Review | Movie | Kiki's Delivery Service

KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE : At the age 13, aspiring witches leave home to begin
their witch training in a different city. 13-year-old Kiki dreams of living her
new life in a peaceful city near the ocean, and sets off in search of her new
home. She finally discovers a perfect city called Koriko, but upon landing,
faces hardships that make her question if her search is really over. Soon after
her arrival, she is taken in by a kind baker named Osono, who offers Kiki
payment and a place to stay in exchange for her services at the bakery, and
"Kiki's Delivery Service" is launched.

Animation genius Hayao Miyazaki brings a new vision to witches in this charming 1989 children's movie about a 13-year-old girl born to a resident witch who makes healing potions for neighbors. Kiki, a witch-in-training, flies from home to find a use for her abilities as a witch, and finds new friends, a new home, and a new experience to write home about.

Kiki's idea of the fun of growing up is much different from a regular girl's; Kiki's dreams of her future are all written out. She dreams of flying away on the night of a full moon, on a broomstick she created herself, to a city by the ocean, to discover and develop her skill as an individual and as a witch. Hearing on the radio a full moon is set to appear that night, Kiki tells her parents that she's finally ready, and with her friends and family watching, Kiki flies off in search of the perfect city. With her cat sidekick Jiji feeding her cynical advice throughout her journey, Kiki's doubt ultimately comes into play, as she lands in what seems to be the perfect city, and encounters problems also immediately. On top of that, she is seen flying on her broomstick by a now fascinated boy named Tombo, who won't stop following her.

Kiki wanders the city feeling sorry for herself, wondering if there is even a place for her in the beautiful city after all. No sooner does she wonder, the co-owner of a nearby bakery is attempting to gain the attention of a customer who has left her baby's pacifier behind. The co-owner, Osono, is very pregnant, but attempts to run after the woman anyway. Seeing her chance to steps in, Kiki offers to return the pacifier, and the grateful woman watches in amazement as Kiki's flies the pacifier down to the woman, who later compliments Osono's "new delivery girl." A thought strikes the two, and Osono offers Kiki a place to stay in the bakery, as well as payment, in exchange for Kiki's delivery services.

Whether you decide to pick up the English dub or the Japanese dub, you're sure to find a great time in Kiki's Delivery Service. The English dub features such voices such as Kirsten Dunst, Debbie Reynolds and the late Phil Hartman, one of his last films before his death. The Japanese dub, just as spectacular, features anime regulars such as Minani Takayama, who has lent her voice to such series as Sailor Moon, Escaflowne, and Tsubasa: Tokyo Revelations. Another prominent Japanese voice actor is Kappei Yamaguchi, whose films credits are just as vast, playing the title character in InuYasha, Artemis in Sailor Moon, and, most notably, L Lawliet from the Death Note franchise. If you keep your ears open for both dubs, you're sure to hear other familiar voices, as well.

This movie is intended for children, so all material in this movie is suitable for all ages. This movie is overall a great family flick! Any young child is sure to get a kick out of the tiny Jiji and the roles he plays in Kiki's deliveries, including temporarily portraying a stuffed cat of his likeness in place of the toy missing in the woods, and ultimately befriending a large St. Bernard dog. The composition of the movie is excellent and is sure to keep you in tune with what's happening, not just with the film, but with Kiki, as she finds creative ways to deal with the struggles of having a job, becoming a teenager and finding her place in the world. Miyazaki never fails, and if you're a fan, you won't want to miss one of his greatest creations yet.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

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Review | Movie | My Neighbor Totoro

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO : 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into a new house with their father to be closer to their sick mother being treated in a
nearby hospital. There's plenty of room at their new house to explore in the
woods, and when Mei's exploring sends her tumbling into the home of a large tree
spirit called Totoro, Satsuki and Mei immediately befriend the large rabbit-like
creature.

Miyazaki's at it again with this children's masterpiece that has been properly recognized with several awards. This film is quite well known, depending on how deeply the person you ask is in the anime loop. I've met some, however, that didn't watch anime at all that loved My Neighbor Totoro, one not even being a fan of animation at all and still calling it "one of the greatest movies of all time." After pausing to enjoy this short but engaging film, I can't argue with that.

If you stop by the movie store to pick up the English dub, keep your ears open for the voices of the Fanning sisters Dakota and Elle, dubbing for Satsuki and Mei. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled as well for cameo appearances by the soot gremlins we've come to love from the nationally acclaimed Miyazaki hit Spirited Away; though they're not a labor force this time, there's as much curiosity from this film's characters as there was in Spirited Away. No one can seem to take their eyes off the big flying balls of soot for some strange reason!

