plot holes...plot holes everywhere

Sansho the Bailiff was really really bad… I’m sorry but the plot holes were like caverns such as the fact that these slavers really sucked at their job. They let four people get away, because they don’t know how to 1 let one guy at least to make sure the slaves don’t just freakin waddle away from camp, also if the slave is tied up and you can’t watch them don’t just untie them and run away. Lets not forget the worst thing, that door that the slaves kind of just walked out of wasn’t locked… what? Really, it seems like the reason these people would have needed to buy so many slaves is because they just all walked away when they realized nobody actually watched them. Honestly it is amazing any of them were caught by the slavers. Things like that in movies just really annoy me, because there is no logical explanation for these things to happen. Perhaps the stupidest thing was the fact that when these people made their escape one walked in a river to die and the other kind of just sat there all sad like. Even stupider than all these details was in the beginning when these people were sat warming themselves by the fire and said, “shame we can’t warm the frakin food”.

Godzilla

Godzilla is the retelling of every five year olds dream for their pet lizard to destroy a nation, seriously though the original was kind of a comedy for me more than intense action. It reminded me of star wars with the tiny models of things being destroyed and explosions, but it didn’t feel epic like star wars did, it felt kind of like a joke. I feel kind of bad about that, no doubt those city models and tiny trucks took allot of work to make and explode, but I just didn’t feel it. is could be just because I grew up on really good CGI and all that fancy stuff, but I just could not take the film seriously despite all my efforts. If I’m being completely honest, I fell asleep during parts of it, I know I know it’s disrespectful sorry. The one thing that was impressive if still comical was the Godzilla suit itself it was really good looking as a costume, obviously they did not have the technology to do something completely real looking but all things considered it would make a pretty awesome cosplay for a Halloween party. So if anyone knows how much the original costs let me know.

Letter to Momo

So letter to Momo felt allot like felt allot a Miyazaki film there were moments when I was almost convinced of it. The biggest parallel to me being the girl in this film compared to the girl from spirited away. They both faced intense struggle and found aid from extraordinary beings. Somehow the film maker managed to make demons hilarious, like that thing with the long tongue or the other demon with the giant mouth they were quite amusing. Aside from those elements and the well done animation there wasn’t much for me in this film. I am not saying it was good, it was, but somehow I just did not connect with it like Tampopo or Spirited Away. I think part of the reason for this is because I didn’t feel like the Demons or the other worldly stuff was that important compared to the story about the broken family in the background. Much of the time the Demons were merely acting as comedy though they were a good vehicle for moving the story along. I guess I’m not entirely sure what to think of the film other than the fact that it was good but there wasn’t any real connection for me aside from the comedy which was quite good.

 

 

 

Candy death trap

“The suspense is terrible I hope it lasts” One thing that always surprises me when I watch Willy Wonka is how surprisingly dark it is. Some kid got turned into delicious chocolate, another turned into a blueberry, 2 people maybe burns to death in the furnace, finally the last kid to go is shrunk . Only the skinny Charlie survives the tasty deathtrap that is the Willy Wonka factory. It was a test all along and Charlie passes by about a hair when he lets his everlasting gobstopper go instead of trying to get money for his poor family, because he wants do right by Willy Wonka. Reseing some of these classic scenes from my childhood now, makes me realize just how funny as well as somewhat disturbing some of these situations really are. Wonka’s lack of seriousness when these horrifying dangers were present was quite comical in response to the parent’s screams of terror. As a kid I never noticed these subtle jokes, or for that matter the artistic work that went into this. Some of the set work, the candy teacup, and candy mushrooms, as well as the chocolate river must have been quite a bit of work. I would be interested to find out how they made these things, and how they decided to pick the color.

