Related:
two (very different) animated tales of animal survival
grave of the fireflies
paprika 's dream world
arrietty is like walking inside a painting
Showing posts with label Anime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anime. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
favorite movie #49: pom poko
Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #49 - Pom Poko (1994) - My mom was a huge fan of Japanese anime, especially work from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. We found this movie at the library, after we blew through all the Miyazaki films and were trying to find some new anime to watch. It is a long, rambling, but ultimately powerful take on urban sprawl and the environment. The tanuki, or raccoon dogs who are the primary focus of the film, are finding their habitat encroached upon by the growing human population of Tokyo. Director Isao Takahata portrays the tanuki as fun-loving, mischievous, war-mongering, affectionate, magical, shape-shifting creatures. Different styles of anime portray the tanuki in their different states and moods, and add to the overall epic look of the film. There really isn't anything else out there like Pom Poko. It is so much more than a cartoon. It is a thoughtful, visually rich, at times sad film that can be revisited again and again.
Related:
two (very different) animated tales of animal survival
grave of the fireflies
paprika 's dream world
arrietty is like walking inside a painting
Related:
two (very different) animated tales of animal survival
grave of the fireflies
paprika 's dream world
arrietty is like walking inside a painting
Monday, November 10, 2014
big hero 6 — beautiful and brainy
There are many reasons to love Big Hero 6, the latest Disney/Marvel animated offering, but the two most obvious ones are the appealing duo of boy genius Hiro and his amazing robot Baymax.
The movie is (very loosely) based on a Marvel Comic of the same name. In typical Disney fashion, young Hiro (Ryan Potter) must deal with the tragic death of a loved one very early in the film. The melodramatic deck is also stacked, as 14-year-old Hiro and and his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) are already orphans when we meet them, and living with their eccentric but loving Aunt Cass (Maya Rudolph) in the futuristic hybridized city of San Fransokyo.
Hiro is also surrounded by a lovable team of self-professed science geeks, Tadashi's friends GoGo Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans, Jr.), Honey Lemon (Génesis Rodríguez), and Fred (T. J. Miller), who all attend the city's prestigious science and technology school, the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Tadashi wants Hiro to apply to the school, and he does, in spectacular fashion, with his invention of microbots, which can be controlled by the mind to take any shape or form. Hiro's microbots catch the interest of the head of the school, Professor Callaghan (James Cromwell), who offers him a place at the school, as well as Alistair Krei (Alan Tudyk), a wealthy owner of a robotics company, who wants to hire Hiro on the spot.
The action ramps up as Hiro meets Baymax (Scott Adsit), a very appealing healthcare/helper robot invented by Tadashi. With a few upgrades to Baymax, and Tadashi's friends on his side, the gang teams up to discover the identity of the mysterious masked figure who has stolen Hiro's microbots. Hiro is no longer alone in his quest for the truth.
Big Hero 6 has a big heart, but it is also great to look at. The mixture of anime and doll-like animation gives it a fresh look, while staying in the style of the day. San Fransokyo, with its soaring buildings and nearness to water suggests its two city inspirations, San Francisco and Tokyo, while becoming something altogether new and exciting. There are also visual and thematic nods to films Blade Runner, Scooby Doo, and Real Steel. Big Hero 6 also works as a superhero origins movie, as each of his friends use their tech wizardry to outfit themselves with special abilities.
One of the most appealing aspects of the movie is its love of science, gadgets, and most importantly, school. Tadashi rescues his smart but bored little brother from some tough guys and life on the street and shows him where he and his ingenuity can flourish — at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. That burning desire for knowledge, matched with the sincere and loving heart — of a robot — Baymax — makes for a very winning film.
 |
| Baymax and Hiro |
The movie is (very loosely) based on a Marvel Comic of the same name. In typical Disney fashion, young Hiro (Ryan Potter) must deal with the tragic death of a loved one very early in the film. The melodramatic deck is also stacked, as 14-year-old Hiro and and his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) are already orphans when we meet them, and living with their eccentric but loving Aunt Cass (Maya Rudolph) in the futuristic hybridized city of San Fransokyo.
Hiro is also surrounded by a lovable team of self-professed science geeks, Tadashi's friends GoGo Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans, Jr.), Honey Lemon (Génesis Rodríguez), and Fred (T. J. Miller), who all attend the city's prestigious science and technology school, the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Tadashi wants Hiro to apply to the school, and he does, in spectacular fashion, with his invention of microbots, which can be controlled by the mind to take any shape or form. Hiro's microbots catch the interest of the head of the school, Professor Callaghan (James Cromwell), who offers him a place at the school, as well as Alistair Krei (Alan Tudyk), a wealthy owner of a robotics company, who wants to hire Hiro on the spot.
