Based on the comic book by Osamu Tezuka, we visit Metropolis, a humongous city where high-class humans roam free and robots toil and work underground occasionally surfacing illegally. We meet detective Shunsaku Ban and Ken-ichi two people searching for a scientist performing illegal experiments with robots. This is probably one of the most unusual anime movies I have ever seen. The entire animated sequence and character designs closely resemble the works of legendary animator Ralph Bakshi (Cool World, and Fritz the Cat). No two characters in this movie look alike and no two characters seem alike. Many people who hear about this seems to think this movie is an animated Japanese remake of the 1929 Fritz Lang “Metropolis”.
Tag Archives: M
Mimic 2 (2001)
Riddle me this: Strip away the science, intelligence, mood, and logic that made the original so unique and what are you left with? This piece of inane tripe. Now, granted I didn’t like the original, but it was much better than this. The movie is heavily dependent upon the creature effects which are sub-par at best. In the straight to video sequel to the original science fiction movie, we meet Remi (Mimic, Blood Work), the character from the original who is now a science teacher at an inner city school.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Betty Elms is a wide – eyed optimistic actress who arrives in Los Angeles looking for stardom on the big screen. She manages to stay at her famous actress aunt’s house and discovers a beautiful woman (The gorgeous Laura Elena Harring) who was in a car accident after an attempted murder. Together, the two will form a bond and attempt to unravel her identity, but… is everything in this tale as it seems, or is it simply a facade for the real story at hand? I must admit, upon first viewing I was ready to mercilessly bash this film left and right like a punching bag, but then I realized that this movie has not only left an impression on me but I’ve had so much fun trying to solve this confusing enigma of a tale that I’ve grown rather fond of it. I really like this film.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Monsters under the bed, monsters under the closet. Are there anymore universal themes in our childhood that we can relate to? Arguably Pixar’s most imaginative film, Pixar is known for creating simplistic stories revolving around childhood themes and “Monsters Inc.” is a success for tapping in to that classic fear of children fearing the monster in hiding in the shadows ready to scare them at a moment’s notice. But what about the monster? What is its purpose? Why does it need to scare us?
The Majestic (2001)
I love this movie for bringing to mind the old Frank Capra movies from the fifties telling the story of the average Joe brought about into a large situation where the character comes of age and self-discovery. Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is a movie writer for B-movies living in the 1950’s during the war where McCarthyism sprung forth upon America. He is blacklisted among others as a communist sympathizer and loses his job. Down in the dumps, one faithful night he goes for a ride and gets into a car accident. He is discovered that morning by an old man and is taken in a sweet little town. Struck with amnesia, he is accidentally mistaken by the townsfolk as a lost war hero and is instantly accepted within their confines, ultimately changing theirs and his own life. But what will happen when he eventually gains his memory back?
The Musketeer (2001)
In yet another version of the legendary “Three Musketeers” Tale by Alexandre Dumas, D’artagnan (played by Justin Chambers), the musketeer hopeful whose father and mother were massacred in front of his eyes by the psychotic Febre (played by Tim Roth) when he was a boy, is taken in by a family friend and taught to be a musketeer. Years later, he returns for Febre and hopes to be a musketeer, a mythical army that unfortunately barely exists.
Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
This is the action-packed sequel to the dull “Mission: Impossible” based on the show from the 60’s. Now. this is a change from the confusing original and a very good sequel. It’s about an agent from IMF who steals a very deadly virus. Ethan Hunt is enlisted by Anthony Hopkins who tells him to enlist three members for his team to retrieve virus. One of which is the beautiful Nyah who Ethan falls in love with.