Author Topic: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts  (Read 561612 times)

facedad

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #120 on: November 20, 2008, 10:22:58 PM »
You're gonna incur some wrath for this one.

That's the least of my worries.
What's the most?
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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roujin

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #121 on: November 20, 2008, 10:58:18 PM »
Yeah, I don't really like April Story either.

sdedalus

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #122 on: November 21, 2008, 11:51:16 AM »
Sigh, these things are subjective.  Of course if you can't find any way to empathize with the main character, you're not going to like the movie.

But I don't think that's the film's fault.
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edgar00

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #123 on: November 21, 2008, 04:12:06 PM »
Given that we see the main character for about 90% of the running time and that the plot revolves around her, I hope you understand why my dislike for her led to my dislike of the movie. I also make mention of how silly I felt the premise itself was. That has to do with writing more than with the individual character.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2008, 11:05:19 PM by edgarchaput »
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smirnoff

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #124 on: November 21, 2008, 07:34:55 PM »
Sigh, these things are subjective.  Of course if you can't find any way to empathize with the main character, you're not going to like the movie.

But I don't think that's the film's fault.

I agree, it's not the film's fault. It's films' fault. Annoyingly, they don't please all the people all the time. (T2  :'()

Tastes, and the rules of this bracket being what they are, I think we've got to keep in mind that rather than simply seeking the cumulative total of personal favourites (filmspotting's top 100 list), ultimately these brackets will determine the most widely compatible movies. Now of course compatibility is no measure of a film's goodness according to any individual's opinion, indeed I'm sure we all like what we like regardless of what anyone else thinks about it. But as a compass for others I think it will serve quite well. Heck even for ourselves it will be a bonding experience. Hopefully we'll all be able to rally around the winner... maybe not anyone's favourite, but a darn good film.  :) Imma go sing some kumbaya now  ;)

jbissell

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #125 on: November 22, 2008, 12:28:39 AM »
Hopefully we'll all be able to rally around the winner... maybe not anyone's favourite, but a darn good film. 

I've already placed a substantial wager on Chungking.

FifthCityMuse

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #126 on: November 22, 2008, 12:42:32 AM »
Hopefully we'll all be able to rally around the winner... maybe not anyone's favourite, but a darn good film. 

I've already placed a substantial wager on Chungking.

No way. It's GOT to be A Brighter Summer Day.

edgar00

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #127 on: November 22, 2008, 12:52:01 AM »
I regret to inform you that I'm backing neither of those two. Sleeping Man, directed by Kôhei Oguri, was the eye opener for me in the tournament so far.
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jbissell

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #128 on: November 23, 2008, 01:31:58 AM »
Hopefully we'll all be able to rally around the winner... maybe not anyone's favourite, but a darn good film. 

I've already placed a substantial wager on Chungking.

No way. It's GOT to be A Brighter Summer Day.

Well that was based mostly on the fact that everyone I know that has seen Chungking loves it.  I've not yet seen A Brighter Summer Day but I certainly wouldn't be upset if Yang won.

FifthCityMuse

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket - Verdicts
« Reply #129 on: November 26, 2008, 05:39:16 AM »
New verdict: Memories vs Whisper of the Heart

Memories, Katsuhiro Otomo/Koji Morimoto/Tensai Okamura, 1995, Japan

Memories consists of three separate films, Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb and Cannon Fodder presented together. Each deals with a different situation, has a different look and was directed by a different director, and, in a way, this worked against it from the beginning.

Magnetic Rose, the first part, is easily the most impressive. In fact, if all three parts were this good, there would definitely be an upset here. It tells the story of a space freighter that goes to investigate a distress signal. When they arrive, they find an abandoned... something. They discover eventually that it hold the memory/essence/spirit of an opera diva who has created this structure to relieve the memories she has of her lover. The section cleverly deals with philosophical issues as only anime can. The nature of memory, the loss of love, respecting the past vs being consumed by it, as well as many other issues. It is very fine indeed, and I could have watched this story for a feature length.

The second story, Stink Bomb tells of a young man who works at a research facility. He goes in sick one day, after getting a shot at the doctor, and a colleague tells him to take a certain pill. This pill turns out not to be for fever at all, but rather turns him into a biological weapon, knocking out any one who gets within a certain distance with his smell. It’s a simple comedy, but overall rather ineffective.

Finally, Cannon Fodder is about a family who live in a town made of cannons. They fire each and every day at an elusive target. Children are trained to aim and load the cannons. This is the story with the potential for the most meaning and impact, and is perhaps the most important story, but loses something in the telling.

Whisper of the Heart, Yoshifumi Kondo, 1995, Japan

Whisper of the Heart is the story of a young girl who is, one might say, obsessed with reading. She notices one day that many of the books she reads have already been read by an unknown man. One day, when riding a train, she sees a cat, and when she follows the cat, she finds an antiques store that is full of strange articles, and a beautiful old clock. She later discovers the store is owned by the grandfather of the young man who has read all the same books.

This is a beautifully told story, and I enjoyed seeing an anime that was fairly grounded in reality, unlike a lot of anime which has a sci-fi/fantasy bent. The characters are well drawn, and the story progresses really well.

All that said, I walked away feeling a little like this was nothing special. While there were parts I loved (the recurring motif of “Take Me Home, Country Road” I really enjoyed, and loved that she was trying to decipher a suitable translation (the catalyst for my question about Subs v Dubs)), I thought, as a whole, the story was very... soap-operatic/melodramatic, and I don’t know that it worked.

Adam often mentions how animation makes what would otherwise be unbearable bearable in Grave of the Fireflies, and I believe it does something similar in this film. If this was live action, I cannot imagine any circumstance it which it would not be overly saccharine or melodramatic. I think subtitles may also help to lessen this affect.

The ending had aspects that I both liked and disliked. I won’t go into too many details here, but I will say that I found the final moments entirely childish and annoying, and whilst they may work for a 14-year-girl, the second the audience has an inch of cynicism, it falls apart.

---

I don’t know that I feel entirely happy with the above reviews, but they cover, for the most part, the way I feel about the films I saw as part of my matchup. I’m glad I saw both, but for me, the greatest response I had was to Magnetic Rose. However, as I’ve already suggested, the other two stories in Memories let Magnetic Rose down, and on its own, can’t progress past Whisper of the Heart, which works better as a whole film.

Whisper of the Heart moves on.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2008, 08:21:46 PM by pixote »