The Book of Life

The most interesting aspect of the book of life had to be the interaction between the two gods of the remembered dead, and the forgotten dead. It is always interesting to see what these great powers use mortals for in mythologies, how people are little more than an interesting animal that can be toyed with. The main focus of the film was a love triangle that although had meaning and emotion, was nothing more than part of a game these two gods were playing to decide power. Though the mortals involved were very concerned with the love situation they did not see that their actions would shape the future of the land of the dead. I must say I had a bit of disappointment concerning the love tale between the two gods, in the end they seemed to hop into each other’s arms a bit too quickly, I recognize the film makers had to wrap things up but if this was going to happen to the extent that it did it needed more time. A simple, and short warm smile between the two gods would have sufficed to hint at what might happen between them instead of having it pushed front and center twice. Oh these gods and their complicated and violent love circles.

Also did anyone catch the fact that the god of the forgotten acted very much like discord from My little Pony Friendship is Magic?

 

 

Tampopo a comedy, but not without other things

It was a privilege to see this movie, it was intriguing, funny, and beautiful in many ways. The film had a set storyline that it followed when it suited the director’s fancy, the frequent deviations from that story where some of the most beautiful moments. For instance (SPOILERS INCOMING [I only mention it because so many of you missed the film]) there was a scene where a man is running as fast as he can across the street, knocking into people, and running over train tracks until he arrived at a worn out building where he lives. His family and a doctor are kneeling next to his wife who is on her death bed. He runs to her as she is fading, and says something to the effect of “don’t go to sleep you’ll die, say something, or sing, get up and make dinner” at this she ever so slowly leans upward, without as much as a word. The limps slowly dragging herself into the kitchen and prepares a meal. She brings it back and with a weak smile dishes it out, and as the whole family is eating surprise at what she had just done, plastered on each of their faces, she slowly tilted over slowly meeting the ground with no more time for anyone but death. As the wailing of the children begins the farther says sternly, and with sorrow “keep eating, this was the last meal your mother ever made for us”. This was but one scene of many great scenes, and you should see Tampopo if you haven’t already, it’s worth the time.

Like Father Like... wait your my son?

Raising children is not easy, it’s freaking hard. Kids can’t help but have certain issues as a result of parenting, because nobody can parent perfectly. Then there is the whole problem with technique, because no two parents are exactly alike. So naturally when the two couples in Like Father Like Son met their biological children for the first time there was some major differences between the parents and their children. Parenting methods did not change yet they were dealing with different children. Who knows what kind of effects that could have. One might be quick to be horrified by the parenting methods of the richer father, his words often seemed poorly chosen with both children. A good example of this is when he said that the other family loved kaito (or however it’s spelled) more than he did, which broke the little kids heart no doubt. Let’s wait a second, this may have been the wrong thing to say but what were his intentions in those harmful words? They were not to intentionally harm the boy for the fun of it, I think we can agree on that. His words may have been chosen to make the boy want to live with the other family more and move on quicker. I am not trying to defend any of the hurtful words of the character as right, but rather sharing that he struggled with parental skills, and was trying his best.

My greatest moment

I suppose the thing people will be talking about most in regards to this film is what memory to choose from one’s own life. When the concept was introduced in the film it took only a moment for me to think of what mine would be. Early on in high school my Mother, one of my brothers, and I were coming home from shopping at some grocery store. Beyond reason, and logic I convinced my mother to buy one of those big 2 liter bottles of Coca-Cola, something that never happened. Carrying it out of the car on the way to the house I fumbled and dropped it on the gravel. Upon retrieving the coveted item I noticed a tiny hole in the side, which the precious liquid was spraying out rapidly. I did the only thing a man could do in this situation, I placed my mouth around the coke’s new exit point. The next minute was pure ecstasy as I drank about a liter of coke in that time. Finally we got the hole plugged up, and that was when I realized, however petty it was, that this was the greatest moment of my life. I told myself afterwards, that it would be a shame having to tell my children someday that their birth was not the greatest moment for me, but that moment belongs to Coca-Cola, which will always be my open happiness.

