Smurfs

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Movie: Smurfs (2011)

Studio : Sony Pictures

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 86 min

Website : Smurf Happens

Rating : PG

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

The little blue guys (and a girl) with the white beanies are back in this “Enchanted” mixed with “Alvin and the Chipmunks”. The Smurfs are sent through a magical portal while trying to escape from Gargamel (Hank Azaria) and wind up in the real world, New York City to be exact, where they are completely lost, but know one thing. Their enemy and his cat Azrael are hot on their trail. Fortunately, they wind up in a box belonging to Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and his wife (Jayma Mays). Now they must get home before the blue moon when they can open a portal back to their world, a portal that Gargamel realizes comes from their blue magic.

This movie is strictly for kids. For parents, these aren’t your childhood Smurfs that you remember fondly. In the cartoon so long ago, 30 years, they all lived in a nice Utopian society that helped each other out and generally loved eachother. The movie does have a couple semi-touching moments and tries to pay a bit of respect to original creator Peyo, but it fails badly. What the movie is mostly is sight gags like Smurfs falling in toilets and juvenile humor that is funny for a few minutes, but not long enough to keep adults from wanting to head for the door. Fortunately, the time is relatively short, thus cutting the pain down to a manageable 81 minutes without the credits.

The placing of the blue critters in the real world is very, very good, just like it was in Alvin and the Chipmunks. They are believable as being in this world, and Gargamel’s cat is one of the best crossbreed animations we’ve seen. The 3D also plays well with objects coming at you and with the medium in mind when they conceived and filmed it.

As to the acting, about as good as you would see in a Saturday morning cartoon, kind of generic performances that range from horrible to not that bad, but not on the par of their other acting work. Harris, aka Barney from How I Met Your Mother, is terribly wasted in this, while Jayna Mays (Heroes and Glee) just plays it the best she can, but they gave both very little to work with. These two obviously just did it for the kids they have or the kids they plan to have. Hank Azaria is the only one who almost stands out as Gargamel. Seems he actually studied the mannerisms of the cartoon character and was able to create a reasonable facsimile. Of course, this is the guy on Simpsons who is the man of many voices and is used to cartoon work.

In the end, kids will love it. My six year old niece thought it was hilarious. And why not? The smurfs are cute, blue and have all the energy of a two year old, but parents will be groaning at the end. Maybe sending the kid to the movies with a babysitter, rather than going yourself is the best idea on this one. We only give it a 2.5/5 because we’ve seen kid’s movies done much better with Disney, Pixar and others.

Related posts:

1. Rio Rating: Movie: Rio (2011) Studio : Blue Sky Studios Info...
2. Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer Rating: Movie: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011)...
3. Kung Fu Panda 2 Rating: Movie: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) Studio : Dreamworks...

Winnie the Pooh

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Movie: Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Studio : Walt Disney Pictures

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 69 min

Website : disney.go.com/pooh

Rating : G

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Based on three stories from the original author of the series, AA Milne, comes a lovable classic brought back to life just the way we knew him. For Winnie the Pooh, he just wanted to find some honey, but when his friends are in trouble, he is right there to help out. In this case, Eeyore, the perpetually down donkey, has lost his tail and the others such as Owl, Piglet, Rabbit, Tigger, Kanga and Roo must help him find a suitable replacement. And if that wasn’t all for a little bear and his critter crew to handle, their beloved human friend Christopher Robin, according to Owl, needs rescuing from a rapscallion who may or may not be real.

It’s been 35 years since Disney themselves has done anything with Winnie the Pooh. There have been a few direct to DVD features by other animation studios (licensed out) such as the Tigger Movie and the CG animated TV show Pooh Corner, but not from the Walt Disney studios themselves. And Disney pulled out all the stops to bring everyone’s favorite orange bear back to the silver screen. They not only returned to the classic hand painted animation, which they headed up by top animators from the Little Mermaid/Aladdin/Lion King golden era, but they were particularly careful to recreate the charm and wonder of the original. There is no 3D and no CG, just beautiful animation that one could tell was a labor of love for it’s creators.

