Nocturna
Nocturna
| 06 September 2007 (USA)
Nocturna Trailers

In the aging orphanage the days pass very uneventfully, but the nights are something quite different; at least for Tim they are. The light reflected from the stars is the only cure for his fear of the dark. One night this fear leads him to the orphanage rooftop. Where he discovers that his favorite star has disappeared, and unfortunately it´s not going to be the last one. Tim also discovers...

Reviews
Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!
Justin Easton There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
Car Uy I can't believe I just discovered this movie a few days ago. It was also hard to look for it because there was also another movie named "Nocturna." Not much is also posted about this movie in the internet but I hope this will be more known soon because it's a fantastic tale.I would disagree with one of the earlier comments which said that it's the Spanish version of Monsters Inc. because this one is quite different and is an unusual tale. There are also some scenes in the movie which reminded me of some movies of Studio Ghibli but I would say these things that reminded me are the style of the art and the feeling you get when watching a great movie.Thus, this will definitely be in my favorite movies list and I will probably recommend this to other people because this is not what the negative comments speak of.
the_wolf_imdb What happens when you expose hundreds of years of fairy tale storytelling to one hundred years of Socialism and 30 years of Euro Bureaucracy? Nocturna happens, that is. This is definitely no Studio Ghimli story, no Neverending Story, no Strings or no City of Lost Children, even if the authors do try to rip off from these movies massively. But the sum of all these parts is way worse than any of these parts.You may also think the movie rips off from Woody Allen or Kafka, but there is great difference: The authors DO LOVE bureaucracy. The whole Nocturna seems to work as European Union bureaucracy machinery, nothing happens by random chance, there is well respected hierarchy and little interest of solving the issues of "other departments". No one seems to give a damn about the problems that have not been entitled to him by order from higher ranks. In contrast to dystopia movies like Brazil this machinery is displayed as positive. It is even more OK to have bossy boss of this machinery, who actually rules it more like a king than the CEO. We are supposed to be happy to be cared for and nurtured by this institution. Everything is planned, even the individual revolt of Down-syndrome ugly boy is according to the plan. (He is particularly ugly, he has not only huge hole between upper front teeth, but his upper jaw seems to be also broken, because left and right part of it seems to be animated independently. Yuck!) There is no "evil" there, no enemy, only misunderstanding of Down-syndrome boy who created mess basically by not believing in the power of Nocturna bureaucratic machinery. He simply has to comply, he has to find his proper place and all then goes well, the ranks of the bureaucrats may go to sleep, because after busy well managed night there must be good rest for the hordes of bureaucrats. The next night might be horrible without their ever loving care! Or there might be revolt of some Nocturna work union that would lead to the chaos. We would be lost forever without The Socialist - Bureaucratic Management.I do not see why someone can see such story as amusing. I do see it really frightening, it creeps me out. What is even more creepy is the fact that this Kafkaresque machinery is presented to the children as something positive, even if it does nothing to the solution of the problem. We should love The System anyways! The message is horrible and the characters are ugly. What a piece of junk! I'm sorry for the children that will be forced to see this grisliness. I would definitely throw it to the garbage bin and give them almost anything from Studio Ghimli instead. These Japanese movies are not only far superior in animation, but they do have really good and powerful stories. Nocturna has no such qualities at all.
ElijahCSkuggs It's always nice to accidentally stumble upon a movie that didn't get the praise and recognition it rightly deserved in the first place. It's even nicer when it's animated.The story starts with Tim, a night-time fearing orphan who takes great refuge with mother nature's night-lights, the stars. After a prank by some of his fellow orphan brothers, he scrambles up onto the roof so the dark doesn't envelope him. And this is when he notices that the stars are beginning to disappear. But luckily for him he then meets the Cat Herder, his new found friend and ally to figuring out the mystery of the missing stars.The story itself isn't strong enough to carry you alone, but thanks to a creative world and unique artistic style that reminded me of a Tim Schafer game in ways, the movie combines all aspects of film-making to create something worth-while and memorable.At the movie's core is Nocturna; the name of the magical land that controls the night and sleep for all the little boys and girls of the world. In this land there's a Cat Herder that is in charge of all the cats that purr you to sleep. There's a trio of hair-dressers that give you 'bed head'. There's even a bothersome little man who with a tiny whisper, will have you wetting your bed. And that's just for starters.With a tried and true, but rather simple story about courage, and not being afraid of the dark at it's center, you're not really blown away by any story arc. The delivery of it's message through imagination is the real saving grace. Because of the art style and professional voice work, the movie will eventually rise above it's unfounded place in that big well of under-appreciated films.
dbborroughs Tim is a little boy who is afraid of the dark, but loves the stars. Every night he drags his bed to the window so he can be watched over by his star. One night unable to sleep he climbs to the roof of the orphanage and looks out over the city and notices that the stars, including his star, are going out. In his frenzy to do something he falls off the roof, but is rescued by the Cat Shepherd. The Cat Shepherd is in charge of the cats that watch over all of the children and help put them to sleep at night. When Tim refuses to go to sleep The Cat Shepherd agrees to help Tim get to see the head of Nocturna the world of the night, who might be able to help him solve the problem of the missing stars. This in turn becomes a journey across the night world as Tim tries to find the source of the darkness.I've seen Nocturna twice in two days and while I really liked it after the first viewing I fell even more under its spell upon the second. This is quite simply a magical movie that improves with each viewing (I'm planning yet another viewing in the next day or so). Trust me this is a great film. If you've ever wondered why your hair is messed up in the morning, or who makes the noises at night, or who steal your socks this movie is for you. As Tim goes through the night world he discovers the answers to these and other questions (which are referenced through out the movie and seeing how they are is what makes the film so much fun on multiple viewings) Its magic.Watching the film I was reminded of other films, Monsters Inc, Spirited Away, Moongirl, and a few others, but seconds after I thought that the film was like one thing I almost instantly realized that I was wrong, it maybe like these films for a moment, but in the end they are nothing like them, this is a film that creates its own unique world (which is clearly evident in its design, music and witty dialog). This is a film that ultimately is a unique masterpiece.(If nothing else the familiarity that flashes up makes the film more special in that it makes it easier to believe that what we see happening in the film is really what happens in our world after we fall asleep).This film needs to be seen, by anyone who wants to see a good movie- not just an animated film or a kids film- just a good film. It's special. Search this one out.And why doesn't this film appear to have a US distributor? I had to see this as an imported region 2 DVD(Which has a super English voice cast.) This is an animated film that deserves to be seen as big as possible. I regret not seeing it at the New York Children's Film Festival when I had the chance because the thought of seeing Tim moving through the city on the big screen is just too amazing to contemplate (It looks great on a big screen TV but on a big movie screen its probably even better).