Like water for tacidos

I’m big on food I have been eating it now for about 18 years roughly. My Mama (see what I did there) is a fantastic cook, all homemade all the time. Most restaurants I have eaten at cannot match her skills with the stove, crock pot, fryer, and oven. So I can quite well understand the wonderment of the food in this film, and how it affects the emotions. It can make a bad day brighter, and it can ruin a party. Although I must confess food has never made me have the intense desire to mess around… sexually with anyone. I had a hard time getting what the sexy food thing was, but I suppose it was about passion. The intense emotion, was so strong of the chef, that it embodied itself in the food. If only we could do this in real life, we could have killed Hitler with a burrito. Seriously though emotion can be powerful enough to noticeably take over what we are doing, whether it is good or ill. If only, we had that recipe for those peppers, not only did they have the ability to rekindle the fire as it were, but they looked real fine.

#departures #mikaiskawaii #mikanoticeddiegosempai

This film was much funnier than the premise made it appear like it would be. The moments of comedy even in death, and the other ones in life. The inevitable comedy in tragedy was apparent in this film. Perhaps one of the greatest moments was when Tomeo’s father was telling the two men who did his final departure that even though he wore dresses he was still his son. That’s hard stuff to place before mixed audiences, and have the effect that it did. The ability to take such complicated issues and turn them into beautiful things is a respectable talent. That was kind of the idea of the movie, taking people who nobody wanted to socialize with, and turning them into the person people respected, and even admired. Let’s think about Mika for a second… she was so KAWAII (cute) X3 honestly she was an awesome character. Throughout almost the entire movie she is the most positive uplifting character in the film. Only after she learns Diego’s job as a departure pro is she not so upbeat. Later we see that she can be a little devious, that whole bit about how kids would pick on their son/daughter if they knew what Diego did for a living. In the end Diego’s way of preparing corpses swept her off her feet again, and she was the kawaii desu girl she before.

Lunch of notable friendship growth

The interaction between these two characters was amazing, the friendship/sort of romance that grew from simple mistake in the delivery of a lunchbox. Despite the fact that the end of the movie didn’t give a sense of closure, it did not cheapen the beautiful moments that came before.

An aggravating moment had to be when Ila was in the restaurant sitting alone, and we are made to think that the gentlemen receiving lunches forgot to go to the lunch. It was then redeemed by the fact that he was actually there, but he didn’t want to introduce himself for her own sake. Or maybe he was just scared, of meeting this women. So what do you guys think other than from what he told Ila in his letter why do you think he didn’t introduce himself?

made this pic cause couldn't find pony with India style lunch box

Scary old lady that can fly using her cloak

I must admit when I first heard about this I thought I was walking into another gushy anime. Thankfully it was fantastic! Everything wrong with most Japanese animations wasn’t in this, it was different. Although it definitely had the weirdness of a anime. There were something’s that made do this face.

Like when Yubaba decided her cloak was a pair of wings, and flew away. At that moment the tree walked into me.  

The art style was at first nothing to obviously different from anime, but as the film progressed we witnessed more and more the beautiful stylization of the spirits, and the smooth movement, of the characters.

The slow but steady character development of the protagonist who’s name a dare not try to spell but it sounds like Ss-en, was so well done it is quite hard to see the exact moment, annoying little girl turns into strong, kind, patient, hard working girl. I admire her ability to become so trusting with faceless as to let him in the bath house, even though it wasn’t the best move. Then having the bravery to trust him again after he had eaten three spirits.

You can disagree all you want with the ideas expressed in the movie, like spirits and such, but it’s hard to say it didn’t leave the viewer entertained. Those little black fuzz ball spirits were some of the most adorable, comical, and even caring creatures, and its okay to say that. It may be part of a religion other than mine, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the cultural ideas. Think about Thor, people know he’s fake, and he’s basically a god figure, but that doesn’t mean its not awesome to see him punch Loki in the face.