James Andrews

I’ve been a fan of Ghibli films for a long time. I have most of the ones released on DVD in my collection, and have enjoyed watching them over and over. The artwork is always incredible, the stories are always interesting, and this usually keeps me coming back for more.

“Karigurashi no Arrietti” is the story of a family of tiny people who live under a house somewhere in Japan, and a young boy who is staying in the house to recuperate from an illness he has just recovered from. The family survives by foraging around the house. Using secret passageways in the house, and taking what they can. A cube of sugar here, a tissue or two there. Arrietti the daughter of the family goes out with her father, their primary forager for the first time. He shows her around the house, and where to get stuff.

Their “borrowing” though hasn’t gone un-noticed. The boy see’s Arrietti in the garden when he first arrives at the house. The old woman who serves as the Maid at the house has thought to have seen them as well.

Visually the movie is stunning. The watercolor like backgrounds are beautiful to look at. The attention to the little details like the droplet of water that rolls down the leaf when Arrietti pushes the leaf aside is what sets Ghibli apart.
The sounds are made custom for the movie as I saw on a Japanese television show, which showed them being made, are awesome, and that is where it leaves off.

The thing that I have liked about Ghibli movies in the past is the sense of adventure. I felt in Ponyo that sense of adventure was missing, and the movie just kind of went nowhere. I get the same feeling with “Karigurashi no Arrietti”. There’s a lot of character build up, but the story just kind of dullens out. Where’s the epic chase? It’s non-existant.

If you watch Ghibli movies for the art, it’s great for the theater, but I think you’re better off renting the DVD if you want to see this movie.

Tonight I ventured over to Movie Stop and grabbed a disc I have been waiting to be released for months. It is the latest Hayao Miyazaki’s Chibli studios film “Ponyo”. A story inspired by “The little mermaid” (or so Disney has put on the outside box) of a little sea creature who is found by Sasuke a 5 year old boy who mistakes her for a gold fish, and takes her home. Ponyo however is the daughter of the sea goddess, and once she gets the taste of human food she uses her magic to transform herself into a human. With her transformation brings on strange events and their adventure begins.

Much like many of Miyazaki’s other films it is hard not to fall in love with the characters. Ponyo’s innocent playful manner. Sasuke’s serious undertaking of the job that he’s set out to do, along with the incredible character design and story makes for great family fun. Highly recommended.

On my flight back from Japan I decided to take in a foreign film. The one I chose was from Korea, and is called. “My Girfriend is an Agent.” This is a tale of love Soo-ji (Female Lead) is an undercover NIS agent (South Korea’s version of the CIA/FBI) she is in love with Jae-joon (male lead) who also happens to be an undercover NIS agent. Both working for different sectors, and neither knowing of each other’s profession. Their relationship is in danger, and at the beginning of the movie Jae-joon calls everything off and leaves the country. Fate would have them meet again 3 years later where they would once again try to rekindle their love with their work constantly getting in the way. Will their love survive or will it perish in the midst of their secret lives?

This movie is fun, intelligent and action packed. I totally enjoyed the random instances where the 2 agents would find each other each while working on their NIS cases. It keeps you laughing constantly. If you like foreign asian films you’ll enjoy “My girlfriend is an agent”.

5 for 5 stars.

It all starts as the perfect day for Susan(Reese Witherspoon). She’s about to get married Derek (Paul Rudd) the very self centered local news weather man. Unknown to the bride is that her life is soon going to change for ever, when she is hit by meteor, that causes her to grow to be 150ft or so. Her wedding in shambles as she is taken in by the military to a secret facility where monsters are kept out of the public eye for their safety as well as the public’s. She is now Ginormica, and her life forever changed.

Monsters vs Aliens is a fun story of Gallaxhar’s invasion of earth in search of the very rare mineral that has made it’s way to earth. Ginormica along with her new friends B.O.B(Seth Rogen), Dr Cockroach Ph D(Hugh Laurie), and the Missing Link (Will Amett) take on Gallaxhar’s invasion. Will they succeed? You’ll only know if you see the movie. The 3D animation is incredible. Very much on par with the recent “Coraline” film. There was not a lot of quick motion, so very few 3D scenes had that annoying blur to them. I was worried that many of the best jokes were used in the trailers, and while that was partially the case there are still a lot of really funny moments in the film. Some great adult joke references as well. I will admit there were a few geekier jokes that I saw coming. The voice acting was great, and Stephen Colbert’s roll as President Hathaway was spot on. One of my favorite scenes being when the President tries to communicate with Gallaxhar’s initial robot probe for the first time.

The movie is very much worth bringing the kids too, but if you are an adult who likes animated motion pictures you will not be disappointed.