Tag Archives: foreign films

Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – Castle in the Sky

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No, that’s not Superman. That is indeed a flying castle. Part of me wonders if this had any influence on those flying rocks in James Cameron’s “Avatar”. He admitted that “Princess Mononoke” influenced his movie, so it’s not that far of a stretch. But let’s not waste any time on that movie and actually get to the one at hand. With more action than most of Studio Ghibli’s work, this still holds most of the traits and hallmarks of what they are praised for.

A young boy named Pazu comes across an unconscious girl as she floats down from the sky with a glowing necklace. She is revealed to be Sheeta, a descendant of the royal family of Laputa – a flying castle capable of a lot of power due to the amount of Aetherium it possess. They are chased by both pirates and the army lead by a government agent also a descendant who seeks the power of Laputa for himself. This adventure movie has plenty of action, humor, and charming characters to keep the viewer entertained & engaged.

I did find several small things about this movie to be funny. When Pazu & Sheeta try and get help from the town when being chased, the people don’t really react and just get right to fighting. Several people Pazu & Sheeta ask for help from don’t really act with surprise or shock at the news. Their attitude is mainly just proclaiming that’s neat, as if they were waiting for something exciting like this to happen. But I think more humor comes into play when Pazu & Sheeta end up joining the pirates in finding Laputa and going against the army. The characters that make up most of the pirates really aren’t mean or evil. They have that kind of awkward quality that makes them relatable. Plus it’s really humorously weird to hear them call their captain Mom.

Speaking of the captain, Dola is an interesting character. We first see her in the opening scene where she is inly concerned about losing the crystal as she falls Sheeta fall from the airship assumingely to her death. Yet later on when the two kids join the pirates, she eventually becomes something like an actual mom to them in a vague sense. Honestly, the interactions between the kids and pirates from that point on is fairly funny. They even end up cheering when they see the two kids survive the climax. It’s also weirdly refreshing to watch a movie where orphan kids just live by themselves and people around them don’t give them special treatment. Pazu & Sheeta are put right to work and don’t even try to make them comfy or anything like that. I mean, it’s logical considering their living arrangements. But feels nice to not have a movie where the supporting characters treat the main characters like chosen ones or legendary heroes.

For most of the movie, I didn’t think there was some deeper message to this movie and I was okay with that. But there is a line of dialogue at the beginning that does get called back to during the final twenty minutes. While Laputa is a floating city, the people left the place long ago and it has been reclaimed by plant and animal life. This connects to an early piece of dialogue about how the Aetherium is a reminder that all things return back to the Earth, even people. So you can say there is a message about how despite the accomplishments mankind may achieve, the planet will outlive them and and reclaim what was unrightfully taken.

But even if you don’t see a hidden message, this is still an enjoyable film. Exciting action, plenty of relatable humor, charming characters, beautiful animation and thrilling music. Get on your airship and go above the clouds for a great time.

Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – My Neighbor Totoro

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In addition to being one of the earliest films from Studio Ghibli, it is also one of the most iconic and well known. Totoro himself ended up being the image for representing the film studio. Many people have fallen in love with this film. And it’s easy to see why. With great music, charming characters, and great animation, this is a treat. A film that is fun, if not exactly the most engaging, to check out on a lazy day.

A father moves to the countryside and brings his two young girls with him, Satsuki & Mei, ten and four years old respectively. This is to be closer to the hospital where their mom is at, but the two daughters seem to fit in and get to know the people. Including the forest spirits of the area, which includes Totoro. And…that’s really it. This is one of those films that doesn’t have anything driving the plot forward. It’s sort of similar to films like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, where you are just supposed to follow the characters as they live their lives. And to this movie’s credit, the characters are charming and very like-able. While also remaining realistic and relatable.

One thing I’ve noticed is that multiple Studio Ghibli films will have supernatural elements and characters and/or creatures. And the response to them within their world is just for everyone else to go on as usual. They acknowledge their existence, and will ask questions every once in a while. But they aren’t left in awe or fear of them. They just treat them as part of their normal life. The same is kind of applicable to this movie. While the adults can’t see the spirits like Totoro, they don’t disbelieve the children when they talk about meeting them. One of the characters – and elderly woman – talks about how she could see such creatures when she was their age. It can be a little weird at first if you haven’t seen multiple films from this studio. But it does make more room for us to focus on the characters and their journey. That is, if the characters have one. Yet I don’t really think this film has one.

The problem with films like this is they run the risk of feeling like they don’t have anything to tell. In the last 20 minutes of this film, they throw in some tension when apparently their mom gets sick and can’t visit them this weekend. This causes Satsuki to yell at Mei for acting like a baby, which gets her to run off and go missing. Not surprised something like this in here, but it does feel a bit forced. It ends up getting resolved and they secretly visit their mom at the hospital. They head back home and the movie just ends. Yea, the movie technically isn’t even 90 minutes long. And it feels like a short movie. But maybe this could be on purpose.

