You just don't forget a movie like this. The straightforward sweetness of the fairytale grabs you and lures you in, and and the psychedelic fantasy that happens halfway through is, for lack of a better word, magical. It does have a "European" quality (this is a GOOD thing) that give it a bit more authenticity and some added strangeness, but it really is one of those films you wish you could see "for the first time all over again". The animation style isn't really comparable to anything from North America - when it focuses on sweet Maria, it has a Walt Disney quality, but when some of the more droll and comedic characters are on screen it makes you think more of Asterix and Obelix. Sweet, charming, mystical, magical and unforgettable.
