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Post by Jeremy on Aug 30, 2020 19:11:10 GMT -8
I think Schumacher disrupts the ever-darker Batman theory... But, gritty or not, The Batman does look promising. I'm hoping it doesn't follow the Snyder pattern of "darkness for the sake of darkness" but fingers crossed it doesn't try to hew too closely to the Nolan vision. Gets harder and harder for directors to provide their own unique take on the Bat.
I was hoping to watch Tenet on the big screen, but I don't see NY theaters opening up in the near future. (Other theaters are slowly reopening around the country, but it may take a while for the big cities to catch up.) Eh, screen size is overrated anyhow.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 22, 2020 10:02:31 GMT -8
I'd been putting off seeing the last two Studio Ghibli movies that I hadn't seen yet, From Up on Poppy Hill and The Wind Rises, for a long time. Seeing as we've got Goro's new movie coming out soon, as well as Miyazaki's coming out....eventually, I figured I'd watch them this weekend.
From Up on Poppy Hill is charming romance set in Japan in 1963. To that end, it's quite similar on the surface to Whisper of the Heart. The first half is simply terrific, excelling in all of the typical Ghibli ways--animation, characterization, and music. The second half isn't quite as strong, getting a little bogged down by turgid melodrama that nonetheless draws upon a situation that was common in that era of Japan. It's no Whisper of the Heart, but it's still worth watching for sure. I'd call it underrated.
The Wind Rises has a few pacing problems that hold it back from perfection, but I still think it's one of Miyazaki's very best. I absolutely love its somber, melancholy tone and moral ambiguity--it tapped into some of the same feelings that made Manhattan such a great show. How can we possibly root for people to make history when their creations will result in death and destruction? These questions fit Miyazaki's contemplative, thoughtful nature as a director far more than the high fantasy of Howl. The romance here is definitely one of the most compelling in his oeuvre as well. Again, underrated as hell.
I'd rank the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen like this:
22. Ocean Waves--C
21. Tales From Earthsea--C
20. Ponyo--C+
19. The Cat Returns--C+
18. Howl's Moving Castle--B-
17. Laputa: Castle in the Sky--B-
16. The Secret World of Arietty--B
15. When Marnie Was There--B+
14. My Neighbors the Yamadas--B+
13. Princess Mononoke--B+
12. From Up On Poppy Hill--B+
11. Pom Poko--B+
10. Only Yesterday--A-
9. My Neighbor Totoro--A-
8. Porco Rosso--A-
7. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind--A
6. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya--A
5. Whisper of the Heart--A
4. The Wind Rises--A
3. Grave of the Fireflies--A+
2. Kiki's Delivery Service--A+
1. Spirited Away--A+
Ghibli has left behind a remarkable legacy. You'd be hard-pressed to find an animation studio with a better record than that. Almost a full third of their films I'd call stone cold animated classics (Spirited Away in particular being one of the best films ever made), and the next eight after that I really enjoy. At their worst they're simply 'fine'.
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 22, 2020 18:45:08 GMT -8
I've seen 13 of those films, and generally agree with those rankings (although Laputa seems uncharacteristically low). I didn't love The Wind Rises - the film never quite justifies its sluggish pacing - but I definitely think it's an interesting change of pace for Miyazaki. Never considered the Manhattan parallel, but I see what you mean; the message is probably more apt in a film produced in Japan.
Will need to watch the others eventually; I believe most have migrated to HBO Max.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 22, 2020 19:13:35 GMT -8
I've seen 13 of those films, and generally agree with those rankings (although Laputa seems uncharacteristically low). I didn't love The Wind Rises - the film never quite justifies its sluggish pacing - but I definitely think it's an interesting change of pace for Miyazaki. Never considered the Manhattan parallel, but I see what you mean; the message is probably more apt in a film produced in Japan. Will need to watch the others eventually; I believe most have migrated to HBO Max. I thought its pacing only dragged in a few scenes towards the middle of the movie. Only Yesterday had more serious issues in that regard, but I still thought it was chock full of substance and emotion. I think the only 2+ hour Ghibli film that doesn't struggle with pacing is Spirited Away--I genuinely can't think of a single dull moment in the entire thing. Nausicaa too. Which nine haven't you seen? I wouldn't recommend Ocean Waves, Tales From Earthsea, or the Cat Returns. I don't remember if you posted anything about Grave of the Fireflies back in 2018...but it's near impossible not to be moved by it. And Kiki's is just a blast. Laputa: Castle in the Sky is low for me--lower than it would be for most. I suppose, overall, I found it to be very dull and generic, despite the fact that it was actually paced really well.