Soon afterwards, while Satsuki's at school, Mei begins to wander her new backyard following a trail of dropped acorns. Finally, once it's become clear who - or what - had been dropping the acorns, Mei finds herself underneath the trunk of a tree, napping on the stomach of a colossal rabbit-like tree spirit. The sleepy, large-mouthed rabbit, after being mistaken by Mei for a giant soot gremlin, roars his name to the girl, and the adventure begins.

Does the image of Totoro seem nostalgic? If you've seen any other Miyazaki creations, you may remember Studio Ghibli's brief credit at the beginning of the film, which sports the outline of a large Totoro accompanied by the Studio Ghibli logo. If you ever wondered what that strange bunny was, you'll at last get to see him in action in this classic 1988 anime that kids will love.

No questionable material is found in this movie, so I encourage everyone to take 70 minutes to sit down and enjoy the charming tale of the tree spirits that befriend two small girls. In almost all of Miyazaki's films, nature and its relations play a major part, such as the war over the protection of a large forest in Princess Mononoke, and the haunting consequences of man destroying the planet in the futuristic story of Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind.

If you enjoyed the similar tale of Pom Poko, another Studio Ghibli creation, you won't want to miss this fantastic movie.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

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Review | Movie | Honey and Clover Live Action

HONEY AND CLOVER LIVE ACTION : Live action adaption of the
popular anime series. Yuta Takemoto, Shinobu Morita and Takumi Mayama are three college men who live in the same apartment complex within walking distance of the art college they all attend. When their teacher, Shuji Hanamoto,
returns from out of town with his cousin's daughter Hagumi, the tiny college
girl 'Hagu', through her cultivating artwork and exceptional kindness,
begins to change lives of the people around her.

I began watching this shortly after finishing the second season of the anime, I was lucky to find it after it was licensed on CrunchyRoll. It was amusing to see the actors they cast in the roles. Though Hagu isn't short enough to be made fun of like she was in the anime, she was still fun to watch.

This live action remake is definitely one that the Honey and Clover fans should be sure to check out. The film does not cover the second season, however, instead ending at the same place the first season did. As far as Takemoto's self-discovery, I was a little disappointed to discover that during his sleep time at the temple, he did not encounter any eccentric builders itching for a decent meal. One of the highlights of the series for me were the temple restoration workers commending Takemoto's fierce cooking skills and being grateful enough to call him one of their own. Instead, all Takemoto encounters before gloomily riding away is one lone construction worker who barely talks to him and dismisses him as a "pest." He shows up later offering Takemoto a ride in his truck, but that's about all we're able to get out of these cheerful, happy-go-lucky characters that sweetened the load in the anime.

In the end, we do get a couple gut-busting cameo roles from the unusually-named gallery owners Mario and Luigi Fujiwara, who never cease to wear shirts that boast their abdomens and pants that cling to whatever figure they may have had before the pounds packed on. They are as entertaining to watch as their hilarious take on Japanese introductory bowing when they meet visitors of their art show.

I think this movie is absolutely fine for kids to watch as far as content, and if they're able to pick up on the story, I think it's a great watch. The only content that may be concerning is the fact that nude statues are shown several times (as the movie takes place at an art school), and a man flashes his middle finger at a camera, though this is done from a distance and can hardly be made out. I'll definitely be rewatching this movie in the near future. Honey and Clover fans should enjoy this one very much. I'm very impressed.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

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Review | Movie | Pom Poko

POM POKO : The raccoons of Japan lived simple, peaceful
lives in their luscious forests, until one day, to their shock, the humans began
to tear down all the forests to make way for new housing developments. Enraged
and terrified, the raccoons must use their secret shape shifting abilities to
defend their homes from the new intruders, even if it costs lives.

Another Studio Ghibli masterpiece, Pom Poko brings something new to the table: Animals who, instead of fleeing from the deforestation that threatens them, choose to resort to a different method by turning the tables on the humans that shamelessly and thoughtlessly tear away at their homes. Based on the Japanese Tanuki folklore, many of the raccoons featured in Pom Poko have magical shape shifting powers, some a little more rusty than others. These creatures begin to notice their food and shelter becoming scarce after the invasion of their land by the crew of new housing construction, and must call on their elders, the masters of transformation, to teach them how to change their shapes. They hope to use these abilities in many different ways, but all for one sole purpose: to reclaim the land that is being stolen from them.

Though in the film they are introduced as raccoons, the Tanuki folklore is centered around a very different breed, known as the raccoon dog. In either case, the creatures in this movie are far too plump to be easily identified, doubly so with the fact that in the movie, the raccoons do not possess the famous ringed-tail that raccoons are known for. Studio Ghibli's depictions of the Tanuki are nonetheless charming and adorable. Even the mean and stuffy raccoons are hard characters to hate.

