My Neighbors The Yamadas

My Neighbors The Yamadas (Isao Takahata, 1999)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Animation, Japan, Family, Light, Heartfelt, Comedy

What a fun little collection of tales! I loved the watercolor animation style, the poetry between stories, the cute and relate-able characters, and the quirky music. If you enjoy Studio Ghibli films you'll probably like this one. It is meant to be more like a collection of comics than a full-length drama. Is this the Japanese version of  such classic American comics as Foxtrot or For Better or For Worse? Maybe even Cul De Sac?

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Don Jon

Don Jon (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 2013)

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Rating: Q=5, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Drama, Comedy, Relationships, Masculinity

The directorial debut of Gordon-Levitt was definitely a success. Job well done. This story isn't anything new or amazing but it is particularly apt for the time. Masculinity, sexuality, and the role of men in our society are all very important topics that seldom meet with much discussion outside of academia. And even within academic circles the issues facing young men today are often swept aside. I liked Don Jon. I know lots of young(ish) men who have unrealistic expectations and goals about life and relationships. Many young women, too. This film is a lighter take on our strange and confusing "social" world.

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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Francis Lawrence, 2013)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Coming of Age, Survival, Corruption

The second installment of this distopian series was really stellar. Yes, it was very depressing. Yes, it was tense. Some of the moments felt forced but it never bothered me. I was drawn into the conflicts and the games. I especially enjoyed the parallel of individual character development and growth AND the slow uprising of the world. Beautiful visuals, music, and art direction. Can't wait for the next part this year.

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Gravity

Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron, 2013)

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Rating: Q=6, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1

Philosophical, Beating the Odds, Survival, Space, Visually-stunning

Gravity is a stunning visual film. It is also eerie, disturbing, and tense. Almost the entire film is difficult to watch because it is so realistic and frightening. Drifting above the earth with almost no oxygen is certainly a nightmare. Having the emotional, mental, and physical strength to persevere and survive is inspiring to contemplate. But I feel I would have been more convinced if the character's story was a different one. Dr. Stone is a mother who lost her child and feels she has no reason to live. On earth, she only worked and drove aimlessly. What made her want to become part of a mission in space? And how was she initially able to push herself to stay alive with this mentality? Then lose it and regain it again--in terrifying circumstances with absolutely no human support? It begins to feel symbolic but it's still vague...

The last fifteen minutes of the film are by far the most interesting and then the film is over, which worked in the plot and philosophically but it still disappointed me. I wanted the human survivor to be more relate-able so that her descent from space through the atmosphere into the ocean and onto land was more symbolically meaningful.

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From Up On Poppy Hill

From Up On Poppy Hill (Goro Miyazaki, 2011)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3

Animation, 1960s, Grief, Coming of Age, Romance, Complex Relationships

What a beautiful story and film. I love pretty much everything that Studio Ghibli has produced (personal favorite is Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro) and this is definitely true of From Up On Poppy Hill. The characters are realistic, the artwork is enchanting and intricate, the story is part fantasy, part fairy tale. This story is about living with change, adapting, and growing up. But it is also a wonderful tale of nostalgia. Umi and Shun show us the importance of remembering the past through creativity, restoration, memory, and quiet gestures.

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