And they pulled it off, the 73 minute animated film is charming to a fault and is just a wonderful change from the chaotic nature of today’s movies, even those produced by Disney. It’s a calm, nice and peaceful adventure that rips at the heartstrings, making us laugh and feel for these great characters. It’s like reading to our children at night or taking them to the theme parks that you loved as a child for the first time as a parent. The joy in watching the little’s one face light up when Pooh runs from the bees or Eeyore gets fitted with different tails is a delight.

And to add to the beauty is the superb voice acting of the cast, many first timers to film, while others are old pros like John Cleese as the Narrator, Colin Ferguson as Owl, while others are voices you’ve heard elsewhere such as Tom Kenny, who plays Spongebob Squarepants, and Jim Cummings who voiced a whole lot of Disney characters through the years. Cummings did an excellent job of imitating the unique voices of Sterling Holloway (Pooh) and Paul Winchell (Tigger), which he has been doing for awhile now with some exceptions.

Unfortunately, its old world charm may actually have the opposite effect than is intended, at least in getting the people into the theaters. In a world where flashy and fast paced are more of an attraction than good old fashioned fun, there will probably be many who will choose to skip it that might actually get a kick out of it. And that would be a shame in our opinion, but marketing being the way it is, it’s really hard to push a movie like this because there is no flash, just Disney doing what it does best, producing good solid family entertainment. I guess the good news is that this should be a hot DVD when it’s released.

We give this movie a 4.8/5 stars for its wholesome goodness and nostalgia. It’s well worth packing up the family truckster with the kids to the theater to see. And if you were already a Winnie the Pooh fan from way back, we dare you not to at least have one moment that will bring a tear to their eye of joy at his return.

Related posts:

1. Cars 2 Rating: Movie: Cars 2 (2011) Studio : Disney-Pixar Info :...

Cars 2

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Movie: Cars 2 (2011)

Studio : Disney-Pixar

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 113 min

Website : disney.com/cars

Rating : G

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) are going international in this sequel to Cars from Disney-Pixar. The best cars will be racing in the first World Grand Prix and McQueen picks his buddy to accompany him on a journey that will span across three countries. But when Mater is mistook as being an American spy, he finds himself in the middle of an espionage adventure that he isn’t quite ready for, a mission given to him by the mysterious British spy Finn McMissile (Michael Caine).

Disney-Pixar is known for their great balance between emotion and action that feeds both the adults and the kids at different levels. It’s always a heartwarming story at the base embellished by the antics of the various characters. But no matter what actions take place, the tale is always one that people can relate to. This is become the standard for their films and Cars 2 just does not live up to that. The main reason is that instead of that base to play off of, it depends on the slapstick comedy and explosive action that would seem more comfortable in a Saturday morning cartoon than an animated feature. There is a lot more cartoon violence in this one than in the first, and I had to admit, I half expected Roger Rabbit to pop up somewhere with a bomb in his hand.

But before I go any further, perhaps it is unfair to compare it to other Pixar offerings. After all, movie companies make a wide range of films for different audiences and Pixar should have the right to do so as well. In this one, they went the Transformers route, but there is an audience that loves the heavily populated action films and kids will love the antics of Mater and his “Get R Done” attitude. And so while it may not be their best, it’s certainly an entertaining way to spend an afternoon if you aren’t too critical of its lack of emotion.

This movie reminded me a lot of a Bob Hope / Bing Crosby vibe in their road movies. Bob Hope would always get into all sorts of mischief and provide the comedy to Bing Crosby’s straightlaced ways. And so it is with McQueen (who is played well once again by Owen Wilson) and Mater. Larry the Cable Guy has certainly found his niche and he plays the character with such fun that between his voice and the visuals, he steals basically every scene he’s in. It’s no wonder that Disney made him a much bigger part in the sequel, though if you find redneck humor not to your liking, Mater might not be as enjoyable, but we all thought he was hilarious. Michael Caine also voices Finn McMissile with all the charm and debonair nature of a James Bond, giving the British spy car a great personality that will surely endure into the future. Emily Mortimer also does well as Holley Shiftwell, who is the female spy who keeps an eye over Mater’s mission.

