Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Movie • 2021  

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Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family.
This movie contains 21 potentially triggering events.
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Your Triggers
Does the dog die?
1 supporters
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16
Unanswered Triggers
Abandonment
0
lightgaia
Yes by various characters. Spoilers ahead!

Marcel feels sad that he never got to say goodbye to his parents and community, including his weird neighbors. This film focuses on the grief and loneliness felt by Marcel as he and his grandma learn to live around that.

Marcel's grandma, Nana Connie, disappears while he and Dean are (finally!) preparing for their interview on 60 minutes with anchor Lesley Stahl. She told him she loved him beforehand. He did too.

It's a heartbreaking but also very beautiful scene.
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3
Anonymous
Not intentionally
1 comment | Add comment
Is an animal abandoned?
81 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Abuse
Are there abusive parents?
43 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone stalked?
24 supporters
Yes
14
No
2
7
pumpkinsar
Not exactly stalking per se, but people find out where Marcel lives they come to the house and take pictures, break in, etc.
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8
SydneySmith
It’s not outright domestic violence but there are multiple flashbacks of the couple that lived in the house loudly arguing and things in the house being broken in moments of physical aggression. It’s never deeply explored or clear what is happening or why beyond a couple fighting, but it can be a tense moment at least for dv survivors
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Is a woman brutalized for spectacle?
73 supporters
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0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone gaslighted?
37 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is someone abused with a belt?
20 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is a child abused?
89 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Addiction
Yes
0
No
15
Is there addiction?
16 supporters
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Yes
0
No
13
Does someone abuse alcohol?
15 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Animal
Were animals harmed in the making?
117 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Does a horse die?
81 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Does an animal die?
(besides a dog, cat or horse)
148 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Are animals abused?
172 supporters
Yes
0
No
16
0
Anonymous
No, but a squirrel gets stuck in someone’s house and is chased out. Does not seem to be in distress.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there a dead animal?
96 supporters
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Yes
0
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15
Is an animal sad?
69 supporters
Yes
1
No
2
0
greenseaturtle
A sentient shell, not technically an animal.
1 comment | Add comment
Are rabbits harmed?
54 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Does a cat die?
147 supporters
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0
No
16
Does a pet die?
1 supporters
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Yes
1
No
7
Does a dragon die?
27 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Are there spiders?
42 supporters
Yes
24
No
0
3
Grayth
There are but they are cutesy with googly eyes and they're way too small to be tarantulas. Also they don't move a lot. My partner is unbelievably arachnophobic and wasn't scared at all.
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Are there alligators/crocodiles??
5 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there snakes?
16 supporters
Yes
1
No
17
3
pumpkinsar
Close up of an earthworm though that you could argue has some snake-like movement
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Are there sharks?
6 supporters
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0
No
3
Are there bugs?
27 supporters
Yes
20
No
0
5
pumpkinsar
Close-up on a bee, multiple tarantulas, flies, beetles, earthworm
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Assault
Does a woman get slapped?
16 supporters
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Yes
1
No
2
Is someone drugged?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Is there pedophilia?
103 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone held under water?
18 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is rape mentioned?
75 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone beaten up by a bully?
19 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone restrained?
23 supporters
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Yes
0
No
11
Is someone sexually assaulted?
169 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is someone's mouth covered?
11 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Bodily Harm
Is there shaving/cutting?
31 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Are any hands damaged?
17 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there dislocations?
9 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there throat mutilation?
32 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
13
No
0
7
SydneySmith
In addition to the previous comment about the grandma, there is a scene where a bee has “drank a little too much nectar” according to the grandma and makes some respiratory/gurgling sounds that sound a bit like they’re struggling to breathe
2 comments | Add comment
Is there decapitation?
30 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there cannibalism?
31 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is someone crushed to death?
29 supporters
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Yes
0
No
10
Is someone choked?
1 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone burned alive?
37 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Is someone buried alive?
25 supporters
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Yes
0
No
13
Is there body horror?
47 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Is there amputation?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
13
Yes
0
No
15
10
pumpkinsar
No, but the grandma suffers a visible head injury (you see it as a hole in the upper part of her shell)
1 comment | Add comment
Is there Achilles Tendon injury?
18 supporters
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Yes
0
No
9
Is there a hanging?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Does someone asphyxiate?
24 supporters
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Yes
0
No
10
Is there genital trauma/mutilation?
73 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Does someone become unconscious?
7 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Yes
5
No
10
7
pumpkinsar
Technically no, the grandmother's shell gets broken though.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone have a seizure?
6 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Are any teeth damaged?
47 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Is there finger/toe mutilation?
48 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is someone tortured?
72 supporters
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Yes
0
No
16
Yes
1
No
14
8
SydneySmith
No, though marcel does intentionally jump from the stairs multiple times, but it’s lighthearted in an effort to launch an Orange from a spoon
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
1
No
14
8
SydneySmith
**Spoiler** No, but the grandma does suffer a fall off-screen that eventually leads to her death later as she fails to recover from the injuries she sustained
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Is there eye mutilation?
88 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Is someone stabbed?
15 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there excessive gore?
80 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Children
Yes
0
No
8
0
Anonymous
The ages of the shells abducted are unclear, but some are children
1 comment | Add comment
Does a kid die?
41 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Is a minor sexualized?
97 supporters
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Yes
0
No
7
Creepy Crawly
Are there bedbugs?
13 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Death
Does someone sacrifice themselves?
1 supporters
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Yes
0
No
8
Yes
4
No
0
2
marcels grandma passes
1 comment | Add comment
Does a non-human character die?
22 supporters
Add comment
Yes
10
No
1
Does someone die?
1 supporters
Yes
6
No
1
0
lightgaia
Adding onto the previous comment with some spoilers ahead!

