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Whisper of the Heart, a review by dfmorgan

Title: Whisper of the Heart
Original Title: Mimi wo Sumaseba
Year: 1995
Director: Yoshifumi Kondo
Rating: G
Length: 111 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Youko Honna
Kazuo Takahashi
Takashi Tachibana
Shigeru Muroi

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned


I had forgotten what a gloriously gentle romance this film was until I rewatched it this afternoon. Whilst Hayao Miyazaki produced and wrote the screenplay for this there are aspects that show that he didn't have a hand in the drawing, the main one being the wind and its effects. In this film the wind does ripple the characters clothing and hair but only on few occasions did it cause ripples in the background trees, grasses, flowers or waters. However that does not detract from the fact that I think this is a wonderful film. The film starts with Olive Neutron Bomb Olivia Newton-John singing "Take Me Home, Country Roads" which Shizuku, a junior/high school teenager, is translating for her best friend Yuko. Shizuku likes to read books and is intrigued when she notices that all the books she has recently read were also borrowed by the same person Seiji Amasawa. On a journey to the library she notices a cat on the train and so starts an adventure as she follows the cat to an old shop. Part of this adventure involves Shizuku finding herself and another part is for these young teens finding love. I said it in my first sentence and I'll say it again here, a glorious film with a gentle romance.

A wonderful 5 from me


(From dfmorgan's Studio Ghibli Marathon on July 21st, 2010)

Finding Neverland, a review by Antares

Finding Neverland (2004) 3.5/5 - My childhood years were spent on athletic fields, and not much time was spent playing fanciful, imaginative role playing games with other children. So it may come as no surprise that I have never read Peter Pan nor seen Disney's famous animated film of the same name. But after watching this rather creative and fanciful tale of the story's creation and creator, I'm probably going to give it a whirl. Granted, the historical aspects of the screenplay are dubious at best, but by the end of the film, I was bawling like a baby. There are moments that tend to drag just a bit, but it is all worth it once you get to the end of the story. There are two truly priceless moments that come towards the end of the film and should been seen by anyone who enjoys a creative twist to telling a story. The first comes when the author sets aside 25 tickets on opening night for selected children from an orphanage to come and see the play. They are randomly seated throughout the theater, and their presence is at first, looked upon with a sense of disdain by the entirely adult, upper class patrons who are there. But as the play begins, their spontaneous moments of giddy joy, break down the icy veneer of the adults, and for the remainder of the play, help to revert the adults to an earlier, innocent time in their lives, and this makes the play's opening night a success. The other moment deals with the death of a character, and due to being a an important spoiler in the film, I won't go into it. But it is used as a transition to a beautiful and touching scene involving the author and one of the children who was the inspiration for Peter Pan's character in the book. It takes place on a park bench and serves as a defining moment, not only in the author's life, but in the child's life also. As I said earlier, by this moment in the film, not only was I was shedding copious amounts of tears over the subject matter, but also at how beautifully created these scenes were projected. Some will probably say that it was all blatantly manipulative, and maybe it is, but I feel sorry for these people, because it is done so magnificently. I gave it a 3.5 rating out of 5, but it's a high 3.5. I would have rated it higher, but at times, the film become a little too fanciful and it can be a little too saccharine. But that being said, I recommend it to anyone with a powerful or creative imagination, it can make you feel young again.

(From Antares' Short Summations on October 9th, 2013)

Smallville Marathon #2, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: A corrupt cop who witnessed Clark's powers is now blackmailing him. When Clark refuses he frames Jonathan for a murder. Meanwhile principle Kwan fires Chloe as editor of the school paper "Torch" and installs Lana as her successor.

My Opinion: The frame was so obviously fake I don't believe anyone could have really fallen for it. They get an anonymous tip and then they find a body in the middle of the barn, on the ground, unhidden?!? But apart from that I liked the stunts Clark pulled to get back at the dirty cop.

Synopsis: Lex' castle is haunted. A ghost lives there that can move without being seen. But there's also Amy, the daughter of an employee in the mansion. She has a crush on Lex and dislikes his new girlfriend. When the new girlfriend is attacked by the "ghost", Clark and Chloe put one and one together and get three.

My Opinion: The cool thing about this episode is that I always forget that it is the brother and not Amy herself. It was an ok episode.

Synopsis: A very persuasive business man comes to Smallville and plans to open a new plant. But for that he would have to buy the Kent farm. There's also a hermit in the woods who wants to be left alone but also doesn't want to have this business man in his town. But Clark's alliance with Kyle the hermit causes a riff between Clark and Lana who suspects to have been attacked by Kyle.

My Opinion: That episode I really liked because I liked Kyle. I like grumpy people because in the end they always have their heart in the right place. While the fight between Lana and Clark felt a bit constructed I really liked the end scene again when Clark (or was it Lex?) claims that the story their friendship will be the stuff for legends. One regrets that it won't end so well.
They also used the "forgetfulness plot device" for the first time to make Lex forget that he saw Clark's powers.

Synopsis: When Clark tries to rescue to a fellow student both are struck by lightning and through the meteor rocks his powers are transfered to Eric. From now on, Clark is normal and Eric becomes "Superboy". But then he begins to abuse his abilities and Clark has to stop him.

My Opinion: "With great powers comes great responsibility" (Ben Parker, Spider-Man) I really liked it that Clark's nature didn't change just because he had no powers anymore. He still tried to help even when that caused him a few broken rips. Episodes where Clark is incapacitated or otherwise limited are always interesting, yet it conveniently happens always when Lex doubts Clark. I also liked Shawn Ashmore (Iceman, X-Men trilogy) in the role of Eric.

(From Smallville Marathon #2 on May 23rd, 2008)