The action ramps up as Hiro meets Baymax (Scott Adsit), a very appealing healthcare/helper robot invented by Tadashi. With a few upgrades to Baymax, and Tadashi's friends on his side, the gang teams up to discover the identity of the mysterious masked figure who has stolen Hiro's microbots. Hiro is no longer alone in his quest for the truth.
 |
| The team, L-R: Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Hiro, Baymax, GoGo, and Fred |
Big Hero 6 has a big heart, but it is also great to look at. The mixture of anime and doll-like animation gives it a fresh look, while staying in the style of the day. San Fransokyo, with its soaring buildings and nearness to water suggests its two city inspirations, San Francisco and Tokyo, while becoming something altogether new and exciting. There are also visual and thematic nods to films Blade Runner, Scooby Doo, and Real Steel. Big Hero 6 also works as a superhero origins movie, as each of his friends use their tech wizardry to outfit themselves with special abilities.
 |
| The original comic book characters |
One of the most appealing aspects of the movie is its love of science, gadgets, and most importantly, school. Tadashi rescues his smart but bored little brother from some tough guys and life on the street and shows him where he and his ingenuity can flourish — at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. That burning desire for knowledge, matched with the sincere and loving heart — of a robot — Baymax — makes for a very winning film.
Monday, July 07, 2014
baby's first comic con
The kid and I attended the Florida Supercon this weekend and had a blast. We saw some famous folks, some amazingly creative cosplay, and lots and lots of stuff that celebrates the larger and larger world that is all things geek these days. While everyone expects science fiction, anime, and fantasy to be represented by all things manga and Star Wars and Star Trek and Game of Thrones, I had to admit to being surprised to also see emissaries from such worlds as Spongebob Squarepants and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But that was great for the kid, who got an autograph and got to pose with the voice of Squidward himself, Rodger Bumpass.
I have to admit that although I love Miyazaki, and am aware of anime like Sailor Moon and of course Pokemon, I was at a loss by some of the references displayed by young cosplay-ers. But I did love these creations, whoever they were supposed to be.
One of the draws to get me to go initially was Jason Momoa, who played Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones. We just caught the tail-end of his Q&A, but he seemed very engaging; having a great time with the audience. But the highlight for me certainly had to be the photo-op with Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols. What a great lady.
Before we headed for home I gave the kid a quick tour of South Beach and its great Deco-style architecture. Miami Beach was pretty torn up — lots of construction going on — but being a city gal at heart, I really enjoyed being in a little bit of a bigger pond for a while. We will definitely be back soon, when we can spend a bit more time hanging out there. All in all, a great, fun day.
 |
| The kid with Squidward (aka Rodger Bumpass) |
I have to admit that although I love Miyazaki, and am aware of anime like Sailor Moon and of course Pokemon, I was at a loss by some of the references displayed by young cosplay-ers. But I did love these creations, whoever they were supposed to be.
One of the draws to get me to go initially was Jason Momoa, who played Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones. We just caught the tail-end of his Q&A, but he seemed very engaging; having a great time with the audience. But the highlight for me certainly had to be the photo-op with Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols. What a great lady.
 |
| Jason Momoa favored sitting on the edge of the stage to relate to his fans |
 |
| Nichelle Nichols favored us all with the Vulcan salute |
Before we headed for home I gave the kid a quick tour of South Beach and its great Deco-style architecture. Miami Beach was pretty torn up — lots of construction going on — but being a city gal at heart, I really enjoyed being in a little bit of a bigger pond for a while. We will definitely be back soon, when we can spend a bit more time hanging out there. All in all, a great, fun day.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
paprika 's dream world
Vintage has recently re-released Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993's mind-bending novel Paprika
. Set at Japan's Institute for Psychiatric Research, two brilliant scientists, psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba and inventor Kōsaku Tokita are developing a tool they have dubbed the "DC mini" which can allow psychiatrists to enter a patient's dreams, and which they hope to use to cure a variety of psychic aliments, from anxiety to acute schizophrenia.
In order to work as a "dream detective," which is considered illegal, Atsuko has created an alter ego called Paprika, to more easily invade, and in many cases, inspire dreams. Unfortunately for Paprika her secret identity is no longer very secret, and someone has stolen the DC minis and has started using them to drive everyone at the Institute insane. The differences between the world of dreams and the real world is becoming more and more difficult to determine, and with increasingly deadly results.
