“My Neighbor Totoro” is a warm-hearted and enchanting animated family film that explores the blissful wonder of being a child. It focuses on the journey of two girls, Satsuki and her kid sister Mei, who move with their father to the Japanese countryside and discover a new world filled with fascinating and fantastical creatures. As they explore their new surroundings the girls encounter Totoro, a large, fuzzy, silent raccoon-type of creature living in a huge camphor tree and known as the “king of the forest”, and embark on a series of magical adventures.
Unlike some of Miyazaki’s previous feature films like “Castle in the Sky” and “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” which emphasize dramatic conflict and thrilling battles, “My Neighbor Totoro” is more concerned with observing a slice of life of two very real, likeable and spirited young girls as they use their resources of imagination to fuel adventure and overcome obstacles. What’s truly amazing is how Miyazaki evokes the magic and wonder of childhood, capturing in realistic detail the emotions and activities of ordinary children as they explore and settle into their new surroundings.
The visuals, as in all Miyazaki films, are stunning – the recreation of a rural Japanese landscape is detailed and realistic while the magical creatures are enchanting and one of kind. Yet it is Satsuki and Mei that resonate the most. We come to care about them and are concerned for them when things go wrong.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Review: "Castle in the Sky" (1986)
“Castle in the Sky” is a fast-paced, Indiana Jones-style animated adventure that will appeal to children and adults alike. As with most Hayao Miyazaki films, an engaging and thrilling adventure story is delivered with a subtle message of respect for the environment.
The film kicks off as a young boy, Pazu, encounters Sheeta, a girl floating down from the sky. We discover that Sheeta, who possesses a crystal necklace that’s believed to lead the way to the mythical floating island of Laputa, has been kidnapped by government agents eager to acquire the pendant and harness the island’s mysterious power. As Pazu and Sheeta try to dodge the secret agents and embark on their own quest for Laputa, a number of high-flying and thrilling adventures ensue involving trains, planes, pirates and robots.
As in all his films, Miyazaki creates an imaginary world full of color and life, inhabited by complex yet interesting characters. “Castle in the Sky” is filled with epic-style battle scenes and it’s refreshing to see both female and male protagonists on equal footing as heroes.
The film kicks off as a young boy, Pazu, encounters Sheeta, a girl floating down from the sky. We discover that Sheeta, who possesses a crystal necklace that’s believed to lead the way to the mythical floating island of Laputa, has been kidnapped by government agents eager to acquire the pendant and harness the island’s mysterious power. As Pazu and Sheeta try to dodge the secret agents and embark on their own quest for Laputa, a number of high-flying and thrilling adventures ensue involving trains, planes, pirates and robots.
As in all his films, Miyazaki creates an imaginary world full of color and life, inhabited by complex yet interesting characters. “Castle in the Sky” is filled with epic-style battle scenes and it’s refreshing to see both female and male protagonists on equal footing as heroes.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Revew: "Howl's Moving Castle" (2004)
“Howl’s Moving Castle” is an enchanting animated family film that transports you to a magical fantasy world and tells a moving story about the transformative power of love and kindness.
Adapted from a children’s book written by Diana Wynne Jones, “Howl’s Moving Castle” focuses on the story of Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer), a shy, plain-looking and serious teenager who works in a hat shop, and Howl (voiced by Christian Bale), a handsome but vain wizard whom she meets by chance when he literally sweeps her off her feet to protect her from some malicious soldiers. Enraged by jealousy, the Wicked Witch of the Waste (voiced by Lauren Bacall) promptly curses Sophie, turning her into a 90-year old woman. In an effort to break her curse, Sophie embarks on a journey that brings her to Howl’s mysterious moving castle where she befriends the wizard’s young apprentice and a tough little fire demon. As she experiences life through an older woman’s eyes, she not only matures and learns something about herself but helps transform all the castle’s inhabitants, who are “cursed” by their own personal demons.
As imagined by director Hayao Miyazaki, the fantasy worlds of “Howl’s Moving Castle” are visually stunning and not like anything seen before. Miyazaki creates gorgeous and richly detailed images of bustling towns, vast mountains and flowery fields, reminiscent of early 20th century Europe. But the piece-de-resistance is Howl’s castle – a smoke belching contraption that looks as if its components were foraged from a junkyard and which moves about on chicken feet. It’s just awe-inspiring.
