Bronze - Nimona

Oscar Tidbit: Nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2024, this film was a strong contender, but The Boy and the Heron ultimately earned the well-deserved win.

The movie received mixed reviews. One of the main criticisms was the perception of the movie being to “woke." The more commonly acknowledged critique involves the portrayal of attempted suicide at the end.

This movie is an adaptation of a graphic novel of the same name and is set in a dystopian world of medieval sci-fi. When the main character, Ballister, kills the queen, it is soon revealed to be a set-up. The protagonist, Nimona, comes to Ballister's rescue, and she becomes his sidekick. It is quickly revealed that Nimona is a shapeshifter and the "monster" that knights like Ballister are supposed to protect the city from. From there, the action sequences, music, and jokes had me on the edge of my seat and laughing until the emotional ending brought me to tears.

There is a pivotal moment when Nimona falls apart, highlighting her profound struggle with identity and belonging. Feeling rejected and mislabeled by society drives her to a breaking point. This mirrors the emotional depth and themes of self-acceptance and societal misunderstanding found in "The Iron Giant."

If my daughter asked me to explain Nomina action, I would say something like this: "Sometimes, Nimona felt very sad and lonely. She didn't know how to make those sad feelings go away, and it made her do something that could have hurt her. But guess what? That sad moment helped her understand how much she is loved." Nimona's story, while filled with challenges, ultimately conveys a message of hope, demonstrating that it is possible to overcome even the most difficult obstacles and emerge stronger.