Ramblings on Cinematic Matters
Twice in a generation, Disney has tried its hand at the tale of Mulan; let’s see how these efforts compare! In this dual review, I look at Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020). The Ballad of Mulan is a Chinese poem, from the fifth or sixth century C.E., of a young woman who disguises herself as …
Continue reading “Devoted Daughter, Wartime Hero: Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020) Review”
Next in my Studio Ghibli retrospective, I turn to Pom Poko. Pom Poko (1994), written and directed by Isao Takahata, is a tale of magical tanuki, or “raccoon dogs” (a canine species native to East Asia that resembles the North American raccoon). The movie is set among a community of tanuki living in the forest …
I continue my Studio Ghibli retrospective with a look at one of the more obscure entries in the studio’s output. Ocean Waves (1993) stands out among Studio Ghibli movies for several reasons. It was Ghibli’s first (and, until the forthcoming Earwig and the Witch, only) TV movie. Directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, Ocean Waves was the …
Continue reading “Pretty, but Heartless: Ocean Waves Review”
In this review, I look at two animated movies, made more than 30 years apart, that each follow a young person struggling to survive amid war, including nuclear devastation. The world recently marked the 75th anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and 9th, respectively. To remember these cataclysmic events, …
Continue reading “In the Bomb’s Shadow: Barefoot Gen and In This Corner of the World Review”
Continuing with my Studio Ghibli retrospective, I turn to Porco Rosso. The opening shots of Porco Rosso (1992), written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, are a masterclass in economical storytelling. We begin with a shot of a blue sky, glimpsed from within a ravine. The camera tilts down the ravine cliffs to reveal a small …
Who says animated movies can’t be subtle, character-based dramas? I continue my Studio Ghibli retrospective with a review of Only Yesterday. Some moments in our lives can take on an importance far beyond what any objective measure would suggest. This is especially true in childhood, because children lack perspective and minor incidents can be rapturous …
Continue reading “Going Back to School: Only Yesterday Review”
Years before anyone had ever heard of Harry Potter, Studio Ghibli provided its own tale of a magical, broomstick-riding adolescent. I continue my Ghibli retrospective with Kiki’s Delivery Service. The most outlandish stories can move us emotionally. A reader or viewer might never have experienced magic or journeyed to other worlds or otherwise had the …
Continue reading “The New Girl in Town: Kiki’s Delivery Service Review”
Having previously been called upon, by my Studio Ghibli retrospective, to review one of the saddest movies I have ever seen, I am now called upon to review one of the most delightful. My Neighbor Totoro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, was released by Studio Ghibli in 1988. The movie notoriously appeared on a double bill …
Continue reading “Childhood Magic: My Neighbor Totoro Review”
Recently remastered and released into theaters, Tokyo Godfathers provides a darkly surreal take on a familiar genre. The body of Christmas-themed movies is so large and diverse that I hesitate to describe any such movie as “unique.” While it might not be unique, however, as Christmas movies go, Tokyo Godfathers (2003) is certainly unusual. An …
Continue reading “Down and Out in Shinjuku: Tokyo Godfathers Review”
“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.” Today, I look at the latest cinematic version of Jane Austen’s Emma! Groucho Marx supposedly …
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