I think it would have been better if they called this what it was, which is Lightning McQueen and Mater’s World Adventures rather than Cars 2. It doesn’t work as a sequel, but more of a spinoff like the cartoon shorts they play on the Disney Channel and so perhaps there would have been less griping over the film’s contents. We do have to admit that we missed characters like Sarge, Doc Hudson, Fillmore (who’s voice George Carlin died), and Luigi and Guido. The new ones don’t seem to have that same feel. So it’s more that they extended the Cars universe (which gives them many more merchandising opportunities), but I do hope if there is a Cars 3 that they consider bringing back some of these older characters.

We are going to go against the grain of most critics and give this 4.3/5. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s not the horrible film they are trying to make it out to be. As we said, it’s not near as heartwarming, but the action is exciting, the characters fun and for the kids and young at heart, it’s a good time.

Related posts:

1. The Smurfs Rating: Movie: Smurfs (2011) Studio : Sony Pictures Info :...
2. Winnie the Pooh Rating: Movie: Winnie the Pooh (2011) Studio : Walt Disney...
3. Fast Five Rating: Movie: Fast Five (2011) Studio : Universal Info :...

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Movie: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Studio : Dreamworks

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 90 min

Website : kungfupanda.com

Rating : PG

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Po (Jack Black), the lovable panda who reached the goal of being Dragon Warrior in the first movie is happy in the Valley of Peace, protecting it from evil that is always out there. Course this is a pretty easy job when he has a whole group of friends to help him. There is Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogan), Crane (David Cross), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Tigress (Angelina Jolie). But when Po discovers that he is adopted, which shouldn’t come as a shock considering his father is a goose, he decides to go in search of his real parents. Meanwhile, Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), an evil peacock has his own parent issues and wants to wreak havoc on the Valley of Peace as a way to deal. Will Po be able to stop him and discover what family really means?

The story is heartbreaking at times, but funny at others, which skirts the line very carefully between a drama and a comedy, but what’s interesting is that it does so on an age level. Adults will no doubt feel more of the emotion of Po’s journey, while the kids will still love the fighting and fun of the characters. It really is a movie that works on all levels and thus should appeal to the children and to the parents that take them. Because of this wonderful balance, Kung Fu Panda 2 is much better than its predecessor in one of those rare times that the sequel outdoes it’s original.

Jack Black and the very talented cast slip back into their roles easily and their voice portrayals really bring life into these animated characters. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that the acting is so good, especially Black and Oldman, that it’s almost hard to forget it is an animated film while watching it. Usually in these movies there is the over-the-top, beat you over the head with the fact that it’s a cartoon, but in this one, the characters might be animals, but they are human to the point of familiarity, which we find refreshing. Black has not really been known for his heavy acting ability, but in this one, the tenderness in such scenes, as when he is with his adopted father, can tear the heart out of the strongest soul.

Of course, no review would be complete without the film’s visuals. The fighting is superb and it’s obvious they went through great lengths to make sure the moves were as realistic as possible, while still maintaining the special abilities of each character. This added so much action and life to scenes that might have fallen flat. Of course, they had some of the best martial arts experts on hand such as Chan and Jean-Claude Van Damme to help them work out the choreography. The film is typical DreamWorks and has bright scenery and colorful elements. And the 3D, while cool, is not really that used, which means that if you want to save some money, you aren’t losing by watching the 2D version. It seems like the 3D was an afterthought rather than being rendered with that in mind, although you would think a 3D computer generated film would be the easiest to convert.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a fun movie and creates enjoyment on all levels and we give it a 4.7/5 for its wonderful story, superb acting from the cast, and all the fun of the first one and we are actually looking forward to Kung Fu Panda 3.

Related posts:

1. Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil Rating: Movie: Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil (2011) Studio :...
2. The Smurfs Rating: Movie: Smurfs (2011) Studio : Sony Pictures Info :...
3. Rio Rating: Movie: Rio (2011) Studio : Blue Sky Studios Info...

