Ernest et Célestine 2012

Sara Stewart, New York Post: There's a truly original beauty in "Ernest & Celestine," from its delicate, pastel-hued animation to the look and sound of its inhabitants ... Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: The movie advances the art of animation without seeming to try. Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: A joyous rediscovery of hand-drawn animation, all witty and expressive lines, spare backgrounds and gorgeous, watery hues. Read more

Leslie Felperin, Variety: Ernest and Celestine is a charming animated feature inspired by Belgium writer-illustrator Gabrielle Vincent's wholesome children's books of the same name Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: Kids will enjoy it for its sheer loopiness, while adult fans of animation can revel in its divergence from every other 'toon in town. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: "Ernest & Celestine" draws on plenty of classics, animated and otherwise, for inspiration, but the film manages to be delightful on its own offbeat terms. Read more

Jake Coyle, Associated Press: Not just a positively charming movie, but an ode to the tactile pleasures of handcrafted artistry. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: It moves with the rhythms and emotions of classic kids' literature, possesses elegance and belly laughs in equal measure, and is almost magically beautiful to look at. And, like bears, it has bite. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: The images have a soft, inviting quality that befits the storybook narrative. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: The enchanting French-Belgian animated feature Ernest & Celestine is so liltingly sweet and graceful that, a day or two after I saw it, it seemed almost as if I had dreamed it. Read more

Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter: A bear and a mouse cause a major ruckus in this charming Franco-Belgian animated film. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: Marked as outsiders by their respective societies, an unlikely friendship is forged, an ill-tempered uproar unleashed, and a delightful movie is the result. Read more

Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly: The film's gorgeous, hand-drawn animation is as lovingly detailed as the drawings a girl mouse named Celestine is secretly making about an imaginary mouse and bear friendship. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: Delicate animation and a charming score may be why this Belgian film earned an Oscar nomination. Its story, however, makes no sense whatsoever. Read more

Joel Arnold, NPR: The characters are computer-rendered, but the watercolor environments they move in are expressive and detail-rich. Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: There isn't much of a moral to this story, but it does put a premium on individuality and pluck. Mostly, "Ernest & Celestine" is an ode to the happiness that comes from being with those different from us. Read more

Michael Sragow, Orange County Register: A delicate portrait of a mouse as an artist meets a scruffy portrait of a bear as an all-out entertainer in this witty and imaginative cartoon feature. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Ernest & Celestine is a genuine charmer for kids, and for the parental units tagging alongside. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: The message is simple, the ending earthshaking and a few scenes border on overly precious. But as the stakes are raised for the pair, a surprising depth of character emerges. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The unlikely cross-species friendship of Celestine the mouse and Ernest the bear teaches a gentle lesson about irrational intolerance in this French animated charmer. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Ernest learns to share, Celestine learns to a paint - and the audience learns that in a Disney-dominated marketplace, kids are still free to choose their own mini mouse. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: Plays out like the kind of picture book that you love as a child and still treasure as an adult. It's a subtle creation, offering the perfect mix of whimsy for kids and wit for grown-ups. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: A sweet-natured tale of an unlikely friendship between a burly bear and a plucky mouse. It's also decidedly offbeat with an emphasis on animal dentistry. Read more

Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture: It has things to say about the world, but it does so gracefully, without hitting you over the head with them. Read more