The narrative is complex and frequently goes off on tangents, into and out of various worlds and across time and space. Yet the journey is always interesting as the characters are multi-layered and we come to care about them. The English voice cast is excellent all-around, particularly Christian Bale who imbues Howl with a sexy bad-boy vibe.
Miyazaki weaves together a number of messages which should resonate with children and adults alike. One is that old age can be liberating. We see this quite vividly as Sophie develops from a shy, mousy girl into a confident and loving woman. Another is that embracing others with compassion and kindness can help them to tackle personal demons, resulting in positive change.
Adapted from a children’s book written by Diana Wynne Jones, “Howl’s Moving Castle” focuses on the story of Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer), a shy, plain-looking and serious teenager who works in a hat shop, and Howl (voiced by Christian Bale), a handsome but vain wizard whom she meets by chance when he literally sweeps her off her feet to protect her from some malicious soldiers. Enraged by jealousy, the Wicked Witch of the Waste (voiced by Lauren Bacall) promptly curses Sophie, turning her into a 90-year old woman. In an effort to break her curse, Sophie embarks on a journey that brings her to Howl’s mysterious moving castle where she befriends the wizard’s young apprentice and a tough little fire demon. As she experiences life through an older woman’s eyes, she not only matures and learns something about herself but helps transform all the castle’s inhabitants, who are “cursed” by their own personal demons.
As imagined by director Hayao Miyazaki, the fantasy worlds of “Howl’s Moving Castle” are visually stunning and not like anything seen before. Miyazaki creates gorgeous and richly detailed images of bustling towns, vast mountains and flowery fields, reminiscent of early 20th century Europe. But the piece-de-resistance is Howl’s castle – a smoke belching contraption that looks as if its components were foraged from a junkyard and which moves about on chicken feet. It’s just awe-inspiring.
The narrative is complex and frequently goes off on tangents, into and out of various worlds and across time and space. Yet the journey is always interesting as the characters are multi-layered and we come to care about them. The English voice cast is excellent all-around, particularly Christian Bale who imbues Howl with a sexy bad-boy vibe.
Miyazaki weaves together a number of messages which should resonate with children and adults alike. One is that old age can be liberating. We see this quite vividly as Sophie develops from a shy, mousy girl into a confident and loving woman. Another is that embracing others with compassion and kindness can help them to tackle personal demons, resulting in positive change.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Review: "Still Life" (2006)
“Still Life”, directed by Zhang Jia Ke, is a detailed and contemplative slice-of-life drama that shines a spotlight on contemporary working-class China. Set during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, Zhang weaves together two distinct stories of outsiders coming to the village of Fengjie to search for lost spouses.
In the first narrative, a middle-aged coalminer arrives from Shanxi Province to reunite with his ex-wife whom he hasn’t seen for sixteen years. Upon learning that she has moved to another town to work and only sporadically visits Fengjie, he decides to stay on indefinitely to work on a demolition project while awaiting her return. The second story focuses on a young nurse who is trying to track down her missing husband who abandoned the family two years ago. She is helped in her quest by her husband’s friend, a local archaeologist. Through the time they spend in Fengjie, both characters come to understand the impact the dam project has had on the local people and how it has influenced their own lives.
As the human drama unfolds, “Still Life” also explores the story of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam which looms as an important character in itself, shaping everyone’s lives. The dam can be viewed as a metaphor for dislocation and the cycle of destruction and renewal. We see the impact on the local inhabitants who have no choice but to adapt as old buildings and entire villages are demolished and established ways of life are lost. This theme of destruction/reconstruction is also mirrored in the stories of the two main characters.
The documentary visual style of “Still Life”, with its detailed attention to people and places, heightens its emotional impact. We realize that what’s been captured on film is a historic transition, an archival record of the human cost of China’s rapid fire modernization.
In the first narrative, a middle-aged coalminer arrives from Shanxi Province to reunite with his ex-wife whom he hasn’t seen for sixteen years. Upon learning that she has moved to another town to work and only sporadically visits Fengjie, he decides to stay on indefinitely to work on a demolition project while awaiting her return. The second story focuses on a young nurse who is trying to track down her missing husband who abandoned the family two years ago. She is helped in her quest by her husband’s friend, a local archaeologist. Through the time they spend in Fengjie, both characters come to understand the impact the dam project has had on the local people and how it has influenced their own lives.
