The Secret of Kells (2009)

Watched 20101208 (Netflix, Instant)
Watched 20131014 (Netflix, Instant, HD)
The Secret of Kells (2009) Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey. 75 min.

Brenden (Evan McGuire) runs through the shepherd's flock of sheep as he pursues the goose.

Relevant Links:
The Secret of Kells (IMDb.com)
The Secret of Kells (RottenTomatoes.com)
The Secret of Kells (Wikipedia.org)
The Book of Kells (Wikipedia.org)

---

Upon his arrival, everyone gathers around Aidan of Iona (Mick Lally).

The story centers around a young boy named Brendan who lives in the Abbey of Kells with his uncle. Brendan's uncle, Abbot Cellach, concerns himself with completing a wall around the city to protect the people from invaders. Meanwhile, Aidan of Iona, a master illuminator*, has come to Kells to continue work on the Book of Iona.

Aisling (Christen Mooney) isn't too fond of Brendan at the start.

After Brendan and Aidan meet, Aidan asks Brendan to collect some nuts in the forest. While his uncle has previously told him not to enter the forest, Brendan decides to go anyways, as the completion of the book depends on it. Accompanied by Aidan's cat Pangur Bán, Brendan enters the forest and befriends a spirit named Aisling.

Aidan talks to Brendan about the Eye of Collum-Cille.

Back in Kells, Aidan reveals he cannot finish the Book of Iona himself and gets Brendan, who is quite talented, to help.

*An illuminator is a person who adds decorations to a text. For more information, see the Wikipedia page on "Illuminated manuscript."

Brendan's first magnificent work.

---

20101208:
This movie was a good animation and had a good story. The song Aisling sings is so lovely. Cuter and more elaborate than the short tune and "la la la" in Princess Mononoke. Though I like the tune in Princess Mononoke for being memorable.

Aisling temporarily transforms Pangur Ban into a spirit.

[20101209]

---

20131014:
It's been so long that I've forgotten the plot of the movie. I had also forgotten the movie's creative and pleasing animation.

Note I would agree with my previous remark that the song Aisling sings is lovely. I suppose, however, that I should retract my statement about the tune in Princess Mononoke being memorable - I absolutely can't remember what any of it sounds like.

Brenden and Aidan's cat Pangur Ban.