60-second cinema

7 out of 10 You know, there are times when I think I just don’t get Japanese culture. And there are other times when I admire it greatly. Maybe, one day, I’ll have to spend some time over there to really appreciate it. Maybe then I’ll understand instead of just finding it fascinating — a stance that currently makes me a little uneasy. Hmmmm... So... Spirited Away! Yes. Another Studio Ghibli affair, this one had me wondering for 90% of the film whether I would ever see another anime to move me. After Grave of the Fireflies , everything else seems to have lost its impact. Then, near the end, it finally hits home. Throughout the film, Chihiro, the lead character, struggles through her nightmarish adventure with such immense dignity, courage and kindness that you can’t help but make an emotional investment. My only disappointment with the film is that it takes so long to call it in. It’s still rewarding when it does, mind. In summary, it’s a go...

6 out of 10 Continuing my adventures in Japanese animation, Tokyo Godfathers is a tale of three homeless and somewhat mismatched friends and their attempts to return an abandoned baby back to its parents. Set at Christmas, all 3 main characters find themselves reflecting a lot on their past, becoming closer in the process, as the film rams home the warmth-of-the-family message. The tale itself is ok, I guess; a little eccentric thanks to its characters and packed full of increasingly ridiculous coincidences. The animation is, at the same time, both glorious and just as heavy-handed as the story. The scenes of Tokyo in winter are at times stunning, but the characters’ are the most caricatured I’ve yet to see in anime. So much so that it spoiled it a little for me. Wacky’s fine, but that was extreme. To be fair, though, it wouldn’t have been the same film without it. Overall, not bad, but I’ve enjoyed the Studio Ghibli stuff more.

4 out of 10 Another film with great, untapped potential. Set in the near-future against a backdrop of global infertility, it held the promise of being fascinating sci-fi. As it turned out, the most intriguing parts of the story went unexplored and the character development was MIA . Part of the problem might be Clive Owen ’s complete inability to emote, but I suspect it was deeper than that. On the positive side, the action scenes were superb. You may have seen the coffee shop blow up on the trailer; there’s plenty more along those lines. Also, the blood was good blood . Oh, and there was a Geordie in the cast. He even sang part of the Blaydon Races to make sure you understood. How quaint. ;) Overall, however, it was an opportunity missed. If only we could wind back time and get them to make this film as it really should have been. It could have been a classic.