Marcel's grandma, Nana Connie, disappears/passes away off screen. Her loss was felt by everyone, especially. They hold a funeral for her at the end of the film. Marcel sings The Eagles' "Peaceful Easy Feeling" in her honor with all of his family and friends there. It was honestly really beautiful.
1 comment | Add comment
Disability
Yes
0
No
3
Is the r-slur used?
29 supporters
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Yes
0
No
16
Drugs/Alcohol
Does someone overdose?
14 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
11
Family
Yes
5
No
0
1
marcels gma passes
1 comment | Add comment
Does a parent die?
20 supporters
Yes
17
No
1
9
pumpkinsar
Parent-figure. The grandmother character Nana Connie passes away after an injury and illness.
1 comment | Add comment
Is a child's toy destroyed?
25 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
13
No
2
5
pumpkinsar
Marcel's family was taken from their home against their will
2 comments | Add comment
Does someone cheat?
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Fear
Are there ghosts?
8 supporters
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Yes
0
No
15
Are there jump scares?
55 supporters
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Yes
0
No
16
Yes
1
No
14
3
LilyAccount
marcel is in a bathtub by the drain at the beginning of the movie but no one is seen showering
2 comments | Add comment
Are there natural bodies of water?
1 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there clowns?
11 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is someone possessed?
11 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is trypophobic content shown?
22 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Are there razors?
S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® (1-800-DONTCUT)
13 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Are there mannequins?
5 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Gross
Does someone vomit?
90 supporters
Yes
24
No
1
7
jubileebee
Yes, Marcel vomits multiple times while on a car ride. He is shown in distress after this happens.
6 comments | Add comment
Does someone wet/soil themselves?
20 supporters
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Yes
0
No
14
Is there farting?
10 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone eaten?
31 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there on-screen pooping?
37 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone spit?
10 supporters
Yes
12
No
1
2
pumpkinsar
Marcel gets carsick and spits up multiple times
1 comment | Add comment
Is there audio gore?
41 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Large-scale Violence
Are there 9/11 depictions?
8 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
11
Law Enforcement
Is there copaganda?
0 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there incarceration?
4 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
LGBTQ+
Are there transphobic slurs?
42 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Is there deadnaming or birthnaming?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there bisexual cheating?
20 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Is an LGBT+ person outed?
20 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Loss
Is a priceless artifact destroyed?
7 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Medical
Is electro-therapy used?
19 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Are needles/syringes used?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there a mental institution scene?
25 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there a hospital scene?
12 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is there menstruation?
6 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone have cancer?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
16
Mental Health
2
grandma shell has dementia
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone self harm?
S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® (1-800-DONTCUT)
67 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
16
Is autism misrepresented?
29 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Is a mentally ill person violent?
32 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is there D.I.D. misrepresentation?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Is there autism specific abuse?
38 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Yes
0
No
10
Is reality unstable or unhinged?
19 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone have a meltdown?
8 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there misophonia?
30 supporters
Yes
1
No
13
2
BP23
Marcel is very soft-spoken and could potentially be triggering for misophonia
1 comment | Add comment
Are there anxiety attacks?
23 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is there ABA therapy?
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
15
Is there body dysphoria?
14 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there body dysmorphia?
27 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is there a claustrophobic scene?
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
3
Jadespade
No actual eating disorders, but the sick grandma pretends to eat in front of Marcel before throwing the whole meal away when he isn't looking.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
14
No
3
3
howdywrites