Rio

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars

Movie: Rio (2011)

Studio : Blue Sky Studios

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 96 min

Website : rio-themovie.com

Rating : PG

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Rio tells the story of a Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a blue macaw that believes he is the last of his kind. Having led a cooped up life, but one that he loves, with his owner Linda (Leslie Mann), his only regret is that he can’t find love. But when they hear about a female macaw that lives in Brazil at a shelter, Blu has hope that they will one day meet and fall in love. Well, as luck would have it, a bird researcher Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro), would like to see the bird for himself, and they all go to the South American country to find her. Soon after Blu meets Jewel (Anne Hathaway) and they really start get along, tragedy strikes when both birds, thought to be very rare and expensive, are kidnapped by smugglers. They escape, but aren’t safe as they wind up being chased all through the film by the bad guys and tracked by Nigel (Jemaine Clement), a cockatoo that belongs to the smugglers. With the help of some wise cracking city birds that they meet along the way, Jewel and Blu must stop their captors and return to live their lives happily ever after.

Rio is a fun romp that is full of laughter and smart moments for both the kids and the parents. While not as deep a plot as Toy Story 3, the closest we can match to this one, it has the same feeling as a Pixar offering, thrilling and fun all the way through. Writer Don Rhymer, who’s had his share of hit and misses on the comedy front with winners such as Ice Age, but misses such as Big Momma’s House, he really does make this one work with rapid fire jokes and a wonderful screenplay based on the story by director Carlos Saldanha.

But it’s not just the smart script that makes this memorable, but the really amazing scenery that is presented in 3D and computer generated graphics. The colors are as vibrant as those in Carnival. Saldanha, who is Brazilian, went through great lengths to bring the best of his home country to life in what really seems like a labor of love. The stunning beaches, the greens and browns of the forest, the rainbow colors of the birds make for a beautiful film, although you might feel like trading in the 3D glasses for sunglasses by the end (and that’s a good thing). The movie also has a lot of fantastic aerial shots that make you feel as though you are flying right along with the birds.

And if the scenery doesn’t put you in the mood, the music will. From the latin rhythms of the Samba to the emotional music of their romance, every note seems to have as much attention to it as the visuals do, making it a pleasure to the ears as well as to the eyes.

The voices in any animated movie are very important that they match and are naturally acted. Like Disney, the cast of characters are not only some of the brightest talents around, but fit their roles perfectly. Eisenberg (Social Network) stands out as Blu as does Anne Hathaway as Jewel. Perhaps what makes the movie such a delight, though, is the comedic experience of the supporting cast which includes Jane Lynch (Glee), George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, and Wanda Sykes. They all liven up the film with their portrayals. Jemaine Clement, who has done voice work for Despicable Me and the Simpsons, plays Nigel to a tee.

We give Rio a 4.9/5 stars for being a fun and exciting for the whole 96 minutes and recommend this one to everyone, young and old.

Related posts:

1. Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil Rating: Movie: Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil (2011) Studio :...
2. The Smurfs Rating: Movie: Smurfs (2011) Studio : Sony Pictures Info :...
3. Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer Rating: Movie: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011)...

Greenberg

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Movie: The Secret of Kells (2009)

Studio : Les Armateurs Vivi Film Cartoon Saloon

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 75 min

Website : thesecretofkells.com

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Set in the Dark Ages of Ireland, young Brendan lives in the great walled community of Kells. He has never gone beyond those walls, for fear of Viking raiders who have been pillaging villages and monastaries as of late. When the sole survivor of the island abbey of Iona comes bearing a book of legends so beautiful in pages that it scares sinners away, Brendan finds an artistic side to him that demands to go beyond the limitations placed on him to finish the incomplete book.

The animation itself is a deceptively simple style. The characters are not so much created out of simplicity as it is to make them flow with the pace of the story. As you go further in, the art style begins to show more of its medieval roots, often framing scenes or playing as natural backgrounds seamlessly with the action. It is not unlikely to think of this movie flowing the same way your eyes do watching the patterns of a tapestry or, in this case, the illuminated script of what would become one of Ireland’s greatest treasures.

