this tale lies a character who embodies endless compassion. Roz doesn’t pursue any specific goal other than completing her assigned tasks. Her ability to adapt her programming reshapes the entire island’s culture,” Sanders explained. “The lesson I gleaned from this experience, which continues to resonate with me, is that kindness is a powerful force.

2024-09-09 01:17

Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara Suggest Audiences Bring Tissues to Tear-Jerker ‘The Wild Robot’

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