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Grave of the Fireflies, a review by RossRoy

Original Title: Hotaru no Haka Year: 1988 Country: Japan Director: Isao Takahata Rating: NR Length: 88 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.66:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English

What they say
In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four-year old sister, the helplessness and indifference of their countrymen is even more painful than the enemy raids. Through desperation, hunger and grief, these children's lives are as heartbreakingly fragile as their spirit and love is inspiring. 'Grave of the Fireflies' is a tale of the true tragedy of war and innocence lost, not only of the abandoned young, but of an entire nation.

My Thoughts
Honestly, words totally fail me. Not that I really know what to say usually, but in this case, even if I was good with words, I wouldn't know what to say. But I'll try anyway.

I've rarely, if ever, been moved that much by a movie. You can't help but feel for these kids. All that they had to go through after losing their mother in the bombing. From their aunt who simply doesn't care, all the way to a farmer who won't spare even a spoonful of rice. You see these kids persevere, trying to make the best of what they have. But when it happens (if you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about), it just hits you. And then you start to think, that even though this is a work of fiction, you can't help but think that it may have been like that for some child. And not just in Japan during World War II, but in any war, anywhere on the planet, at any given time. We've all seen wars in movie or on the news, but it always feels so surreal, almost fake. But this movie, manages to bring it closer to home. It actually makes you realise how hard it must be.

Now, some may be thinking "What the heck man? It just a silly animated movie!". Well, I'll reply to that by saying that the fact that it is animated is probably what makes this movie work so well.

They don't take any shortcuts in this. You see the bombers in the air, the bombs raining down, people running for their lives, burnt bodies everywhere, even the common dumps. All this can be done live action, yes, but would it be as effective? With live action, you would know that the people aren't really running for their lives. You would know nobody got killed by the falling bombs, as they would probably be duds anyway. The burnt bodies would be mannequins and makeup. And you'd know that. Deep down inside, it wouldn't be real. The fact that it is all animated here, removes that layer of reality, so you are left with only that idea that it is real. And you get thrown back to what it might be like in real life. You have to imagine it yourself, you have to create the image in your mind, which makes it that much more powerful.

Even the little girl being animated makes it more real. (I'll put that in a spoiler tag. And it is a BIG spoiler, so please, if you plan on watching the movie, DO NOT READ THAT!)

The whole movie is really powerful in what it's trying to convey. I can wholeheartedly recommend the movie. It is a must see. I can't recommend it enough.



(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on April 21st, 2008)

L: Change the World, a review by Tom

Title: L: Change the World
Year: 2008
Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Rating: Category IIB
Length: 129 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital Surround EX , Japanese: DTS ES (Matrixed) , Cantonese: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English

Stars:
Ken'ichi Matsuyama
Shunji Fujimura
Mayuko Fukuda
Sei Hiraizumi
Renji Ishibashi

Plot:
The film is a spin-off from the Death Note and Presents the "final 23 days of L." The mystery the world wants to know will be revealed. After solving the Kira case in Death Note, another serious one finds L and he only has 23 days left to solve it. A boy and a girl hold the key to solving the case and L faces a crisis of global magnitude to protect the kids. L is without his trusted partner, Watari, and to solve the case all by himself for the very first time.

What will happen to L? What will change? The 23 days are packed with turns of events even L himself cannot predict.

Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers

Sadly rather disappointing. I knew that it will not be as great as the Death Note movies, but I still thought that another adventure with L could only be good.
But except for some minor references to the Death Note movies, this movie could be set around any set of characters. Though it is supposed to center around L, I had the feeling, that he had a bigger role in the Death Note movies, than in his own film. Also it feels more like L is just going along with the flow of the events. It doesn't feel like he has any major influence here. His skills of deduction are sadly rather underused. As I said, it could be any other character in the center of this movie. It wouldn't have needed L. It feels a little like they had already a script for another movie and after L was such a fan-favorite character in the Death Note movies, they made little adjustments in the script and used it for an L movie.

Rating:




(From Tom's Random Reviews on July 12th, 2008)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Desperate Housewives



What's the show about?
The show is about the woman of Wisteria Lane and how they live, thrive and survive. In the first season it's also about the death of Mary Alice Young.

"Pilot"
On the day our story begins Mary Alice Young decides to put a bullet through her head. In that week a plumber moved in the street that isn't what he seems to be, Bree Van De Kamp's husband wants divorce and Gabrielle Solis cheats her husband with the gardener.

My Opinion
The first season is build around the mystery of why Marie Alice shot herself and what Mike's (the "plumber") true intentions are. It's a funny show but I still haven't got aroudn to watch the second season.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on January 4th, 2008)