When Ernest & Celestine came out in 2012, the film found itself nominated for the Best Animated Film Oscar. You might not remember this moment since it was steamrollered by Disney’s Frozen. The tale of Ernest the Bear and his mouse friend Celestine was drowned out by the millions of ice princesses singing “Let It Go.” Over the years, the French film based on the children’s books by Belgian author and illustrator Gabrielle Vincent has gained an audience. The characters had their own TV show in Europe. Naturally it was time for the endearing friendship of the duo to return to the big screen. Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia (Ernest et Célestine: Le Voyage en Charabie) takes the duo on a journey where Ernest has to figure out what has happened to his hometown.
Winter has come to an end. Celestine is eager to see her friend Ernest finally wake up from his seasonal slumber. Turns out that while he was sleeping, food in the kitchen got sparse. In her hustle and bustle to get Ernest ready to play on the city streets, Celestine breaks Ernest’s priceless violin. Luckily it’s not a complete destruction. He knows it can be repaired back in his hometown of Gibberitia. The long trip to the remote city is a bit hairy for the duo. But nothing is scarier than when they arrive. Ernest describes the town as always full of music. But the parks and squares are rather quiet. When Ernest unpacks his accordion to make a little change busking, thing go really wrong. Turns out there’s a new law in the book that outlaws the playing of more than one note. The cops are ready to bust Ernest for his felonious playing. He only escapes the law because a masked musician distracts them. Turns out there is an underground of people who refuse to only repeat the same note over and over. Can Ernest and Celestine save the city from the monotonous tones?
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia is picture book in motion. The two characters feel painted on the screen (even through the animation appears to have been done in CGI). The city is unusual enough to feel like a place you want to visit. There’s an M.C. Escher element to the twists and towers. The act of banning multiple notes isn’t quite so farfetched. Think of how everyday another conservative parents’ group is demanding books and art being banned. You can also compare it to ultra zealous copyright holders who keep suing any new piece of music because somehow it infringes on a song they control. You put three notes together and someone will claim you stole it from an obscure song from the ’40s. The heart of the film is the unconventional friendship between Ernest and Celestine. Can you imagine sitting around for months waiting for your much larger friend to wake up from their slumber? Ultimately the duo are willing to go to extremes for each other even if it means having to break the other out of prison. The best news is there’s no Disney film to distract you from their tale this time. Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia will melt your heart with its musical charm.
The Video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The 1080p transfer brings out the watercolor vibe in the animation on the screen. The Audio is DTS-HD MA 5.1 in both the original French and the English dub. The levels are same on both versions. The movie is subtitled in English and Spanish.
Making Of (15:51) has the producer talk about how they’re making a new film and not merely a sequel to their first film made six years before . Ernest & Celestine are a popular duo in children’s books in France. The co-directors worked together on the first film. We see the various departments at the studio. We learn the role of the assistant director in animation.
Interview with the Directors (12:16) has Julien Chheng and Jean-Christophe Roger discuss how they shared the duties on the film. They joke that one them is Ernest while the other is Celestine. They enjoyed the experience. Chheng was an animator on the first film while Roger was a director on the TV series featuring the characters.
Interview with the Cast (11:16) has them talk about the friendship of their characters. Lambert Wilson (Ernest) and Pauline Brunner (Celestine) get a bit into the mindset of their animal roles. Wilson talks about the athletic element in voice acting even if the viewers don’t see what he’s doing in the booth. He also approaches it as a child takes to playing. Brunner gets into transporting herself into the creature.
Interview with Producer Didier Brunner (10:45) has him get into how the characters relate to each other and are outsiders to others. He gets into what it takes to get them to Gibberitia.
How to Draw Ernest & Celestine (1:48) has Jean-Christophe Roger demonstrate where to put your pencil (or stylus on a tablet).
Trailers (3:22) features the English Dub and the Original French Trailer.
Shout Studios and GKIDS present Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia. Directed by Julien Chheng and Jean-Christophe Roger. Screenplay by Guillaume Mautalent & Sebastien Oursel. Starring the Voices of Lambert Wilson, Andrew Kishino, Pauline Brunner, Ashley Boettcher, Michel Lerousseau, David Lodge, Céline Ronté & Anne Yatco. Running Time: 81 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Release Date: January 16, 2024.
