Fei Fei grows up being told the legend of Chang’e by her mother, Chang’e who took a potion for immortality and became the goddess of the Moon, forced into taking only the Jade rabbit for company and leaving behind her true love Houyi and how she waits for him to join her on the moon. Fei Fei helps make and deliver mooncakes for the Moon Festival for her parent’s business with her white rabbit Bungee until her mother becomes ill and passes away.
After four years Fei Fei’s father meets a Ms. Zhong and falls in love with her and when she and her son Chin join the family for the Moon Festival Fei Fei is hurt and feels like her father doesn’t believe the legend any more of Chang’e and her true love and goes on a mission to prove it to her father. After brainstorming for a while and trying a lot of different ways she builds a rocket that is supposed to take her to Lunaria.
Of course she makes it and meets Moon Goddess Chang’e but nothing seems to go right from there on and Chang’e seems to have other motives in having Fei Fei and the sneaking new brother Chin on Lunaria.
Country: China, United States of America
Language: English, Chinese
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Sci-Fi
Release Date: 30 October 2020
Duration: Writer: Audrey Wells, Jennifer Yee McDevitt, Alice Wu
Stars:
- Cathy Ang as Fei Fei, the 13-year-old girl who believes in Chang’e ever since the loss of her mother.
- Robert G. Chiu as Chin, Mrs. Zhong’s 8-year-old son and Fei Fei’s stepbrother.
- Phillipa Soo as Chang’e, the mythical Moon goddess who yearns to be with her true love Houyi again.
- Ken Jeong as Gobi, a pangolin Lunarian and former royal advisor who was exiled a thousand years ago.
- John Cho as Ba Ba, Fei Fei’s father.
- Ruthie Ann Miles as Ma Ma, Fei Fei’s late mother.
- Sandra Oh as Mrs. Zhong, Ba Ba’s new fiancée, later wife and Fei Fei’s stepmother.
- Margaret Cho as Auntie Ling, one of Fei Fei’s aunts and Gretch, one of Biker Chicks.
- Kimiko Glenn as Auntie Mei, another one of Fei Fei’s aunt and Lulu, one of Biker Chicks.
- Artt Butler as Uncle, Fei Fei’s uncle and Bill, one of Biker Chicks.
- Irene Tsu as Grandma, Fei Fei’s grandma.
- Clem Cheung as Grandpa, Fei Fei’s grandpa.
- Conrad Ricamora as Hou Yi, Chang’e’s true love
Where to watch: Netflix
Opinion
10 out of 10
This Chinese-American production was released on Netflix in 2020, which at first feels a little weird because it’s a Chinese story in American but it works, the movie has so many bright colours and I absolutely loved watching it. I love Fei Fei’s determination to prove something to her father only to find something she had been missing all along. I’m familiar with the Legend of Chang’e as I’ve written about it before and it was nice to see this adaptation to it. I feel like it’s good for these kinds of stories and legends to be explored in a creative way.
The movie also explores sickness, grief, depression and acceptance, showing the audience that it’s okay to take your time when losing someone you love and that even though life seems dark and difficult. You will have room in your heart to love again and to move on with the memory of the person still in your mind and heart, moving on isn’t about replacing someone but to find happiness again.
Even though the movie was written by Audrey Wells, who passed away due to illness in 2018, I like that they did end up hiring mostly Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong artists as voice actors.
This movie is perfect for kids or people who love Chinese culture and like the Disney style of movies. It has songs, action, magic and a good story line to boot. I give it a 10 out of 10 and I hope everyone will watch it.