It's mentioned a character off screen got washed in the washing machine and "wasn't the same anymore" and would stare out the window for hours/days. It's implied that it's PTSD
3 comments | Add comment
Noxious
Are there underwater scenes?
7 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Are there sudden loud noises?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there shakey cam?
35 supporters
Yes
15
No
0
6
SydneySmith
About as much as you would expect from a mockumentary if not less. I think the most egregious is when marcel calls the videographer into the room while he’s looking for his family and the person with the camera runs down the hall
2 comments | Add comment
Does a baby cry?
13 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Is there screaming?
12 supporters
Add comment
Yes
1
No
2
Is there obscene language/gestures?
6 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
6
0
informalnarwhals
Barely and depending on where. In the first few minutes, there is a lightning storm during the flashback to the couple's first argument, but the flashes weren't rapid enough to be uncomfortable (I recall three in as many seconds, and two later also sparsed out). If watching at Angelika cinemas, their logo before the film has alternating flashing panels of bright colored lines against a black background that I had to shield my eyes from.
1 comment | Add comment
Paranoia
Is someone watched without knowing?
12 supporters
Add comment
Yes
1
No
2
Yes
18
No
0
2
pumpkinsar
It is a mockumentary
1 comment | Add comment
Pregnancy
Is a baby stillborn?
21 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Does someone miscarry?
20 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Are there babies or unborn children?
13 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Is there childbirth?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Are there abortions?
15 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Does a pregnant person die?
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Prejudice
Are there homophobic slurs?
38 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Yes
0
No
14
Are there usages of the n-word?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Yes
0
No
14
Are there "Man in a dress" jokes?
32 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
6
LilyAccount
when marcel is reading youtube comments, he comes across one that refers to him by she/her pronouns and is confused
1 comment | Add comment
Does an LGBT person die?
28 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Are there fat jokes?
50 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is there aphobia?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Is a minority is misrepresented?
24 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Does the black guy die first?
19 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there hate speech?
26 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Race
Is there blackface?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Relationships
Is there a large age gap?
34 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
9
Religious
Is religion discussed?
11 supporters
Add comment
Yes
1
No
2
Are there demons or Hell?
13 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Sex
Are there nude scenes?
39 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
9
Is there bestiality?
80 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone lose their virginity?
11 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone sexually objectified?
42 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
10
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
82 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
15
Is there sexual content?
52 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Is there BDSM?
19 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Sexism
Yes
0
No
14
Sickness
Yes
1
No
2
0
greenseaturtle
Close to Nana Connie's death, she grows quiet and stops eating. Nothing too graphic.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone have a stroke?
10 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
10
Does someone have a chronic illness?
9 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
13
No
0
6
Jadespade
The grandma sometimes forgets things that were just told to her.
1 comment | Add comment
Social
Are there fat suits?
28 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Is someone homeless?
5 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Is existentialism debated?
0 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Are there anti-abortion themes?
31 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Spoiler
Is Santa (et al) spoiled?
3 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Are there end credit scenes?
35 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
Yes
0
No
15
4
SydneySmith
The ending is bittersweet
1 comment | Add comment
Vehicular
Does a car honk or tires screech?
13 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Does a car crash?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Does a plane crash?
10 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
14
Is someone hit by a car?
19 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Violence
Does someone drown?
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Is there blood/gore?
54 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Is there a nuclear explosion?
6 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Is there gun violence?
22 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
13