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This is easily my favorite film by the excellent Ang Lee. The story
revolves around a father, his three dauthers, and their relationships
with each other and food. The father, a famous retired chef who is
tragically starting to lose his ability to taste the food that he makes,
crafts elaborate and spectacular meals for his unmarried daughters each
night. But it is more an exercise in self-indulgence, for there is
little closeness or true understanding between them. In turn, looking to break
away from home and find fulfillment in their own lives, each daughter
pursues the path before them. The film explores the hurdles and
chances of this family along with each member's love life. Overall the
film has a positive and hopeful air, which is not always the case with
Lee's work. Beautifully filmed, this movie is a charming exploration of
family, change, and independence.
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Accept no substitute! Not El Hazard: The Alternative World or
The Wanderers, and not even The Mysterious World 2. They
simply don't compare! This is the first OAV of this anime story that
tells the tale of Makoto, a young high school student who is transported
to the world of El Hazard by a strange woman who calls him by name and
begs him to save her world. A teacher, a friend, and her brother, who
happens to consider Makoto his archrival, are accidentally transported
with him.
The former two join up with Makoto to help the people there by hiding
the disappearance of a princess, gaining the assistance of three
goddesses, and trying to defeat the invading Bugrom race. They each have
gained a magical talent that is essential in their struggle. Makoto's
rival has in turn given his support to the Bugrom. They each race to
reach the ultimate weapon - Ifurita, the woman who sent Makoto there in
the first place. But what's this? Ifurita does not recognize Makoto now
and has become his enemy?! Wait a minute! Looks like someone other than
the Bugrom are creating havoc!
The animation is beautiful, the story
relatively complex and entertaining, the characters thoroughly enjoyable
and often
quite wacky, and the underlying themes compelling, creating altogether a
truly excellent piece of anime and storytelling. Highly recommended!
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What an unfortunate little film. It really really really wants to be
another Garden State and pretty much fails miserably despite having all
the same elements of a messed up and despondant young man who must
travel back "home" due to the death of a parent and who meets a strange
and peculiar young woman who turns his life around and makes him see the
beauty and simple wonders of the world around him. They want this to be
a quirky funny little film, but they utterly fail to get the quirky
right. I think part of this is because Orlando Bloom seems utterly
unable to play humor. Just not in his repetoire of skills. Of course the
fact that the script is rather poorly written, with lame unfunny jokes
and moments that fail to be quirky and thus are merely annoying. You
know a film is bad when you start to notice and ponder the little
things, like how Kirsten Dunst's hair has that carefully coiffed
"unkempt" look to it, and how one of her bangs is far shorter than the
rest, and why is that?
The movie's only grace, and it isn't enough to be a saving one, is that
they do a nice job of representing the South without being overly
stereotypical and annoying. The film takes place mostly in Louisville,
Kentucky, and travels through other places in the south as well. There
is much that acts as an hommage to the South and the culture thereof
that I genuinely enjoyed. It's a warm, quirky atmosphere that has
somehow been tacked onto the film, but never actually integrated into
the story or the performances of the leads. It almost feels like they
hired a bunch of extras who had never acted before - very natural.
The film would have been much better if it had been all about the
roadtrip part, which alas doesn't happen until the end, after I was long
since ready to go home. Up until that point I honestly had a hard time
staying awake and if I hadn't been sitting in the middle of the row and
had a guest, I probably would have walked out. By the time we reach the
roadtrip, it was too little, too late; a disjointed and unconnected
snippet that should have been the focus I think. The whole film, in
fact, feels rather like a poorly made patchwork quilt - the pieces don't
fit right, the colors and textures don't go together, and it isn't warm
or charming or pretty to look at. I wouldn't even recommend renting this
one.
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