Back on the live-action side:
Blood: The Last Vampire - the live-action version of the so-so anime. Likewise so-so. It does add to the anime story, but not always in a good way. At least twice throughout the movie I thought I was watching Twilight, and that's never a good thing. Some fight scenes were absolutely ridiculous and only passable if watching it as a party movie (and well into the party, too). It's saving graces however were a pretty lead actress,
really nice colour grading, and two beautifully stylised and chillingly directed scenes. Is it worth it, considering said scenes make at most mere 15 minutes out of the whole movie? If you've nothing better to do or are in for some cheap laughs, or just like eye-candies, then sure, why not.
5.5/10.
700 Days of Battle: Us vs. The Police - unpretentious, not annoying, and enjoyably nostalgic teenage comedy/drama? It's more likely than you think! The title was making me think of a gangster movie, the beginning confused me greatly, but in the end it turned out as one of the sweetest and most pleasant movies I've watched. And really touching at the end, but nowhere near obnoxious sappiness and sugarcoating. Plus, it had a cute teenage trap, so things couldn't have been better.
9/10.
Children of Men - things just got serious. Wish I have watched it earlier and in a theatre. I feel I use the phrase "one of the best/worst/most" way too much, but among all dystopian movies I've watched this is one is near the top of the list. I will need to look into other Cuarón's movies too, because I really loved his style in this one. I'm a sucker for long shots, so that has satisfied me even more. Also, while it's not the movie's main premise, the overall feeling it gives is that which I have each time I have the big displeasure of connecting my flights in London (and UK in general). It did have some religious undertones, but while religious over-interpretations of art piss the hell out of me, and religious allusions (or blatant evangelism to be more specific) in art largely ruin said art to me, I only realised most of those allusions or parallels in the movie when reading about it after watching. So I'm not gonna hold them against it. Strongly recommended. Another
9/10.
[quote name='///' post='73961' date='Jan 8 2010, 03:28 AM'][quote name='aine' post='73422' date='Dec 30 2009, 04:43 PM']Definitely do. It used to be my first favourite Ghibli until I watched Nausicaa. It's a very close second now though.[/quote]
Have you read the manga? Thoroughly recommend it, and I'm the kinda guy that usually hates manga. It's wonderful to see the art and to get the full story. Although I would still say that the movie is better, and that the manga probably wouldn't have held my interest if I hadn't already seen the movie... But anyway
read it. <img src='
http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... umbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> [/quote]
Haven't read it - yet! Been wanting to for a long while now, but that's one of the things I definitely want read in a paper form, not off the screen. And because it takes research which printed version is the best, and they're not readily available to just go and buy them, it keeps getting postponed. <img src='
http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' />
But I definitely will read it. I
love Miyazaki's drawing and painting style. Could stare at it for hours. I brought
this wonderful watercolour collection book from the last Japan Expo and it remains one of my most prized possessions. <img src='
http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' />
' /> [/quote]
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