Although it has an initially interesting concept, Paprika is a very slow read, with at times some very plodding prose. The inter-office politics at the Institute, and the absurd notion of the main characters developing such an unstable device as a way of vying for a Nobel Prize, bogs down the initially clever sci-fi premise. The dreamscapes that Paprika and her friends explore include some interesting imagery, but readers will be far more rewarded by Satoshi Kon's wonderful 2006 anime adaptation of the novel.
Although Atsuko/Paprika may be the heroine, and a potential Nobel prize winner for her lethal co-invention (exactly who is reviewing these inventions, by the way?) she is far from a feminist or any kind of female role model. The two-dimensional "dream doctor" falls in love with all of her (older) male patients and is frequently the (willing) recipient of their rape fantasies. Rape and virtual sex seem to be the core of her diagnostic technique. A lot of the attitudes about sex - gay or straight - leave a bad taste for the reader. It is unclear if the author, Yasutaka Tsutsui (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, What the Maid Saw: Eight Psychic Tales), who is much revered in Japan, intended his characters to be misogynistic, homophobic, or both. Maybe a poor translation has eliminated a sense of satire in regard to the sexual politics of the novel, but it seems not.
Most of the characters, except for one of Paprika's patients and champions, Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Konakawa, are downright unpleasant. Innocent people are mauled and destroyed left and right when the dream world starts to take over the real world, but with no real world consequences. Paprika and her friends don't seem to have any regrets about the public impact of their deadly invention. The ever-growing love-addled male Paprika-posse just keeps taking her out to eat after each escalating disaster, to public places where her enemies can easily get to her.
The late Satoshi Kon created a brilliant anime film based on Paprika
in 2007. Many of the characters were condensed, and most of the boring office-related dialogue was excised. This book can best be viewed as an interesting inspiration for a superior work of art.
Originally published on Blogcritics: Book Review: ‘Paprika’ by Yasutaka Tsutsui
. Set at Japan's Institute for Psychiatric Research, two brilliant scientists, psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba and inventor Kōsaku Tokita are developing a tool they have dubbed the "DC mini" which can allow psychiatrists to enter a patient's dreams, and which they hope to use to cure a variety of psychic aliments, from anxiety to acute schizophrenia.In order to work as a "dream detective," which is considered illegal, Atsuko has created an alter ego called Paprika, to more easily invade, and in many cases, inspire dreams. Unfortunately for Paprika her secret identity is no longer very secret, and someone has stolen the DC minis and has started using them to drive everyone at the Institute insane. The differences between the world of dreams and the real world is becoming more and more difficult to determine, and with increasingly deadly results.
Although it has an initially interesting concept, Paprika is a very slow read, with at times some very plodding prose. The inter-office politics at the Institute, and the absurd notion of the main characters developing such an unstable device as a way of vying for a Nobel Prize, bogs down the initially clever sci-fi premise. The dreamscapes that Paprika and her friends explore include some interesting imagery, but readers will be far more rewarded by Satoshi Kon's wonderful 2006 anime adaptation of the novel.
 |
| Satoshi Kon's Paprika was chock-full of amazing images |
Most of the characters, except for one of Paprika's patients and champions, Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Konakawa, are downright unpleasant. Innocent people are mauled and destroyed left and right when the dream world starts to take over the real world, but with no real world consequences. Paprika and her friends don't seem to have any regrets about the public impact of their deadly invention. The ever-growing love-addled male Paprika-posse just keeps taking her out to eat after each escalating disaster, to public places where her enemies can easily get to her.
The late Satoshi Kon created a brilliant anime film based on Paprika
in 2007. Many of the characters were condensed, and most of the boring office-related dialogue was excised. This book can best be viewed as an interesting inspiration for a superior work of art.Originally published on Blogcritics: Book Review: ‘Paprika’ by Yasutaka Tsutsui
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
arrietty is like walking inside a painting
No one who is a fan of the output of Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli would be surprised that its latest release, The Secret World of Arrietty
is well-made and entertaining, but they might be surprised at how drop-dead gorgeous it is.
