“Pom Poko” is an utterly original and incredibly odd animated film that’s really not just a fantasy fable, but more of a commentary on society. The raccoons here are more or less their own worst enemies and they can’t even realize it. Rather than focusing on preserving their land, keeping their family from over-populating, and remembering their priorities they’re more concerned with eating, sleeping, and once they grab a hold of a television, they’re more concerned with what’s on than with what’s going on.
Tag Archives: Foreign
Only Yesterday (Omohide Poroporo) (1991)
Based on the novel of the same name, “Only Yesterday” directed by Isao Takahata is considered a rare drama in the US only because it’s not really available on DVD yet. Thankfully, I was able to view it with subtitles, and uncut, but who knows what the hell Disney will do with it once they decide to release it on DVD. I gather for them, with conservative values, some scenes may not be deemed suitable in spite of the fact that Takahata’s adaptation so effortlessly and fearlessly tackles childhood trauma. What “Only Yesterday” really explores is cherishing life, and our lasting remnants of being a child.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta) (1986)
I think one of the reasons why I respond so well to a Hayao Miyazaki film is that he aspires purposely to create a simple work of art, but his simplicity becomes a truly grand piece of work whether he’s aware of it or not, he makes films that resemble the golden serials of the film age, what George Lucas should have done with his “Star Wars” prequels. He relishes in opportunities to be simple providing simple plots. A humble hero, a wondrous heroine, a main villain, pirates, the amazing monster/robot, and the open sky.
Wolf Creek (2005)
“Based on True Events” does not mean “This is exactly what happened”, folks. “Based on True Events” means this is what happened in our eyes. Now, I bet you’re surprised that this hardcore horror fan, the one who loved an equally brutal horror film known as “Haute Tension” gave “Wolf Creek” such a low “undeserving” rating, eh? Well, trust me when I tell you this, I was disappointed myself. I’m crushed. But you’re saying “How the hell can you like Haute Tension and not like this?!” Well, firstly, what director and writer McLean does most of all is give us a ho-hum run of the mill slasher film that in every sense failed to impress me.
Japanese Story (2003)
Toni Collette can carry a movie as we’ve seen in “The Sixth Sense”, and she can play supporter and steal the show like in “Shaft” and “About a Boy”, so I take every chance possible to watch new movies starring this always likable and very versatile indie actress, and “Japanese Story” is the perfect example of her just amazing acting skills she presents with every film she’s in. Despite its title, it’s not foreign, I’m sorry to tell ya, folks, like “La Femme Nikita”… oh wait that is foreign… moving on–as I said, it’s a culture clash, and quite a good one at that; they’re opposite. The two people we meet here are completely opposite all in nature, culture, and refinement.
Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor) (2004)
And then when they said there’s no more original ideas, out comes “Nochnoy Dozor”. If you’re unfamiliar, “Nochnoy Dozor”–or “The Nightwatch”– it is a Russian fantasy epic, the first of a planned trilogy that just finished smashing box office records in Russia becoming the highest grossing film of all time there beating out “Spider-Man 2”. Though it’s not as if Russia is a Mecca for light-hearted epics, “The Nightwatch” has made quite an impact there, and will soon be released and then remade here in the US. Before the Hollywood butcher shop decided to hack their way in to a crappy remake, I decided to grab a hold of the original film, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Red Siren (La Sirene Rouge) (2002)
This is a film that could work. It could work as a film, and it could work as a separate entity. As a film that involves such an elaborate plot, it could work as a purely engrossing thriller, but the problem is it doesn’t work. About half of the time, the film is beaming with potential and possibilities that are completely misfired with another half that just can’t get it at that level of sophistication. “The Red Siren” bounces back and forth with a hackneyed plot that is both confusing and un-involving while presenting sub-plots that are hardly ever developed. So much seems to be happening during this, but none of it is ever fleshed out in to anything completely coherent. “The Red Siren” could also work were it not such a shameless retread of “The Professional”.