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brendanjeffrey
Reviews
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
Cultural References Are Not All A Film Is About
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away) by Hayao Miyazaki is one of the better Anime out there. It's a tale of a girl named Chihiro and her parent's misguided ways and what happens to her as a result of it. Looking at this film at just its face value will make the message all but disappear. The first time I watched it, I didn't have much of the cultural background to understand all the references to Asian Culture nor did I think it had a real underlying message other than what was present in the actual story. After looking at the film from the viewpoint of conflicting modern and traditional values, with knowledge of the culture, everything that the film represents can begin to be deciphered.
This message may be lost on some, its something needed to receive the full message and meaning of Miyazaki's films. For example in Miyazaki's Mononoke-Hime (Princess Mononoke) there is a more obvious conflict between tradition and modernity, because of the industrialization of the land. There are some obvious points in all of his films but without knowing what Miyazaki's point is the full message can be lost. His films can be seen as just interesting and entertaining Anime but there is a deeper meaning to them other than just purely entertainment.
I'd recommend Spirited Away to anyone who has an open mind and is able to enjoy Anime or Cartoon films in general. There are a lot of messages that will be lost on most people but this shouldn't throw anyone off. The film has an underlying message to it but that's not the only thing the film deals with. Without knowing anything about the culture, or very little about it, people can still find what the message is. This is what is great about Miyazaki's films even without much knowledge of the cultural reference the meaning of the movie can still be seen. Modernity corrupts everything and that no matter what people do the younger generation is the only generation who can actually change the world for the better.
Rashômon (1950)
A Film Put In Perspective
Rashomon was a great achievement of the time and still holds a lot of its great cinematic elements today. It is a movie that tells a story and it tells it very well. The traditional style of the movie seems a bit odd for the taste of most Western Audiences today. This has a lot to do with the long rolling scenes and very few cuts at times. This can be looked at as boring to some people and that can detract from the overall experience of the movie itself. The actors made the story very believable and worked with the scenery and natural settings very well. The whole unreliable narrator aspect to this movie made it very interesting because there are very few movies, even today, which don't give you a direct aspect of what has happened. A lot of the cinematic elements that are present in Rashomon are ones that have been taken for granted today and are sometimes hard to point out. From the set and on site locations to the actors and the story itself this film was very well made and is one of the more enjoyable foreign films around.
The way the film was shot and how it progressed is not suitable for all audiences. The most appropriate audience, for enjoyment of the film, is the one that is familiar with Japanese film or Asian film in general. A lot of the scenes have too much build up for the typical American Audience. A lot of the great aspects of the film will be missed by people who do not understand the genre well. That being said this movie is very enjoyable when you are in the mindset of who the film was originally made for. It has a very interesting story and it never gives a resolution to the story only different aspects of what happened. The non-resolute ending and the lengthy performances are not what most Americans would prefer, but the ones who can put this film in perspective will enjoy it.
Gomgashtei dar Aragh (2002)
A Well Represented Culture
Marooned in Iraq revolves around three main characters, two sons Bahrat and Audeh and their father Mirza. They go on a journey to find their mother Hanareh who has fallen ill. During this journey they run into many set backs which include having their bike stolen by marauders, losing all their clothing, being bombed by the army and trying to find the place that Mirza is located.
This movie was both enjoyable and tedious at times. During the long parts of the movie it became very boring because of the long rolling shots of scenery. In contrast, during the interactions of the characters it was enjoyable and funny at times. Looking at this from an American point of view, this movie isn't what I would typically watch or even see in the US. Some of the parts did not work quite as well as the others, mainly because this isn't the typical movie I'd see.
That being said, the director did a very good job at what he was trying to show. Since this movie is a Kurdish movie, the whole journey and nomadic feelings were very well represented. It was true to the Kurds' nomadic culture and throughout the whole movie I got a sense of it being about nomads. The rolling shots and grand scenery made this more enjoyable than just watching a cityscape for a long time. The humor in the movie transcended cultures and was funny to me. It wasn't stifled by too many cultural references. Although this did work better for me, because I was familiar with some of the Kurdish culture, this doesn't mean it will not work for other audiences.
The biggest thing, that will be confusing in this movie, is the whole symbolism of the ending. This is very typical of movies from this region and it leaves you without a true resolution to the movie. There are a few different story lines which are left alone that you have to determine what happens for yourself. This worked for me because you don't have to see the movie as a clear cut story and that any one of these story lines could progress further. This may not work for everyone in the American audience because a lot of people would rather see how each story ends.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wishes to see a true representation of the Kurdish culture. This gives you an unbiased look into their culture in which you get a feel of what the Kurds are all about. Any American who is open to a different style of movie making will find this to be a good example of that. That being said, you need to go into this movie thinking of it differently than you would an American made movie. If you can do that then you can find enjoyment in this movie.
Bacheha-Ye aseman (1997)
The Portrayal of Poverty
This film was something very different for me to view. Coming from an American movie watcher's point of view this movie had a very stark contrast to the usual films that I would see at movie theaters. This wasn't a bad thing it made the film that much more interesting because of the way the story was portrayed.
The basic plot revolves around a pair of shoes. These are the shoes of Zahra the sister of, and one of the main characters, Ali. After Ali has these shoes repaired he ends up losing them because a trash collector, thinking that they were garbage, picks them up. Throughout the movie Ali attempts to track down the shoes while having to share his shoes with Zahra. Their father cannot afford new shoes because they live in poverty. It is very interesting to see what happens while searching for the shoes.
