Tuesday, March 08, 2011

31 Movies, part Ni

Day #7: Favorite Animated Movie – Grave of the Fireflies. This is the movie I recommend when people tell me that animation is just for children or they don’t like anime because it’s dubbed. (Please note – all animation is dubbed. The characters are not real people filmed in cartoon.) It’s a great drama and the animation provides a freedom from reality that allows the movie to focus on what matters instead of special effects. It’s also the most thoroughly depressing movie I’ve ever seen (although totally worth it) because it provides moments of joy in between all the sadness. Non-stop grief would just be numbing – alternating heightens the impact. Funny note – this was originally released in Japan on a double bill with My Neighbor Totoro, possibly the most innocuous (and still wonderful) film ever made. Despite the rules of the public school English teachers, it lacks any form of conflict. Somehow combining those two is like a double feature with Winnie the Pooh and Terms of Endearment, but on steroids.

Day #9: A Movie You Never Expected to Love – Crash (the 2004 film, not the 1997). I heard much about how this was an important film ABOUT RACISM and we must all see it because it is ABOUT RACISM and everyone should learn something from it because it is all ABOUT RACISM, but it is still not as good as the gay cowboy movie and you are a moron if you like a safe film like Crash instead of championing Brokeback Mountain for the Oscars, and actually Crash was the worst film of the year and you are an idiot for even watching it in the first place. Then I forgot I had it in my NetFlix queue and when it arrived I considered sending it back unwatched, but a rare moment of boredom prompted me to pop it in and force myself to give it ten minutes. I was hooked by the second scene. During all the debate, people forgot to mention that it’s actually a very good drama and not merely a morality fable. Plus it has the innate ability to piss off everyone who refuses to acknowledge that both sides of the debate may have some merit, and that we could all stand to try a little harder. And even though nothing truly tragic occurs during the film, it definitely never felt safe.

8 comments:

Captain Dumbass said...

Haven't seen either, but Totoro is definitely a great movie.

Jay said...

I've considered watching Crash a few times, but haven't done so yet. Maybe I will sometime.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen either of these but after reading your reviews, I've got them on my list.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Haven't seen either, but will try to fit them in between my blaxploitation kung-fu flicks.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Haven't seen either, but will try to fit them in between my blaxploitation kung-fu flicks.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Haven't seen either, but will try to fit them in between my blaxploitation kung-fu flicks.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Haven't seen either, but will try to fit them in between my blaxploitation kung-fu flicks.

Avitable said...

I've never seen either.