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 22, 2020 19:58:16 GMT -8
Oops, think I've actually just seen 12. The ten Miyazaki-directed films, plus Marnie and Yamadas. Got some catching up to do.
Grave of the Fireflies has been on my list for a while; every day I get a little closer to watching it.
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Quiara
Grade School
Posts: 775
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Post by Quiara on Sept 22, 2020 20:42:58 GMT -8
I know I annoyed unkin back in the day by saying this, but I don't care for Grave of the Fireflies and definitely would rank it towards the bottom of the dozen or so Ghibli films I've seen. I didn't care much for Howl's Moving Castle either, tbh.
In terms of great Ghibli, Jer, Only Yesterday is one of those gorgeous slice-of-life films that Ghibli is so famous for and I understand why it's underrated in that it's not a super compelling film for a kiddie audience. Kaguya though is one of the most groundbreaking animated films of the 10s (I'd put it up there with something like Spiderverse both in terms of quality and how much it's moving the medium forward) and it's definitely worth watching.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 22, 2020 21:05:02 GMT -8
I know I annoyed unkin back in the day by saying this, but I don't care for Grave of the Fireflies and definitely would rank it towards the bottom of the dozen or so Ghibli films I've seen. I didn't care much for Howl's Moving Castle either, tbh. In terms of great Ghibli, Jer, Only Yesterday is one of those gorgeous slice-of-life films that Ghibli is so famous for and I understand why it's underrated in that it's not a super compelling film for a kiddie audience. Kaguya though is one of the most groundbreaking animated films of the 10s (I'd put it up there with something like Spiderverse both in terms of quality and how much it's moving the medium forward) and it's definitely worth watching. Howl's Moving Castle is a complete mess, but I do like the characters (mainly because I loved the novel a lot). At the time it received very mixed reviews but's become something of a cult classic....which I do not understand. Does anyone actually know what the hell happened in the last 30 minutes? It doesn't hold a candle to deserved cult classics like Whisper of the Heart or Only Yesterday. I may have been harsh on Only Yesterday--I was exhausted when I watched it, which may have impacted the pacing. I could easily see it getting an A. Kaguya is...mmmm. Absolutely fantastic--definitely one of the 5 best animated films of the 10s. Jeremy...you have to see it ASAP. You have to be in that mood for a slow-paced drama to enjoy Only Yesterday (if you're ok with the slow pacing, you will love it) . If you're in the mood to have your soul crushed, you will love Grave of the Fireflies. Kaguya, despite being longer than Only Yesterday, doesn't feel like it. It probably has the most wide appeal for animation fans out of all of Takahata's films. Interesting take on Fireflies. I can see it being seen as manipulative melodrama....but what can I say? It was executed with such grace that he got me. I was a blubbering mess by the end. I had to give it credit for invoking such a strong emotional reaction. Of course, I don't 'care' for it either in the sense that I never want to watch it again...but I stand by my rating.
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 23, 2020 5:24:42 GMT -8
I think I mentioned this on another thread (Anime, I believe), but I was going to watch Princess Kaguya a few years ago and got wary when I saw the running time. Though I suppose it's not that much longer than Mononoke or Wind Rises. (Ghibli really loves their two-hours-and-change animated films, don't they?)
Guess I'll work my way through the other must-sees and take it from there.
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Post by guttersnipe on Sept 23, 2020 15:46:35 GMT -8
I'd rank the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen like this: I think Mononoke is the surprise lowie there, otherwise it's largely agreeable. I think I mentioned this on another thread (Anime, I believe), but I was going to watch Princess Kaguya a few years ago and got wary when I saw the running time. Though I suppose it's not that much longer than Mononoke or Wind Rises. (Ghibli really loves their two-hours-and-change animated films, don't they?) Guess I'll work my way through the other must-sees and take it from there. I'd argue that you owe it to Takahata to see it in light of his passing, making it not only an animation milestone but one of the best swansongs in cinema history (the ending since carries a fresh poignancy).