Also featured briefly in the film is another creature of folklore known at the Kitsune, a transforming fox, which in the film tries to convince the raccoons to stop their personal war with the humans and instead use their shape shifting abilities to change into humans and begin new lives. This decision is widely argued in the film, partly because of the raccoons' inability to transform into convincing humans.

I think a child would thoroughly enjoy this movie, however, here's where the warnings begin to come in. I had not been familiar with the Tanuki folklore before I watched this movie, so was surprised to discover that until about an hour through the movie, I had not noticed the raccoons' exposed genitalia. I later learn that this exposure is a prominent detail of the Tanuki in folklore, representing good luck financially. Though it may seem overly risque to the unknowing, their exposure is never, in the lore or the film, intended as sexual, and the film does not illustrate them sexually either. Rather, in the film they use what is referred to in the English dub as their "Pouches" to contribute to their shifting, such as parachutes which are seen later in the film.

Other material in the film include the deaths of humans and several raccoons, and though there is occasionally blood, it is never graphic. Additionally, there is a short scene narrated by one of the raccoons talking about how, because of lack of food and sheltering, they must halt breeding. While the raccoon talks about the female raccoons making sure this rule is kept, we see male raccoons charging at female raccoons, some seemingly drunk, and the female raccoons using karate moves to fight back, which implies their attempts to cease reproduction. Some female raccoons also have exaggerated breast size with occasional cleavage.

This movie I predict would otherwise be a delightful watch for children, even if they have to watch for 2 hours waiting for the conclusion. I extend yet another ovation for Studio Ghibli.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

Review | Movie | Whisper Of The Heart

WHISPER OF THE HEART : Shizuku Tsukishima is a junior high
school student who loves to read and write, and through reading her library
books' check-out cards, she discovers all of her books have been checked out by
a boy named Seiji Amasawa. Shizuku becomes curious to what Seiji Amasawa is like, only to find out that he is a rude stranger she found reading her book and
later insults her lyrics. As Shizuku and Seiji begin to learn more about
each other, Seiji's dreams of playing the violin helps inspire Shizuku to unlock
her dream of becoming a writer.

Another Studio Ghibli creation? How can this be? That was all it took to rope me into this film.

Shizuku Tsukishima lives the simple life; she goes to school and hangs out with her friends. This is a life she is only able to escape through her fantasy stories she checks out from the library. After dropping a book at her school, she runs to retrieve it and finds that a boy is sitting on the bench reading the book. The boy gladly gives it back, but also gladly refers to Shizuku's lyrics, which she used to mark her book, as "cornier than the original". This is enough to ruin Shizuku's day.

Computerized check-outs are beginning to come into play, which Shizuku comments that she likes the check-out cards better. Maybe because this way, she has finally cracked a pattern in every book she's ever checked out: They've all been previously read by a mysterious boy named Seiji Amasawa, whom no one at her school seems to know. It couldn't possibly be the jerk that made fun of her song. Could it?

Even though this movie is for anyone who wants an anime film that doesn't boast fantasy, I noticed that the plot of this movie didn't pick up as quickly as it could have. At least a good hour of the movie is focused on Shizuku's general life outside of her search for her mystery man, and while a slice of life is always good, a whole cake is not. There were several points in the movie that did not serve the plot at all, but were given too much focus anyway.

I also found the frequent use of the song, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" slightly odd for a Japanese anime. I would never have imagined John Denver, especially singing about West Virginia, had made such an impact on Tokyo, Japan. Random? Very. Bad choice? Rather.

The simplicity of this movie occasionally topped with fantasy scenes depicting Shizuku's stories make this film a little easier to watch, but not to the point where it should be defined as a fantasy film.

This film will be okay to present to the kids, but it is a 2-hour film and is sometimes very slowly paced. I think the only bit of enchantment a child could get from this film is fat neighborhood cat Moon (Muta) that leads Shizuku across town to a mysterious antique shop where she meets and befriends Mr. Nishi, a kind old man with a heart for antiques. In case it may be important for me to note for some, there is five seconds of a bra towards the middle the movie.

Whisper of the Heart is a good film to add to your Studio Ghibli collection. Probably not so much to your Hayao Miyazaki one.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

Review | Movie | The Place Promised In Our Early Days

THE PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS : In postwar Japan, after the divide of
the country, a tower is built that can be seen even from Tokyo. Friends
Hiroki, Takuya and Sayuri make a promise to fly to the tower on a plane that
Hiroki and Takuya built over their summers. When Sayuri becomes ill, the
project
is abandoned. 3 years later, after another war threatens the
country, Hiroki
discovers that Sayuri has been in a coma since she
disappeared, and believes her
coma has to do with the Tower. He calls upon
Takuya to help him continue to
build the plane, convinced that Sayuri will
wake up if they fly to the Tower.

