“Whisper of the Heart” is the one and only film ever directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, a director who master Hayao Miyazaki intended to reign as his protégé. Miyazaki was going to retire from film and let Kondo take over from where he left off, however, Kondo sadly died at the age of forty-seven, and this was his only piece of art that was left by him. Obviously, Miyazaki never retired, but Kondo’s film does show traces of Miyazaki’s imagination and it’s clear why Miyazaki intended him as his successor.
Tag Archives: Comedy
Masters of Horror: Sick Girl
Of all the episodes from the “Masters of Horror” series, this was the one I was really looking forward to because: a) It’s Lucky McKee, how cool a name is that? b) It’s described as “The Fly” with lesbians, and c) It has Misty Mundae in it. Yeah, so what I’m a fan of her. “Playmate of the Apes” (Making out with a pink ape? Priceless) and “Lord of the G-Strings” is quality shit, with some brutally funny performances. “Sick Girl” is a freaky, campy, and utterly clever jab at lesbianism in America, but also a good retread on “The Fly”. I don’t know why, but I assumed “Sick Girl” would be played to a more dramatic effect, but then it’s Lucky McKee, this guy likes to play on odd.
Hostel (2005)
“Hi! I’m Eli Roth, I’m that film school reject people like Quentem Tarantino and Takaki Miike are saying is a genius! I make moving pictures, moving pictures that really suck, but see people don’t know that, because I just pass it off as art, and then my mentor pats my head, critics praise me, complacent horror fans worship me, and I disappear in to my house.” There were two movies that came out in 2005, two similar attempted nihilistic horror entries that were both very gory, very unique, and made at the displeasure of the MPAA, and both struck chords with horror fans. Except this one.
Campus Ladies
To get in the mind set of “Campus Ladies”, you’ll have to imagine a really bad sketch from “Saturday Night Live” and then imagine that instead of it being a five minute sketch, it’s extended in to a half hour show, and that half hour will now be a series. Now granted, I was never a fan of “Oxygen” and its programming, I approached “Campus Ladies” with a very open-mind, and then after I was finished with it, I wanted to jam my fingers in to my eyes until I reached my brain and then spin. “Campus Ladies” is possibly one of the most unfunny, and utterly irritating comedies I’ve ever seen that tries so hard to resemble a BBC comedy, it’s not even funny.
D.E.B.S. (2004)
I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece with “DEBS”, and when I was done, I received just what I was expecting. I’ve seen material that have spoofed the spy genre with women from “Charlie’s Angels” and “She-Spies”, and “DEBS” doesn’t stand out among the others. In spite of its homosexual twist, it’s still the same old trash we’re exposed to that attempts to be clever and tongue-in-cheek, when really it’s basically just tired and yawn-inducing.
Hitch (2005)
It’s a shame, Will Smith, with all his appeal, money, and clout in the business doesn’t take all he has and use it to do some good for film. Instead of working on cookie cutter romances, and boring action flicks, he could be out there changing how films are made. Yet, here he sits, on another cookie cutter romance that bears nothing resembling originality or innovation. Smith has taken his advantages and used it to have a career of mediocrity. “Hitch” another short title starring a playboy who helps people get in love, and even talks in to the camera with a smug smile in the tradition of films like “Alfie”. It’s hard to feel any sympathy or connection towards someone who’s so cocky and arrogant.
Are We There Yet? (2005)
Though, I can respect Mr. Cube for wanting to think outside the box, someone never told him that a disgruntled man around bratty kids is not. If Cube wanted to think outside the box, he should have thought in the lines of independent film, or documentary. But then, this is the man that starred in the “Friday” films, so it’s all relative. Cube who has his own production company has yet to turn out anything original and this is never really any different.