After receiving a standing ovation at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, there’s no denying that the film has already made a title for itself. Critically acclaimed director, best known for Summer Wars, Wolf Children etc.; Mamoru Hosoda comes back with his newly inspired sci-fi fairy tale movie, Belle.

Highly influenced by the tale of Beauty, and the Beast, the director gives his own twist and tells the story of shy high school student Suzu. After a very traumatic event, for many years she has lived under her own shadow and self-consciousness; but when she enters “U” an immense virtual world, she escapes the real world and turns into her online persona known as Belle, a notorious and beloved singer.

Fans once again meet Hosoda’s signature style and will be struck with a visual extravaganza. This breathtaking animation uses a mix of 3D and hand drawn techniques that delivers stunning and exhilarating sequences. Just when you thought the animation is a mystical spectacle, for this project they teamed up with veteran Disney animator Jin Kim (Tarzan, Tangled and The Princess and the Frog). Spreading that bit of pixie dust for that magical spark.

Taking advantage of today’s day and age where we connect and build our lives around the internet; the film reflects how technology and human connection intertwined. As it transports you into the virtual reality “U”, we see our main character use this device as a tool for escapism. Creating a persona to avoid confronting your own reality. When she meets “The Beast” an outcast, she starts to empathize with him and thus her road of finding confidence and acceptance begins.

However, as they start to navigate the Beauty, and the Beast portion of the movie, it felt that it wasn’t properly fleshed out. Juggling between different ideas and rapid tone changes, it didn’t know where to stand, which led to the main relationship feeling underdeveloped and lacking chemistry. In spite of the inconsistency and the unexpected curveballs, I found myself wanting to know what’s going to happen next.

Belle might not be my favorite Mamoru Hosoda project, but it definitely is a very worthwhile watch. From the stunning score to the over the top animation, you can’t help but be hypnotized by how beautiful the movie looks. Surely, some fans will resonate with the core message and will be hit with an emotional punch.