"Loving Vincent" Review - Changing the Game At Every Brushstroke

I know it would be cliche for me to say “Loving Vincent” is a gorgeous piece of art. But I’m going to say it anyway.

“Loving Vincent” is a gorgeous piece of art. Hands down the best animated film of this year so far. This is a movie that explores the life and mystery behind Vincent Van Gough, and is animated completely in the painter’s style of how he used a brushstroke. The movie doesn’t really have a plot, as it is more a mystery film. A documentary on the painter itself if I must say. But if you’re a fan of art, you will truly appreciate this piece of wonderful filmmaking. The voice cast is great, the music is so gentle, yet well fitting, and the fact that every frame of this 90 minute piece was hand painted and it was all done in perfect sync as if it were a regular movie…my god if you can’t appreciate that, then you don’t have a brain to grasp how mind-blowing that is.

Van Gough has been one of my favorite painters ever since I went to the Van Gough museum in Amsterdam when I studied abroad in 2014. What he painted and how he painted still feels very inspiring to me, and this film does such a terrific job at telling his story while also trying to solve the case on what made his short life such a mystery.

I truly hope this is a contender for best animated film. In some ways, I hope it wins. I know there are plenty of other great international animated films out there, and I’m sure Coco looks wonderful, but if there’s any international film that deserves best animated feature over Pixar, it’s this. Sometimes, simple really is better. At least that’s what Vincent Van Gough believed when he painted. Boy did this film showcase that so well with every color drop and brushstroke.

Two Nebs Up!