From the very first frame of the film the audience is transported into a lush, painterly landscape. The familiarly-drawn anime characters of the story blend seamlessly with the watercolor backgrounds. It is simply beautiful to look at and experience. The story, written by Studio Ghibli mastermind Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, is based on Mary Norton's classic children's book The Borrowers
. The story is simple — teenage Arrietty lives with her parents, father Pod and mother Homily, below the floorboards of a house. Borrowers are tiny people who survive by borrowing what they need from the human beings, or beans, as they call them. One day an ill teenage boy named Shawn comes to stay in the house, in order to rest and prepare for a heart operation. He spies Arrietty, and while this knowledge becomes an immediate threat — Borrowers should not be seen by humans — the two become friends. Their friendship has a profound effect on each other's lives.
The touch of Miyazaki is unmistakable — a strong and resilient young heroine (Kiki's Delivery Service
, Spirited Away
, Princess Mononoke
), the very real threat of illness on a child's life (My Neighbor Totoro
), a large cat who is both threatening and protective (My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns
), the strong bonds that can be formed between people (Whisper of the Heart
), and the power and magic of nature and landscape which permeates all of his films. Miyazaki has always been interested in household spirits, and the Borrowers certainly share characteristics with those beings. But the movie has its own pace and very individual look, which must be traced to first-time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Yonebayashi worked previously as an animator on the Studio Ghibli films Ponyo
, Tales From Earthsea
, Spirited Away, My Neighbors the Yamadas
, and Princess Mononoke.
The voice talent is also well-cast. Carol Burnett is inspired as more-than-nosy housekeeper Hara, who is the true threat to the Borrowers' safety. Bridget Mendler (Goodbye Charlie) and David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) make a nice pair as Arrietty and Shawn. A restrained Will Arnett and over-the-top Amy Poehler are both perfect in their roles as Arrietty's parents Pod and Homily.
The Secret World of Arrietty is lyrical and gentle, with the story developing at the same pace as Arrietty's and Shawn's friendship. We know generally what Arrietty will find when she goes on her first borrowing expedition with her father, but the film still conveys a real sense of suspense and wonder as we see the pathways taken by the pair, the evidence of generations of Borrowers who have climbed through the walls and floors before them. Scale, which adults forget is always an issue for children, is a prime factor in Arrietty's world. She and her father climb veritable mountains of furniture for a single cube of sugar or sheet of tissue, which will last her family for months. The visual scale is temporarily tipped in her favor when a pair of potato bugs become pet-sized for Arrietty. The filmakers apparently did their nanoscience research, down to droplets of water and tea, which are as lovingly rendered as the many other details in the film.
The movie is different from most animated children's fare. There are no wise-cracking talking animals or hyerkinetic cuts and chases or radio-ready soundtrack. The music, by French musician Cécile Corbel is as laid-back and hypnotic as the visuals. The story, which originally was set in Norton's England, has been moved to the Western Tokyo neighborhood of Koganei, which coincidentally is where Studio Ghibli resides. The movie may take its time, but feisty Arrietty and her family are always on the go. They are explorers and ultimately nomads, but also creative thinkers. Children will love their real-world solutions for survival, like sailing away in a teapot. Arrietty's world sparks imagination.
A sense of temporary magic permeates the film. Children will relate, recalling the instant friendship that is born at the playground, or over a summer, and must sadly dissolve when both parties return home. Adults may be reminded of the feeling of an unfulfilled romance, a brief relationship that can never be. The Secret World of Arrietty charmingly portrays a sense of beauty and loss, but it isn't a sad film. Spring always comes again. Shawn and Arrietty will never forget one another, regardless of whether they ever see each other again.
is well-made and entertaining, but they might be surprised at how drop-dead gorgeous it is. From the very first frame of the film the audience is transported into a lush, painterly landscape. The familiarly-drawn anime characters of the story blend seamlessly with the watercolor backgrounds. It is simply beautiful to look at and experience. The story, written by Studio Ghibli mastermind Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, is based on Mary Norton's classic children's book The Borrowers
. The story is simple — teenage Arrietty lives with her parents, father Pod and mother Homily, below the floorboards of a house. Borrowers are tiny people who survive by borrowing what they need from the human beings, or beans, as they call them. One day an ill teenage boy named Shawn comes to stay in the house, in order to rest and prepare for a heart operation. He spies Arrietty, and while this knowledge becomes an immediate threat — Borrowers should not be seen by humans — the two become friends. Their friendship has a profound effect on each other's lives. |
| Arrietty in her room |
 |
| Nina the cat and Arrietty |
 |
| Arrietty hitches a ride with Shawn |
 |
| Housekeeper Hara sees the Borrowers not as people, but as proof that she isn't crazy |
, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke), the very real threat of illness on a child's life (My Neighbor Totoro), a large cat who is both threatening and protective (My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns), the strong bonds that can be formed between people (Whisper of the Heart), and the power and magic of nature and landscape which permeates all of his films. Miyazaki has always been interested in household spirits, and the Borrowers certainly share characteristics with those beings. But the movie has its own pace and very individual look, which must be traced to first-time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Yonebayashi worked previously as an animator on the Studio Ghibli films Ponyo, Tales From Earthsea, Spirited Away, My Neighbors the Yamadas, and Princess Mononoke.The voice talent is also well-cast. Carol Burnett is inspired as more-than-nosy housekeeper Hara, who is the true threat to the Borrowers' safety. Bridget Mendler (Goodbye Charlie) and David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) make a nice pair as Arrietty and Shawn. A restrained Will Arnett and over-the-top Amy Poehler are both perfect in their roles as Arrietty's parents Pod and Homily.