If there is anything that made me troubled at this film, it’s the unnecessary politically correct direction taken. Brendan’s other fellow brothers are a multitude of ethnicities. The ethnicity shows no real purpose for this whitewashing other than legal purposes and an accessory accent. Thankfully, these issues also don’t seem to detract too much either from the point of the tale.

Although this film is only 75 minutes, it doesn’t feel too short. It actually paces well and feels like it’s much longer at points. This is not a bad thing, as the film completes itself gracefully from start to finish without a moment of awkwardness or padding in-between. If anything, it’s a nice change of pace from the normal fare expected in terms of animation. I would not only recommend seeing this in theater, but will look forward to seeing it again shortly.

-Donald Lee

No related posts.

Titan AE

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Movie: Titan AE (2000)

Studio : Twentieth Century Fox

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 95 min

Website : N/A

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Year 2000: one of the most technologically advanced animated films was released, by 20th Century Fox. Directed by Don Bluth, famous for such movies as Disney’s ANASTASIA, ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN, and THE SECRET OF NIHM, TITAN A.E. is an animated film that is littered with great talent led by Matt Damon (of TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE and EUROTRIP fame), Bill Pullman (CASPER) John Leguizamo (SPAWN), Nathan Lane (THE PRODUCERS), Janeane Garofalo (MYSTERY MEN), and Drew Barrymore (E.T.).

Though it wasn’t the first movie to explore computer animation (from memory, that honor would be TRON), it used the animation as more than just a vehicle of fancy. It served as an incredibly important piece of what makes TITAN AE the movie that it is.

With a view of the stars, the hero, Cale’s (Damon) father speaks in retrospect to his son about the reason society is in its current, restless state, mostly blamed upon the alien race, the Drej, a glowing blue, energy based race of beings which were entirely animated digitally. Because of the creation of the unexplained Titan, the Drej attacked the Earth. As the ship’s creator Cale’s father takes the Titan into orbit, leaving Cale in the arms of Tek, an alien as a godfather of sorts. Both the Titan and the ship housing Cale and Tek make it into outer space before the destruction of Earth.

Fast forward 15 years. Cale works in space salvaging junk. Because humans have no home world, humans are considered second class citizens. Cale is attacked and rescued by Korso (Pullman) who tells Cale that he is humanity’s last hope against the Drej. Cale, Korso, and crew embark in search of the Titan.

What I find the most incredible about TITAN A.E. are the details. Every time a character with any amount of hair turns, their hair moves in congruence with the rest of their action. Their clothes hang naturally on their bodies, and when Cale is injured, his wounds bleed progressively through his bandages

The one lacking part is the story. It’s too much the same as so many of its processors. There is great potential, but in the end, it doesn’t deliver.

For the majority of audiences, TITAN A.E is a watch, not a buy, but it is worth the watch, as at the very least, it’s an entertaining ride.

-M. Sigurd Hall

No related posts.

The Princess and The Frog

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Movie: The Princess and The Frog(2009)

Studio : Walt Disney Animation Studios

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 97 min

Website : disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Set in New Orleans (or “N’awlins” if you’re a local), Disney’s newest “Princess” is anything but that. Tiana is not a girl who makes demands but fulfills them. She is a workaholic who loves her parents enough to make it all she ever thinks about. Her goal is not a fantastic dream, but the American dream: starting her own restaurant where the world will come and acknowledge her late father’s cuisine.

Her foil is a prince who is comparable to the villainous Gaston from Beauty and The Beast. As royalty, he cares only to entertain himself, and to woo women. When he is cut from his parent’s fortune with an ultimatum to marry into a rich family, he immediately accepts until he encounters a Shadowman (voodoo magician) with plans of his own. It is only their adventure along the way that slowly lets these two understand what they actually wanted and needed in life.

This film is so different from what you would expect out of Disney that I consider it a welcome surprise. One point I particularly like to point out is Tiana’s best friend Charlotte, who is not only someone who shares a mutual friendship with her, but is not the rival you would expect these kind of movies would shape her into. Even more surprising, there is actually a subtle suggestion of racism from one of the characters that gets in the way of Tiana’s dream. To be frank, even the idea of an interracial relationship may not seem very daring these days to a generation that grew up past Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever, but in my eyes it’s another surprise from a conservative company like Disney.

