Reviews

Saw this film on an aeroplane coming back from Japan. I fancied something fun and a bit mindless, and I saw a Japanese girl across the aisle from me watching it and decided it absolutely fitted the bill. It did: a simple but lovely story about a group of high school students who get their school wind band together in the face of indifference from upper-management. In saw it back to back with 'ReLife', an incredibly similar film in many ways in what I assume is an expansive genre of Japanese films set in High Schools, and probably aimed at people (like me) of that age. But that doesn't prevent this film from being enjoyable, and quite touching.

I really liked this film. I didn't like watching this film. Tarr pushes the audience to the limit of their patience but after a while it gets under your skin. You fall into its all-encompassing, hypnotic pattern. It's humanity at its most bare - its most bleak. It is a look into humanity's most raw, pained existence. It emerges you. Philosophically rigourous, Tarr goes to great efforts to make the Nietzsche analogy and whatever you think of Nietzsche, or even if you don't, there's a bitter comedy to the way in which Tarr looks at the human condition here. It laughs in the face of meaning. Yet, paradoxically, it's a film of distinct humanity, as shown to us in the last scene. It won't be for everyone, I know. It's cinema at its most cutting; its most applied.

When DreamWorks first announced a sequel to How to Train your Dragon, I was doubtful to say the least. Too many sequels are cash cows designed to take advantage of loyal fans of the franchise. This is not, I repeat, IS NOT one of them. The studio (which is struggling from several financial catastrophes in the past few months) has undoubtedly struck gold with this. It keeps the same winning formula found in the first film and makes it grander. The soundtrack, for example, is every bit as distinct and moving as the movie's forerunner in John Powell and Jónsi's capable hands, but is more moving, more emotional and more dramatic. That isn't to say Dreamworks doesn't progress the storyline. Everyone ages several years and, without any spoilers, there are huge changes to the dynamic of the story that other franchises would be too afraid to make. At times, it's dark. It's mature. It made this Welshman cry. It's also beautifully crafted; the animation is remarkable, breathtaking and vast. I would be lying if I said it was anything less than the best animated film Dreamworks has ever made. Please see it.

N. B. Saw on TV5MONDE with English subtitles. Hafida is the sort of film that's really hard to dislike. Very good direction, excellent acting and a touching storyline make this easily the best French language short film I've seen this year. Alicia Dadoun and Pauline Cheviller as Ouafa and Emilie respectively couldn't have been better cast; they make their characters relatable (especially to me, perhaps because they are around my age), adventurous, witty and very capable of conveying a range of emotions. As for the directing, Loïc Nicoloff has excellently captured the various parts of France in which it was filmed (I shalln't give them away). To summarise, Hafida is one of those short films one can walk away from feeling happier; it isn't a feel-good film by any measure, but just an uplifting story, portrayed well.

This film has reinvented Pixar for any number of reasons; not least of which that it is set in 10th century- Scotland. It was, indeed rather remarkable that Pixar chose this storyline above other, less controversial screenplays. Perhaps it had something to prove; this is, after all the first film with a female protagonist and (sort of) director.

As a Welshman, I have grown up with tales and legends of concepts like this one, as have other Celtic countries (I.E. Ireland and Scotland) but considering that the film was of American origin they (Pixar) had made a great effort to source a Scottish and otherwise British voice cast, and to learn of the traditional culture of Scotland, and a 10th century UK.

The music of Brave was beautiful, really well composed and performed. It made use of Celtic and Scottish instruments (fiddle, Celtic harps, flutes and bodhrán etc.) with a hint Of contemporaryness which I can't quite put my finger on. Patrick Doyle has done a great job (Touch The Sky is already on my I- Pod!)

Perhaps the best part of the movie were the visuals. Simply breathtaking (especially in 3D!) the highlands and forest of Scotland were, in their own way, the true star of the movie, and The Animators should be proud. The only let- down on this front were the darker scenes, which look even darker through 3-D glasses, for one scene at the end especially.

This is a must-see that takes on a far more mature tone than other films in this genre, and while the younger children came out of theatre sleeping, everyone around us was gripped by the film. Forget talking cars, films like these are the future of Pixar, it left me wanting a sequel! (But really? My mother's a bear?)