Dilili in Paris

Photorealistic backgrounds consistently stun as they clash with the more low-res CG characters, which emulate designs from early 21st century video games rather than fully accomplished animated characters for a production made this decade.

Nothing about Dilili in Paris feels natural or organic.

Clunky animation, canned voices and connect-the-dots plotting play just fine to preschoolers on the small screen, but our eyes, ears and imaginations expect more from a feature, and this one irritates each of those potential receptor points.

"Dilili in Paris" is instead an awkward misfire, the more regrettably so for showcasing a kind, smart and brave mixed-race girl from New Caledonia as its young protagonist.

An adventure tale with an empowering message, this delightful family film is also an ode to The City of Light and to French culture and history.

The animated figures often recreate scenes from famous paintings, and the film adds music by Debussy and Sati, who also appear as characters. On top of all that, the film also adds a femme-centric message in its abduction mystery plot.

With its sophisticated Belle Epoque setting and parade of cultural and artistic figures and references, it's almost like taking a trip to a colorful, informative, interactive museum.

Michel Ocelot's distinctive style of animation and exposition has a simplicity and fluidity that allows for a beautifully rendered tour of Paris' well known tourist spots, as well as the introduction of the leading cultural figures of the day...

Writer/director Michel Ocelot bit off more than he could chew here. He's clearly trying to express ideas about female empowerment set in a particularly formative period of history, but he's fighting a war on too many fronts.

It is both an old story, and one that we must continue to tell.