As the human drama unfolds, “Still Life” also explores the story of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam which looms as an important character in itself, shaping everyone’s lives. The dam can be viewed as a metaphor for dislocation and the cycle of destruction and renewal. We see the impact on the local inhabitants who have no choice but to adapt as old buildings and entire villages are demolished and established ways of life are lost. This theme of destruction/reconstruction is also mirrored in the stories of the two main characters.
The documentary visual style of “Still Life”, with its detailed attention to people and places, heightens its emotional impact. We realize that what’s been captured on film is a historic transition, an archival record of the human cost of China’s rapid fire modernization.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Review: "Ashes of Time Redux" (2008)
“Ashes of Time Redux” is Wong Kar Wai’s venture into the martial arts genre. However, energetic action and narrative clarity take a backseat to the visual poetry that contemplates wounded hearts, loneliness and the memories of lost love that cut deeper than any sword. Best appreciated as a sensory experience, “Ashes of Time Redux” unfolds as a series of beautiful yet melancholic images like the soft brush strokes of a Chinese landscape painting. Even the swordfights are shot as swirling, hallucinatory dreamscapes. The haunting desert landscape gorgeously captured in saturated colors by cinematographer Christopher Doyle, a brooding cello score by Yo-Yo Ma and the beauty of the actors (an all-star Hong Kong cast) contribute to a movie experience that both pleases the senses and engages the heart.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Review: "A Touch of Zen" (1969)
“A Touch of Zen”, directed by King Hu, is a masterful and thoughtful martial arts film that seamlessly connects a ghost story, a political thriller and a mystical battle between a Buddhist monk and his earthly foe. Based on a story by Pu Song Ling, “A Touch of Zen” focuses on the plight of Yang Hui Ching, the daughter of a Ming Dynasty official murdered for attempting to warn the Emperor of a corrupt Eunuch within his ranks. Pursued by the Eunuch’s agents, she relies on her kung fu skills and the help of a Buddhist monk, a scholar and a couple of her father’s loyal aides to escape.
What elevates this movie beyond the standard kung fu flick is the graceful execution of the “flying swordsmen” fight scenes and the exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of “wu xia”, the honor code by which a man or woman uses martial arts skills for the general good rather than personal goals. This code is embodied most thoroughly by the Buddhist monk who also possesses the best martial arts skills. The showdown between the monk and the evil commander of the Eunuch’s army is not only stunning action but a reflection of Buddhist virtues.
Kudos must be given to the gorgeous cinematography and settings as they contribute immensely to establishing the dark, haunting tone which enhances the sense of fantasy and horror. Also noteworthy is the editing (in lieu of digital effects): jump cuts are used during some of the fight scenes to increase suspense.
What elevates this movie beyond the standard kung fu flick is the graceful execution of the “flying swordsmen” fight scenes and the exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of “wu xia”, the honor code by which a man or woman uses martial arts skills for the general good rather than personal goals. This code is embodied most thoroughly by the Buddhist monk who also possesses the best martial arts skills. The showdown between the monk and the evil commander of the Eunuch’s army is not only stunning action but a reflection of Buddhist virtues.
Kudos must be given to the gorgeous cinematography and settings as they contribute immensely to establishing the dark, haunting tone which enhances the sense of fantasy and horror. Also noteworthy is the editing (in lieu of digital effects): jump cuts are used during some of the fight scenes to increase suspense.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Review: "Tokyo!" (2008)
Tokyo! is a collection of 3 short films shot by 3 directors (two from France and 1 from Korea) using Tokyo as the setting. Fittingly, each of the films focuses on characters who are outsiders within Japanese society.
“Interior Design”, directed by Michel Gondry, is a funny and whimsical coming of age story that cleverly toys with the notion of identity and the path to personal fulfillment. Akira, an aspiring filmmaker, and Hiroko, his supportive but aimless girlfriend, have moved to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. They bunk in a friend’s apartment temporarily while Akira sets up film screenings and Hiroko spends her days trying to find an affordable apartment. Her apartment hunting exploits result in some hilarious scenarios that will be familiar to anyone who’s tried to find a decent apartment in a big city.
