Indeed, a slice-of-life spirit reigned from start to end, and the mood, while ebbing from times to times due to the comedic elements, was evenly disseminated. Though not especially standing out, the story did not feel incoherent in any major way, which is already much to achieve, and seemed to carry out its purpose: the focus of the movie certainly was characterisation, and the plot elements in their arrangement really could lead a viewer towards feeling a connection with the protagonists.
Art (9/10): A harmony existed between the art in this movie, and the visuals from the anime. While the art was not grandiloquent, except maybe two times where the art stood out, and these instants were the flower field and the snow pouring. The art was, however, effective, and its redeeming quality resides in letting a viewership be drawn into the anime. Exemplary for this.
Sound (9/10): This movie's surprising potency also resides, as a sprinkled kind of spice, in the musical way. During the snow festival, a song accompanies a few scenes in a much appreciated way. I would like to testify of my appreciation towards the lyrics! In a similar way, the ending song conveyed a feeling and mood in accordance with the rest of the direction this movie followed. Truly a masterpiece of harmony and effectivity.
Another distinction could be accorded towards Pack's and Beatrice's voice actors, for they did participate in a special way to create an intimacy between the viewership and the show. For this reason, I would want to thank specially Satomi Arai and Yumi Uchiyama. There was also a consistency in the way the other voice actors played their roles, and they should be revered to for this matter with a grateful appreciation.
Character (9/10): Characterisation certainly felt the strongest point of this movie. I would make two remarks about it: firstly, the direction and realisation targetted the endeavour that is conveying familiarity between a viewership and a cast, and carried out such a task in an effective way; secondly, while as I already pointed out, the cast felt the same as in the anime, and such consistency is appreciable for itself, two characters were especially noticeable, giving them a visibility that could, in retrospective, be deemed one of the few anime's shortcomings. However, it is encouraging for the least, to realise this movie actually corrects a flaw of the anime.
Indeed, two characters are more developed than others, would I judge. They would be, quite unexpectedly, Beatrice, our favourite bookworm blondish loli, and Pack! of all folks? While developing Beatrice felt more endearing towards her than anything else, Pack's characterisation involved a backstory permitting to develop a bit on the fictitious universe itself, involving how magic functions for some beings. Such a fact baffled me in a positive way, even so slightly.
Enjoyment (9/10): Certainly, as others referred to in other reviews, this movie is a better watch for one who already knew each character sufficiently beforehand. For a show to focus on developing characters that were known to an audience previously, the least justice to do it is watching it with enlightenment. It should not be a blind watch.
I personally very much liked this movie, because I could bond with the protagonists and their endearing interactions. However, it might not be as effective a mood to convey for an uninformed viewership. Also, one should be ready to give the action some respite in order to appreciate the stillness in events this show follows.