I had heard about this movie from several sources, so I decided to look into it. My first surprise was that the film would last an hour and a half; making a good animated film in less than 2 hours is a feat rarely accomplished. That would turn out to be the problem with this movie.

I was having a bit of trouble getting through the first half of the movie. My first complaint is that it was poorly paced. Sometimes it was quick and not very detailed, and sometimes it was slow and lagging repeatedly. I felt like they could have done more with the storyline, it was a little hurried and choppy.

When we leave the natural everyday flow of things and begin moving into the laboratories that surround the mysterious Tower, that's when things get technical and it gets very difficult to figure out what's going on. Maybe it's something about me watching this movie at midnight but it often got way too rushed into complicated things, so instead of focusing on the depth or inner plot of the film, we can't focus on the essentials because we're too busy thinking, "Nano WHAT?"

I also still can't seem to understand the connections between the Tower, the parallel worlds and the film's female lead Sayuri. Everything seemed to be linked somehow to Sayuri but I haven't caught on just why or how. My next question is about the worlds themselves; how are they maintained, how does Sayuri link with them, how does co-protagonist Hiroki link with them. This was also not explained clearly, if the impression I was given is even the correct explanation.
The beginning of the film seemed to drag, but the end in my opinion was a bit fast. My next question is about Hiroki's apparent unexplained ability to avoid turmoil completely; despite flying straight into the smack middle of a war in the air, he is hardly hassled by the attack and takes no damage at all. He's out of there in less than a minute. Impressive, but again, not explained at all.

I think the only overall problem with this movie is that they failed to fit the summary of the plot into an hour and a half. It could have probably gone a very long way if it had been made into a series of episodes, which would most likely have helped the conveying of the plot in a timely and understandable manner. This film has got little fearsome material; one mild curse word, a bit of blood and a bra, but a child would not be able to read this movie properly at all anyway. I hardly could.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

Review | Movie | Spirited Away

10-year-old Chihiro moves away to a new house with her family, much to her disgruntlement. When her father takes a wrong turn and they dead-end at an abandoned amusement park, Chihiro and her parents decide to explore the grounds. Her parents discover a restaurant full of food with no employees there, and they eat the food until they become pigs - literally! Chihiro is told by a young boy named Haku that the park is a mysterious spirit world, and the only way to save her parents and return to her world is to work under the witch who owns the world's bathhouse, Yubaba.

The amount of beauty and imagination that is put into Hayao Miyazaki's movies never ceases to amaze me. Not once have I found a Miyazaki movie I consider boring and lifeless. Left and right I see movies being created that have no unique plot and have been done a hundred times previous, and absolutely no care was put into creating the storyboard. Miyazaki never lets me worry about that.

Spirited Away was the movie that really got me interested in Miyazaki's works and ultimately in the Japanese filmmaking industries. I wouldn't mind having a moment to sit down and watch the DVD in its original Japanese audio, since I've only seen it in the English redub. Daveigh Chase, incomparably talented, brings the same youthful innocence to Chihiro as she did to the bubbly Lilo in the Lilo and Stitch movies (the originals; the good ones.) They chose an amazing voice cast for this movie, as they do with all of Miyazaki's films, that keep you in tune with the movie and connect you to the characters in a big way. Even though you want to feel sorry for Chihiro as she struggles to build herself onto her current situation, you can't help but laugh with the sneers and scorns of the bathhouse staff, partly because the actors bring hilarious comic voices to their characters, but mostly because the snooty employees are a bunch of overgrown frogs - who are they to judge?

The musical score of this movie is worth every cent of buying the soundtrack, the different instruments used in the music help to wrap the viewers around the new world Chihiro finds herself trapped in, and the smooth simplicity to Chihiro's theme "Always With Me", played at the end of the movie, is a serene unravel from the deep fantasy of the film.

This is an excellent movie to bring to the family because it's aimed at all audiences, this includes those who appreciate Japan's animation at its best. Some parents may feel uncomfortable that there is quite a bit of blood near the end of the movie (we see the injuries being applied but there is no detail; the event is surreal and very unclear until the scene moves along), and the big-headed (physically and egotistically) Yubaba with the nasty temper may frighten young children. There is also a scene where a huge monster begins to vomit brown liquid after consuming an unnatural amount of food; the monster vomits until it is reduced to a small size, its original size before it began devouring the food.

Any fan of Japan's most imaginative, artistic and surreal films will not want to miss Spirited Away.

Overall Rating:
/ 5

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Dragon Boy
Always With Me