‘The Legend of Ochi’ Review: Practical Magic Breathes Life Into A24’s Grounded Fantasy Preaching Man’s Coexistence With Nature

variety.com:

Carlos Aguilar The Ochi exist. Furry monkey-like creatures of an orange-hued pelt with pronounced ears and huge dark eyes, the Ochi could feel just at home in the “Star Wars” universe, James Cameron’s “Avatar” realm Pandora or in Amblin classics like the “Gremlins” series.

They are not real in an organic sense, but the beings in “The Legend of Ochi” are tangible entities, sophisticated puppets crafted to inhabit the lush greenery of Carpathia, a fictional island in the Black Sea where modernity and tradition find themselves at a crossroads.

Produced by A24, “The Legend of Ochi,” brings the bountiful imagination and technical innovation of writer-director Isaiah Saxon into a larger canvas.

Saxon, perhaps best known for directing the stunning “Wanderlust” music video for Icelandic artist Björk, flexes the visual prowess that he and his team at Encyclopedia Pictura have developed over two decades, which combines plenty of handmade elements with digital tools.