Realizing that he can’t make a living as an artist, Akira confronts Hiroko about her lack of direction. He believes people are defined by what they do. Forgoing his dream of filmmaking for the moment, Akira finds work as a gift wrapper while Hiroko undergoes a very unusual transformation that takes the idea of “defined by what you do” literally.
“Merde”, directed by Leos Carax, is a semi-parody of the “monster run amok in Tokyo” story that explores themes of xenophobia and terrorism. It is the weirdest and the least engaging of the three films. The monster here is a shabby green-clad, one-eyed foreigner named Merde who lives in the sewers of Tokyo. He emerges each day to inflict havoc among the Japanese – one day he’s merely a pest who pushes people on the street, knocks them down and makes off with their possessions. The next day he’s killing innocent bystanders with grenades. Captured by the police, he confesses that hatred of the Japanese is what drove him to kill. Tried by a jury, he is sentenced to death. While awaiting his death sentence in prison, he becomes a sort of national hero to the non-conformists while the conservatives condemn his actions.
The premise of this story is an interesting one and the film starts with promise but ultimately fails to deliver much of an emotional connection as the central character is relentlessly unlikeable and the scenes set in the prison are rather tedious.
“Shaking Tokyo”, directed by Bong Joon-Ho, is a visually beautiful love story between two recluses (known in Japan as “hikikomori”) that underscores the human need for connection. The story focuses on a young man who has confined himself to his apartment for 10 years. One day a delivery girl arrives with his weekly pizza just as a small earthquake occurs. The girl faints and while tending to her, he falls in love. Desperate to see her again, he summons up the courage to venture outside to find her and discovers that all of Tokyo’s residents have become recluses.
This is a sweet film that is enhanced by its excellent cinematography and lovely views of Tokyo’s quiet back streets. The haunting image of the man walking through the deserted Tokyo streets as he searches for the girl’s home lingers and serves to underscore the isolation and loneliness that one might feel in the concrete jungle.
“Interior Design”, directed by Michel Gondry, is a funny and whimsical coming of age story that cleverly toys with the notion of identity and the path to personal fulfillment. Akira, an aspiring filmmaker, and Hiroko, his supportive but aimless girlfriend, have moved to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. They bunk in a friend’s apartment temporarily while Akira sets up film screenings and Hiroko spends her days trying to find an affordable apartment. Her apartment hunting exploits result in some hilarious scenarios that will be familiar to anyone who’s tried to find a decent apartment in a big city.
Realizing that he can’t make a living as an artist, Akira confronts Hiroko about her lack of direction. He believes people are defined by what they do. Forgoing his dream of filmmaking for the moment, Akira finds work as a gift wrapper while Hiroko undergoes a very unusual transformation that takes the idea of “defined by what you do” literally.
“Merde”, directed by Leos Carax, is a semi-parody of the “monster run amok in Tokyo” story that explores themes of xenophobia and terrorism. It is the weirdest and the least engaging of the three films. The monster here is a shabby green-clad, one-eyed foreigner named Merde who lives in the sewers of Tokyo. He emerges each day to inflict havoc among the Japanese – one day he’s merely a pest who pushes people on the street, knocks them down and makes off with their possessions. The next day he’s killing innocent bystanders with grenades. Captured by the police, he confesses that hatred of the Japanese is what drove him to kill. Tried by a jury, he is sentenced to death. While awaiting his death sentence in prison, he becomes a sort of national hero to the non-conformists while the conservatives condemn his actions.
The premise of this story is an interesting one and the film starts with promise but ultimately fails to deliver much of an emotional connection as the central character is relentlessly unlikeable and the scenes set in the prison are rather tedious.
“Shaking Tokyo”, directed by Bong Joon-Ho, is a visually beautiful love story between two recluses (known in Japan as “hikikomori”) that underscores the human need for connection. The story focuses on a young man who has confined himself to his apartment for 10 years. One day a delivery girl arrives with his weekly pizza just as a small earthquake occurs. The girl faints and while tending to her, he falls in love. Desperate to see her again, he summons up the courage to venture outside to find her and discovers that all of Tokyo’s residents have become recluses.
This is a sweet film that is enhanced by its excellent cinematography and lovely views of Tokyo’s quiet back streets. The haunting image of the man walking through the deserted Tokyo streets as he searches for the girl’s home lingers and serves to underscore the isolation and loneliness that one might feel in the concrete jungle.
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