Kate Tsang's “Marvelous and the Black Hole” has been a quiet hit on the American film festival circuit. Tsang's comedy first premiered in Sundance, where then traveled to Tribeca, Atlanta, Sun Valley, and more. It's garnering a reputation as a crowd pleaser, and fittingly so. It's been nominated for Audience Awards twice, and won one in the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Marvelous and the Black Hole is screening at Mill Valley Film Festival
Now, we see “Marvelous” again in Tsang's home state of California at Mill Valley Film Festival as a part of its “Mind the Gap” initiative. In this film, Miya Cech stars as Sammy, a goth thirteen year-old perpetually angry after her mother's death. Sammy goes through the motions of a typical teenage rebel: she smokes, tattoos herself, and even skips class for good measure. This does not sit well with her pastel gamer sister (Kannon), and even less with her workaholic father (Leonardo Nam). Things take a turn, however, when Sammy runs into Margot the Marvelous (Rhea Perlman). Margot, it turns out, is not just a children's party magician; she is a wise, but quirky mentor as well. As Sammy learns more magic tricks, she rediscovers the world of wonder. Family, she realizes, consists of more than what first meets the eye.
“Marvelous and the Black Hole” vaguely resonates with Glen Keane and John Kahr's “Over the Moon,” another recent release about an angsty Chinese teen. Here too, teenage protagonist Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) is not done mourning her mother's passing; here, she is also equally angry about her father's remarriage. More notably, both protagonists rely heavily upon their mothers' retellings of Chang'e — the banished empress on the moon. But while Fei Fei manifests her frustration into a rabbit-shaped spaceship, Sammy opts for a rabbit-centric magic show. Fei Fei may be a child genius, but Sammy is the likeable punk-next-door.
Miya Cech's interpretation of a relatable Sammy carries the movie through. Like a Pixar film, the production design behind “Marvelous” sometimes feels too stylized and too sanitary. The houses are too spick and span; the outfits are too color coordinated. (Perhaps this is because of Tsang's own strong animation background – with credits in shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe). Cech's Sammy, however, is unafraid to get down and dirty. Though she never changes outfits and her rebellious energy feels almost textbook, Cech's Sammy feels like the only one real character in the “Marvelous” universe. She builds a believable teen persona, one even worth tearing up with along her journey.
Other concepts in “Marvelous” are quite charming as well. In “Hugo”-like fashion, Tsang further ties together multiple media – the live show, animated scribbles, and early special effects – to gently suggest their shared beginnings. Whereas Scorcese directly sourced Melies' material, Tsang gives the silent trick film an Asian American twist. They share the same thesis however: wonder, not movement, ties these early media together.
The only break in the magic is, perhaps, Sammy's visceral fantasy on-screen. When Sammy daydreams about sawing her potential Black stepmother (Paulina Lule) in half (twice), it is as vaguely uncomfortable. This motion is not racially charged at all — in fact, it speaks more to Sammy's immaturity than anything else — but this act is entertained a bit too gleefully on Sammy's end. One might wonder what went wrong in colorblind or deliberately diverse casting to still make a Black person the butt of the joke.
Taken as a whole, “Marvelous and the Black Hole” is a mildly entertaining watch. It is certainly not a must-see movie or even an innovative one. It is charming, however. Sprinkled with feel-good tropes and flourishing character development, Tsang's latest takes pleasure in working with older coming-of-age traditions. This family-friendly favorite is sure to amuse.
