24 Marcel the Shell Quotes That Give A New Perspective on Life

Marcel the Shell is an animated character in this fake documentary, which earned an Academy Award nomination in 2023. There's something about the shell's outlook on life that reminds people of what truly matters: family and trying to find joy in the simplest things. Let's remember these 24 Marcel the Shell quotes.

The 2023 Oscar nominees for Best Animated Feature Film were some of the best stories ever told. "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" was among Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio," Netflix's "The Sea Beast, Pixar's "Turning Red," and Dreamworks' "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish."

Ultimately, del Toro's "Pinocchio" received the award. Still, all of these unbelievable works of art prove what the iconic director has been trying so hard to make people understand: "Animation is cinema. Animation is not a genre for kids. It is a medium."

Marcel's little fake documentary with his grandmother, Connie, played by Isabella Rossellini, shows their daily life, and eventually, the humans help them family the rest of the family. Read these amazing 24 Marcel the Shell quotes to remember how beautiful life can be.

Marcel the Shell's quote: "Guess what I wear as a hat? A lentil." | Source: youtube.com/A24

Marcel the Shell Quotes About Living Your Best Life

"Sometimes when I get stressed out, my shell feels tight, but I have ways of unwinding." — Marcel the Shell

"I promised them that they could watch you eat it because I was like, 'I know this guy who can eat a whole grape.' They were like, 'BS.' But you could, right?" — Marcel the Shell

“My name is Marcel, and I'm partially a shell, as you can see on my body, but I also have shoes and a face. So, I like that about myself, and I like myself. And I have a lot of other great qualities as well.” — Marcel the Shell

"Guess what I wear as a hat? A lentil." — Marcel the Shell

Marcel the Shell's quote: “So it's actually only two of us now. Myself and my grandmother, Nana Connie. We like to watch "60 Minutes" because Lesley Stahl is fearless.” | Source: youtube.com/A24

“I'd like to say goodbye to my neighbors, the Costas. Goodbye, the Costas, even though we had a language barrier. You were my neighbors. You always liked to garden. Goodbye, Richard, you were the worst singer in our class, but I loved how you let me cut you in line. Goodbye, Anka, your sense of timing is one of the worst. Bye, Sandra. You were my favorite author. Goodbye, Mrs. Kim. The time that you ate a pepper flake and it made you fly into the wall was one of the funniest yet most serious accidents any of us ever witnessed, and you bore it with great grace and bravery. Goodbye, Brad. Thank you so much for rolling that marble into my bread room. I still keep it to this day.” — Marcel the Shell

“Marcel: Sometimes I find my mind wandering, thinking, ‘What would my family think?’

Do you think they could be out there?

Connie: Marcello, let's forget about being afraid. Just take the adventure.

Marcel: Okay, then. Let's do it.” — “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”

“It's always what they say on the days when you have a really keen sense of being lost or losing something, that it...It often feels like the sun shines the brightest. And then the next day, there was a really sunny day with a good breeze. And I just remember thinking, ‘If I was somebody else, I would really be enjoying this.’” — Marcel the Shell

“It's a big wide world. I don't wanna lose everything in the hope of something. That's already gone.” — Marcel the Shell

Marcel the Shell's quote: "Sometimes people say that my head is too big for my body, and then I say, 'Compared to what?'" | Source: youtube.com/A24

Marcel the Shell Quotes That Make Everyone Smile

"Guess what I do for adventure. I hang glide on a Dorito." — Marcel the Shell

"Sometimes people say that my head is too big for my body, and then I say, 'Compared to what?'" — Marcel the Shell

"All he cares about is treats. Treats and snoozin’. Look at him. Treats and snoozin’, snoozin’ and treats. That’s it." — Marcel the Shell

"That’s your nickname. Windy. W-I-N-D-Y. That’s what we all call you. That’s what the community calls you. I’m glad you like it, I guess. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you where it came from." — Marcel the Shell

Marcel the Shell's quote: “It's like a movie, but nobody has any lines, and nobody even knows what it is while they're making it.” | Source: youtube.com/A24

“Lesley Stahl: Marcel, how long has it been since you've seen your family?

Marcel: I couldn't tell you, but a space in my heart gets bigger and louder every day.

Lesley Stahl: Dean, do you know how long?

Dean: It's two years.

Lesley Stahl: Two years?

Dean: Yeah.

Marcel: Oh, that's nice to know!” — “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”

Marcel the Shell Quotes That Make This Story Beautiful

"Guess why I smile a lot. Uh, 'cause it’s worth it." — Marcel the Shell

“It's like a movie, but nobody has any lines, and nobody even knows what it is while they're making it. — Marcel the Shell

“It's pretty much common knowledge that it takes at least 20 shells to have a community. My cousin fell asleep in a pocket, and that's why I don't like the saying, "Everything comes out in the wash," because sometimes it doesn't. Or sometimes it does, and they're just like a completely different person.” — Marcel the Shell

"Marcel the Shell with Shoes on" quote: “Dean: Tell me about what's life like now. Marcel: I appreciate its different beauties, but it... it's not the way I would've done things if I was still in the group.” | Source: youtube.com/A24

“That's it. That's going through my shell. It felt just like her to lead me to a place where I would experience something new and special. It connected me how I felt like to everything because if I wasn't there, the sound never would exist. And I felt like everything was in pieces, and then I stood there, and suddenly, we were one large instrument. I like to go there a lot because it reminds me that I'm not just one separate piece rattling around in this place but that I'm part of a whole. And I truly enjoy the sound of myself connected to everything.” — Marcel the Shell

“Dean: Tell me about what's life like now.

Marcel: I appreciate its different beauties, but it... it's not the way I would've done things if I was still in the group.” — “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”

Marcel the Shell's quote: “It's a big wide world. I don't wanna lose everything in the hope of something. That's already gone.” | Source: youtube.com/A24

It's nice to see a heartwarming story with a little humor every now and then. Marcel gets to meet his idol, Lesley Stahl. Audiences could feel joy at that moment, but they quickly discover that Connie is gone, reminding us of how uncertain life can be. Everyone should give this movie a chance, and most of the other nominees for the 2023 Oscars.

Brendan Fraser won his first Academy Award for the film, "The Whale," after years of being absent from Hollywood. Jame Lee Curtis, another icon in the movie industry, also snagged her first Oscar and cried at the honor.

Guillermo del Toro's also added another award to his long list of accolades, so let's learn a bit about his life with his ex-wife Lorenza Newtown.