The Secret World of Arrietty is lyrical and gentle, with the story developing at the same pace as Arrietty's and Shawn's friendship. We know generally what Arrietty will find when she goes on her first borrowing expedition with her father, but the film still conveys a real sense of suspense and wonder as we see the pathways taken by the pair, the evidence of generations of Borrowers who have climbed through the walls and floors before them. Scale, which adults forget is always an issue for children, is a prime factor in Arrietty's world. She and her father climb veritable mountains of furniture for a single cube of sugar or sheet of tissue, which will last her family for months. The visual scale is temporarily tipped in her favor when a pair of potato bugs become pet-sized for Arrietty. The filmakers apparently did their nanoscience research, down to droplets of water and tea, which are as lovingly rendered as the many other details in the film.
The movie is different from most animated children's fare. There are no wise-cracking talking animals or hyerkinetic cuts and chases or radio-ready soundtrack. The music, by French musician Cécile Corbel is as laid-back and hypnotic as the visuals. The story, which originally was set in Norton's England, has been moved to the Western Tokyo neighborhood of Koganei, which coincidentally is where Studio Ghibli resides. The movie may take its time, but feisty Arrietty and her family are always on the go. They are explorers and ultimately nomads, but also creative thinkers. Children will love their real-world solutions for survival, like sailing away in a teapot. Arrietty's world sparks imagination.
A sense of temporary magic permeates the film. Children will relate, recalling the instant friendship that is born at the playground, or over a summer, and must sadly dissolve when both parties return home. Adults may be reminded of the feeling of an unfulfilled romance, a brief relationship that can never be. The Secret World of Arrietty charmingly portrays a sense of beauty and loss, but it isn't a sad film. Spring always comes again. Shawn and Arrietty will never forget one another, regardless of whether they ever see each other again.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
catching up with ... tales from earthsea
Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki was busy working on his film Howl's Moving Castle
, so couldn't helm Tales from Earthsea
, but he must have paid more than a few visits to the studio, as his hand is all over this lovely little anime from 2006. Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, stepped in for his father to direct the film, a loose adaptation of Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea
novels. The team at Studio Ghibli delivered the gorgeous painted backgrounds and compelling characters that viewers have come to expect from them. I recently saw the English-voiced version, and even with a pretty standard good vs. evil plot, it was still a treat.
, so couldn't helm Tales from Earthsea, but he must have paid more than a few visits to the studio, as his hand is all over this lovely little anime from 2006. Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, stepped in for his father to direct the film, a loose adaptation of Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea novels. The team at Studio Ghibli delivered the gorgeous painted backgrounds and compelling characters that viewers have come to expect from them. I recently saw the English-voiced version, and even with a pretty standard good vs. evil plot, it was still a treat. |
| Arren befriends a dragon |
 |
| Good wizard Sparrowhawk |
Dalton and Defoe are especially good in their voicing of their characters, two wizards in combat, each with a very different interpretation of the eternal battle of life over death. Themes of love and conquering death make for a more adult and sometimes somber story, with some fairly graphic violence at the end of the film, as compared to other Studio Ghibli offerings like My Neighbor Totoro
and The Cat Returns
. But Hayao Miyazaki, who worked on the story for his son's film, has always added a touch of melancholy to his characters. | ||||
Arren has a dark side
There are images that just take your breath away — Anything featuring the dragons Our first look at Cob in his medieval fortress An abandoned villa where Arren first meets Therru The vistas of the seaside town Hort Town Arren listening to Therru sing a song of loss and mourning Wolves advancing to attack Arren in the desert. Tales from Earthsea is a wonderful animated film, full of color and texture, but you should probably tuck in the kiddies and settle back and enjoy this one for yourself. |
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