I think the movie is trying to say something about adulthood. Adults in this movie don’t doubt the existence of spirits, but they can no longer see them. There is a line of dialogue of how the father mentions how Satsuki feels like she has to act more grown up since their mom is in the hospital. By the way, they never do mention what illness the mom has. Maybe Cancer or some sort of auto-immune disease? Anyway, even though that’s mentioned, Satsuki doesn’t particularly act like a grown up. She runs and plays around with her little sister as expected. But I think the movie is trying to let us know it’s all right to indulge in some fun and have a little bit of wonder. If that is what’s going on, then I do think that adds a little bit to the movie. Not a whole lot, but still. Regardless, this is still an enjoyable movie to watch. Even though a smiling Totoro is unintentionally horrifying to me. But I feel like I’m in the minority. I’ll still side with everyone else in saying you should check this out.

Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – Princess Mononoke

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It feels like an understatement to say that Studio Ghibli has made some special films. Chances are you grew up watching a few of their films. But there’s something unique about this film. It definitely feels the most intense and deals with the most mature films that any film from this studio has tackled. Many have praised how much of a landmark it was at the time it was released. All these years later, it still earns all that praise.

The main story focuses on a brewing war between Lady Eboshi – the leader of Iron Town – and the Forest Spirits which are lead by the Wolf Clan and their human member Princess Mononoke. We explore this world and conflict with Ashitaka, a young prince and fighter who has been cursed by a demon that was once a Boar God. It’s transformation was brought on after a bullet from one of the guns from Iron Town lodged itself in it’s body. While it gives him super strength, it feeds on hate that Ashitaka must fight. But he knows it won’t be long until it destroys his soul and body. However, that won’t stop him from doing what he can to end the conflict as peacefully as he can.

An easy thing to praise about this movie is the visuals and world. The way it is shot feels more grand in scale compared to most of the other movies from Ghibli’s filmography. The visuals leave us in awe of some of the fights, sights, and spirits themselves. And the world has some eerie parallels to our own in terms, especially in terms to the cost our progress has had on the world around us. Yet the story is one that gives us a message of hope that both human civilization and the natural environment can find a way to coexist. I’m glad this isn’t a movie that takes the easy route and has the message simply be that saving the environment is good. Because the characters of this story help show that this isn’t simple. Lady Eboshi is willing to fight and kill spirits. But we also see how she has taken in people considered outcasts in regular society and helped make them feel welcome and fulfilled. Princess Mononoke feels the only solution is to kill all of the people of Iron Town which is definitely going too far. Yet you can understand why both sides feel so strongly about their cause.

But let’s talk about the character the movie is named after. Abandoned by her birth parents, the Wolf God took her into her clan and made the human child her daughter. On the one hand, I’m somewhat let down by how she is used. She isn’t the main character in this story. We follow Ashitaka throughout the movie. Yes, Mononoke is an important and essential player. But it feels odd that the character the movie is named after isn’t the main focus. And she is shown to strongly on the side of the spirits. There doesn’t seem to be any inner conflict within her about fighting others from the species she was born as. There is one very brief moment where one of the Apes insults her by calling her that, and you see that does hurt her and maybe makes her have a deep thought. But nothing like that pops up again.

However, that lack of an inner exploration might be the point. Because there does some to be a lot to dissect about her. Someone can view her as an example of a terrorist. Someone who goes too far in their beliefs and doesn’t care who they kill – guilty or innocent – in order to see them fulfilled. But someone else can also view her as the embodiment of every indigenous person or tribe that has been on the destructive end of society’s progress. Fighting to hold onto her home and push back against those that she sees an invaders. So even though nothing in the movie might show her as the most conflicted character, there is still a fair amount to study about her. And I think that is on purpose. Probably the real reason her face is so iconic.

Going back to the movie’s main theme, I appreciate how it goes deeper than most Hollywood made films would go regarding the environment at that time. I think the best example of that is by looking at how Ashitaka does eventually lift the curse. It is only after he and Mononoke return the head of the Great Forest Spirit together that the curse is lifted from. The thing that fed on hate and even tried to spread hate within Ashitaka disappears once he reaches a hand out towards the other side of the conflict in an effort to find mutual peace. This doesn’t mean everything goes back the way it was. Iron Town will find a way to rebuild, but Eboshi does seem willing to try and make changes for the better. Mononoke will still be with the Wolf Clan but she will regularly meet Ashitaka who will help make sure Iron Town isn’t as destructive as it was. It might only be the start to finding a balance, but sometimes finding that start is the hardest thing to do. One of the most complex and mature films from Studio Ghibli is one that deserves to be watched multiple times to soak in everything it has to offer.