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Grave of the Fireflies, a review by dfmorgan

Title: Grave of the Fireflies
Original Title: Hotaru no Haka
Year: 1988
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: NR
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.66:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Tsutomu Tatsumi
Ayano Shiraishi
Akemi Yamaguchi
Yoshiko Shinohara

Plot:
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.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Multi-angle
Interviews
Storyboard Comparisons
DVD-ROM Content



I finally watched this film through to the end. I still found it moving, especially with the young child Setsuko, but managed to sit and watch all the way. People have said that this film is anti-war, I'm not too sure I agree with that but have to say that it does make you think as it does show a side-effect of war that often isn't shown or covered.

The film is based on a semi-autobiographical novel, as the lead character dies in the opening minutes it can't be a full autobiography. Seita and and his sister Setsuko are left homeless orphans after a firebomb raid on Kobe. They move in with an aunt but relations there become fractious as the aunt sees them as no more than spongers, especially once she has used all their available resources. The two children move out and try to set up a home of their own but even that has its problems. We see the gradual decline of the children until the inevitable happens to Setsuko. Seita continues his decline until we reach the state he is in at the films beginning.

I'm glad that I finally managed to watch this to the end. It is a moving experience made more so maybe because of the age of the leads, a pre or early teen boy and a four or five year old girl, as well as the depiction of the events that cause their life changes from the bombing to their eventual ends.

Nothing less than a 5

Dave

ETA original title

(From dfmorgan's Studio Ghibli Marathon on June 19th, 2010)

The Uninvited, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Uninvited
Year of Release: 1944
Directed By: Lewis Allen
Starring: Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Donald Crisp, Alan Napier, Gail Russell
Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Horror

Overview:The UninvitedMy Thoughts:
This is a sophisticated, romantic take on the haunted house story. It has a beautiful, mysterious setting at a mansion overlooking the Cornish coast and a wonderful score, including the now-classic "Stella By Starlight." Like a lot of old films a lot is left to the viewer's imagination. The ghostly activity, for instance, is very understated.

The performances are all good. Veterans Milland and Hussay anchor the film, but fragile Gail Russell is it's soul. She's perfectly cast as Stella Meredith, and her luminous beauty here makes knowing her real-life fate all the more tragic. There's some obvious age differences in the film's romances, but nothing that shouldn't be expected from films of this age.

Which brings this point: do you like classic Hollywood movies? Because that rather predicates whether you'll enjoy this one. Highly, highly recommended if you enjoy films of this age.

Bechdel Test: Pass

Overall: 4/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 6

(From Horror/Halloween Marathon 2015 on October 10th, 2015)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

11. Ted (1997-12-08)
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), David Greenwalt (Writer), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Bruce Seth Green
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), John Ritter (Ted), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Ken Thorley (Neal), James G. MacDonald (Detective Stein), Jeff Langton (Vampire)

I never liked this episode very much. At the time I thought robots did not fit with the Buffyverse (though later on other robots came).
This was the first Buffy episode which had a "big" guest star. I think John Ritter did well.
What I liked about this episode is, when Buffy thinks she accidentally killed a human and how she handles it.

Rating:



12. Bad Eggs (0998-01-12)
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Marti Noxon (Writer)
Director: David Greenwalt
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Jeremy Ratchford (Lyle Gorch), James Parks (Tector Gorch), Rick Zieff (Mr. Whitmore), Danny Strong (Jonathan), Brie McCaddin (Cute Girl), Eric Whitmore (Night Watchman)

A bodysnatcher episode. Although this is often seen as a weak episode, for some reason it had enough fun scenes in it, for me always enjoying watching it.

Rating:



13. Surprise (1998-01-17)
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Marti Noxon (Writer)
Director: Michael Lange
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Seth Green (Oz), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Brian Thompson (The Judge), Eric Saiet (Dalton), Vincent Schiavelli (Enios), James Marsters (Spike), Juliet Landau (Drusilla)

This episode introduces the idea, that on Buffy's birthday always something bad happens.
Nice that Oz is from now on part of the gang.

Rating:



14. Innocence (1998-01-20)
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Seth Green (Oz), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Brian Thompson (The Judge), Ryan Francis (Soldier), Vincent Schiavelli (Enios), James Marsters (Spike), Juliet Landau (Drusilla), James Lurie (Teacher), Carla Madden (Woman), Parry Shen (Student)

Now the fun part begins! The Angelus story arc was always great turn of events. On Buffy I never really liked Angel, but when he became Angelus, he was really fun.
And the solution for defeating The Judge is a nice idea. Also we get a nice scene when Willow finds about Xander and Cordelia and tellls Xander off.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on February 14th, 2009)