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Post by ThirdMan on Sept 23, 2020 16:16:37 GMT -8
I'll be curious to read Jeremy's thoughts on Kaguya, once he's seen it. The style of animation is indeed very unique.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 24, 2020 9:29:03 GMT -8
I'd rank the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen like this: I think Mononoke is the surprise lowie there, otherwise it's largely agreeable. I think I mentioned this on another thread (Anime, I believe), but I was going to watch Princess Kaguya a few years ago and got wary when I saw the running time. Though I suppose it's not that much longer than Mononoke or Wind Rises. (Ghibli really loves their two-hours-and-change animated films, don't they?) Guess I'll work my way through the other must-sees and take it from there. I'd argue that you owe it to Takahata to see it in light of his passing, making it not only an animation milestone but one of the best swansongs in cinema history (the ending since carries a fresh poignancy). He's only seen My Neighbors The Yamadas, right? All 5 of Takahata's films are worth watching, at the very least, with Kaguya, Only Yesterday, and Grave of the Fireflies being genuinely great. I'd say his batting average is overall stronger than Miyazaki's, even though nothing quite touches those top two Miyazaki classics. Glad you approve of my ranking! I put Kiki (which I recall you saying is your favorite animated film) only at number two. It's great, but for me Spirited Away is unbeatable. Not exactly a fresh opinion, but there you go. Perhaps I need to re-watch Mononoke too, but I remember finding it impressive but falling just short of Nausicaa as far as epic fantasy goes. Mainly due to the protagonists.
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Post by ThirdMan on Sept 24, 2020 15:15:06 GMT -8
Flamepillar - The next time you post a list ranking Ghibli films, I want number rankings with three decimal points! Be more precise! "Spirited Away - 10.000!" "Kiki's Delivery Service - 9.921!"
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 24, 2020 18:45:32 GMT -8
So i just got HBO Max (cancelled a couple of other streaming services, for now), and I see it does have the entire Studio Ghibli library - except Grave of the Fireflies, which is still on Hulu. I will definitely check out Takahata's films shortly.
(Although given how much is on HBO Max, don't be surprised if I get distracted by six or seven other things in the interim.)
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 25, 2020 11:14:44 GMT -8
Flamepillar - The next time you post a list ranking Ghibli films, I want number rankings with three decimal points! Be more precise! "Spirited Away - 10.000!" "Kiki's Delivery Service - 9.921!" Wrong. Kiki would be 9.958.
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Post by guttersnipe on Sept 25, 2020 15:16:20 GMT -8
I thought about writing a mini-review of Chris Nolan's TENET, but honestly, I think the IGN video review of the film covers most of my feelings on the subject. I haven't seen the video in question, but I watched it yesterday, and I think I found it more fun when it was called Deja Vu. Seriously though, whilst my enthusiasm (Nolan plus first time in a cinema for half a year) was probably always going to be tempered by knowing that it was his po-faced Bond movie, I really don't think his directorial nous (gorgeous gliding camera and ever-judicious editing) parallels his screenwriting capabilities here. Whilst Inception's lofty ideas don't exactly rewrite the rulebook either, it still boasts enough spectacle in its setpieces (the folding cityscape, the anti-grav hallway, etc) to fair drop the jaw, but I don't think there's really anything of that nature here to counterpoint the banality of its sci-fi notions. As I expected, the endless possibilities of time travel here are reduced to nothing more than the ability to unshoot somebody or uncrash a car, and the villain's machinations result in my surprise that in this day an age you can still try to straight-face the claim that Ingredient X will destroy the entire world. As for characterisation, I've remarked before that I was troubled by 007 even as a child; quite why the behaviour of a libidinous Oxford-cloth sociopath is seen as endearing is beyond me, and this equivalent isn't any more likeable (almost deterministically so), resulting in a fundamental absence of care. This is shared amongst the other folks populating the film's world, which include a damsel-in-distress who's a virginal white trophy wife because of course she is, and her husband who's a brutal Soviet nutcase because of course he is. My other big Bond issue is with the tedium of the faceless goons (what kind of security detail fight like schoolkids?), and here the final battle eschews the old janitor fatigues and construction helmets for (unbelievably!) putting everyone in combat gear and gas masks, so you can barely tell the sides apart, let alone the individual characters. Fair play, however, to the location, which enticingly looked to me like something from the upcoming Dune. I will say though, because I did at least like it and I feel that's not been in evidence so far, that the context-free opener was absolutely bravura; in isolation the sort of thing a budding filmmaker submits to prove they can cut it as a feature director, and culminated in probably my favourite image of the whole film, where the aftermath of torture is carried out directly between two moving trains. Incredible shot composition. On the whole though, seeing as I also (perhaps moreso) went to see went to see Bill & Ted Face the Music, I don't think it was even the best time travel movie I watched that day (and that detail genuinely didn't really occur to me until I was leaving the theatre). EDIT: Oh yeah, I normally find it tiresome when people point out that they saw such-and-such coming, but I gathered the corridor fighting-himself thing immediately. It occurs so early into proceedings that it couldn't possibly be anyone else (though I would be entertained if it was somehow Michael Caine's character).
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