This plot may seem kind of boring, but it the film took this seemingly boring story and actually made it very interesting, even for an American Audience base. Some of this was due in part to the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the shoes. There was quite a bit of symbolism throughout the entire film. The idea that anytime water is flowing, or you see water, signifies the Will of God or just God himself comes to mind in the context of the Muslim faith. The Muslim faith believes that water symbolizes God and the Will of God. The way the film shoots the water scenes show that it is the will of God to not regain the shoes and in the end to accept that they have been lost. No matter how the children attempt to fight this it keeps coming back to them in new forms. Ali signifies rising up against injustice and even he, the one who will take a stand against oppression, cannot fight the Will of God.
The actors portrayed the roles very well. Even being children, without much acting experience, you believe the portrayal. Also the way in which the film was edited made it seem a bit slower than American films. As well as the camera work and lighting, the film had a feeling of poverty and being in the busy city while the characters sometimes felt out of place.
In the end Children of Heaven is a film which is something that most Americans may not understand, unless given some background. That set aside it is a very good movie. Without some cultural knowledge people may miss some of the symbolism, but the story will still come through to the people who aren't as cultured. The film portrays the struggles of poverty and everyday city life in Iran and puts the world in context. A pair of shoes is more important to these children than being to school on time, looking fashionable or even winning. Something that Americans would find to be trash is something that is cherished and loved by these children.
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
Similar Character Types
The Gods Must Be Crazy is a movie which I had never heard much of, before watching it, and still have not heard much about it since viewing the film. That being said I didn't have the highest expectations for the film. I had heard things about how it was very funny and that even Comedy Central had aired it before, but the latter wasn't as impressive to me, since they do show some movies that aren't hilarious but are comedic. I viewed this film with these preconceived notions, which can make it hard sometimes to find the film enjoyable, but even with those factors working against me when viewing the film, I thoroughly enjoyed it and actually audibly laughed at most of the comedic parts.
The film has three different stories going on at the same time. One is of the !Kung Native or "Bushman" who has to get rid of a Coca-Cola Bottle because it has only brought trouble to his village. One story is of an academic, who is studying animals in the African wilderness. He develops a crush on a woman who is coming to teach the school children in the village that he lives in. And the third, and most absurd story, is of the terrorists who are attempting to overthrow the government.
For most of the film these three stories are told side by side and there isn't much intertwining of the three different tales. This all changes near the end of the film. The three stories become one and all the different plot lines come together. That being said you can see some very good character development throughout the film. Xi, the Bushman, becomes a very simple and un-paradoxical person. You know what his true purpose is and he doesn't have any motives other than ones that are stated by the white voice-over. Mr. Steyn, the Academic is a more complicated person, he has his duty to be honorable to the woman, he is in love with, but he seems to screw everything up when he is around her. Even with all of his book smarts he still doesn't know the first thing about women. And the Russian Terrorist is the villain of the whole film but he is also the comic relief of the film.
I had quite a bit of trouble identifying a hero, when looking at all the characters but the villain, and it seems to me that depending on how you look at this film will determine who you believe is the hero. If you look at the film as that Xi is the hero of his village because he gets rid of the evil Coca-Cola Bottle then he is the hero but if you look at Mr. Steyn as the hero because he saves the day from the terrorists and he gets the girl, then you can consider him as the hero.
Regardless of some of the complicated nature of the Character structures you can see very common characters throughout the film. Xi is the typical character that has a connection with the earth or some sort of magical power and can help other main characters with his abilities. Mr. Steyn is the typical smart guy who can't seem to get the girl. And the Russian Terrorist is the typical villain even sharing the same traits as most villains do by being fat, mean, and lazy. The actions of the characters seem to be very similar to the actions of characters you can see in almost every other story. This being said, this universal medium of the same character types makes this film that much easier to associate with and results in a very enjoyable viewing experience.
Twist à Popenguine (1994)
Coming of Age Story
The film Ça Twiste á Popenguine focuses on the town of Popenguine. The main characters in the film are teenagers who are part of two different clicks, The Inseparables and the Kings. The Kings have the only record player that the town has, but do not have any girls. The Inseparables have no record player, but they have girls. The two groups have rejected most of their families' traditional values and have adopted a more western culture. They wear clothing that are more of a Western style and listen to western music, artists such as Jimi Hendrix.
The movie focuses around these two groups and their day to day activities. The Inseparables spend their days looking for ways to make money to use towards acquisition of a record player. They organize multiple gatherings and puppet shows, which are referred to as Pitchoss, as well as parties in which they attempt to charge for entrance, and only succeed a few times in making money. They also get into trouble with the adults in the town usually resulting from one of their projects not going as planned.
This movie is a coming of age story and it has the same overlying theme of many American movies that are of this genre. There were a few flaws in the story line, a few continuity issues as well as the movie becoming long and drawn out at times. Even with the language and cultural differences, the movie keeps your attention. If you are a fan of the coming of age genre you will enjoy this movie, even with some of the slow and lengthy parts. Much of the success of the story comes from the director using actual people from the village of Popenguine. This makes this story that much more believable and that much better.
Viva la Bam (2003)
Best Spin Off Ever
Viva La Bam was one of those shows that I didn't have high if any expectations for, before seeing it, and I never even knew about it until I saw my friend watching it. I had thought Jackass was pretty funny but the stunts were just that, funny and I never really got into the show. When I watched Viva La Bam for the first time it was the complete opposite effect, I loved it. It had more of a TV Show feel to it, which a lot of the "Reality Shows" have today. I was hooked and I wanted to see what new scheme they were going to cook up for each episode. All the way to the last episode it held my interest and even though some of the ideas seemed rehashed at times, it always had a newer and funnier twist to it. Viva La Bam is one of those shows that get you hooked and I have yet to see another show that is quite like it.