Originally, I was led to believe that this film was going to be totally cel-drawn, but then found out that it was not totally done that way, and I’m glad. There are certain scenes in the film that could only be done with CGI without looking messy. That aside, everything about this film melds together and you really feel this tapestry of N’awlins as you are guided along.

After dealing with a lineup of films that included such awful ideas like an endless torrent of Dwayne Johnson movies and show-inspired teeny bopper fodder, I am glad Disney has finally come to their senses and brought something not only a little more daring, but something that everyone can enjoy for once that doesn’t have a Pixar logo on it.

-Donald Lee

No related posts.

9

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Movie: 9 (2009)

Studio : Relativity Media

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 81 min

Website : Official 9 Site

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

I’ve seen burnt-out radioactive wastelands, cities crumpled to ashes from the lasers of flying saucers, jungle-clad skyscrapers of dead cities, and giant biblical meteors/volcanoes/global warming ready to take out 95% of the human population. Out of all the end-of-the-world scenarios I have seen, I did not expect to find a film that would center on a dead 30′s-era fascist empire, let alone one that was animated and has no steampunk elements in it.

Shane Acker’s vision is quite intricate right down to the very aperture blades of his protagonists’ eyes. Character designs for the film are fantastic and I spent a fair amount of time fascinated looking at the character models and the way they interacted with a lightly stylized but palpable end of the world. 9, as well as his eight aptly named automaton brothers and sisters, are the last known forms of sentient “life” in the world. When an arcane device reawakens what destroyed the world (no spoilers!), it is up to them to decide the fate of the world.

As you may tell, the plot is where you will probably find yourself underwhelmed. The acting is not great; that’s not to say it’s not bad either, it just feels very samey: like you’ve seen these character templates before in the same sort of film, complete with a few rehashed one-liners. I do admit to thinking that some characters were more memorable than others, like Martin Landau’s wise but inquisitive #2, but there was nothing really there to keep me interested in their roles.

Perhaps I’m jaded from these sort of movies, or I followed the hype more than I should have. This movie does fulfill a sweet tooth for the person with a taste for eye candy, but I could not really tell you much else that drew me to the film. In short: it’s this year’s Hellboy 2.

-Donald Lee

No related posts.

Ponyo

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Movie: Ponyo (2009)

Studio : Studio Ghibli

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 103min

Website : disney.go.com/disneypictures/ponyo

Trailer :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review:

Ponyo is the name of a fish that escapes to the world of men and befriends a young boy, Sosuke, who lives in a harbor town. Ponyo’s father disagrees with her interacting with the world of man and tries to stop her, and what results is a sort of modern fairy tale of young love.

It seems that after Studio Gibli mastered the use of integrating cgi into animation, Ponyo returns to an emphasis on hand-drawn cel animation. You can tell the difference from the unpolished feel of the art that makes it feel more homey and even enhances the storybook feel in certain parts.

I applaud the effort, but at the same time it feels like the animators have been out of touch with this medium for quite some time. While there are some amazing scenes that I am impressed at, a lot of the basic animation is, well… really basic! There is almost no consideration for integrating the characters with their backgrounds, and this difference becomes distracting. I may sound like I am being harsh on Miyazaki’s vision here, but compare this film to his earlier work like, say, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and you can tell that the same crack team that made such a detailed and interactive world is not there this time around.

For a story there really is not much of a tale here, either. There is a dramatic push in the film for some sort of climax, and it never really gets there. That’s fine that a film of this nature should have no sense of emergency, but the “danger” inherent in the story seems tacked on. Add this with an ending that feels rushed and you have one of the weaker films of the Miyazaki legacy.

Still, this may just be a stepping stone for him to return to those days in the past. His approach may have even been the encouragement behind Disney’s work on their newly anticipated film The Frog Princess, which touts a return to hand-drawn cel animation and so far looks visually stunning. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing Miyazaki’s next project in the hopes that he really pushes his vision back into this old medium.

-Donald Lee

No related posts.