Tag: miyazaki

since this is a blog, I guess I should post, right?

Not much is going on with me at the moment, so there isn’t much to post about; well, nothing that I would want to commit to typed words going off into the infinite reaches of the internets anyway.

This weekend had it’s nice points. I saw two movies, both of which I liked, District 9 and Ponyo.

I liked the idea and the attempt at paralleling apartheid that came with District 9, but it had a little too much going on for me to really focus (as my friend John stated, this must be Peter Jackson’s Cloverfield — even though he didn’t direct it). However, I will say, that we saw it at the drive in, so perhaps I just need to see it again, in an environment when I can really focus on it. I will have to rent it when it comes out. It was enjoyable, though.

As for Ponyo, I posted about it last week, and my excitement had me really revved up to see it. I detest going to the theater, and this was no exception; all of the talking and whatnot around me made it hard to really let go and enjoy the film. However, I really did love the story, and the animation was incredible. I can’t wait to see it again, because I think that most of Miyazaki’s films require at least two viewings before a true opinion can be formed. The more I reflect on my feelings about Ponyo, the more I love it. I hope that Ponyo’s eventual release on Blu Ray will cause the powers that be to go back and commit Miyazaki’s other films to the format; they are truly deserving of the treatment, and I know that I would be one of the first to rush out and buy them!

Other than that… not much else. How about you?

ponyo on the cliff by the sea

I rarely ever get excited about movies, and I almost never get chills watching a preview (go and check it out here, since embedding is disabled on most of the youtube clips), but both things apply to Ponyo on the Cliff By the Sea, the upcoming Hayao Miyazaki film. I have been a fan of Miyazaki’s for many, many years, and with Ponyo, I dare predict that my love of Miyazaki will only continue to soar.


My first experience with one of his films, was when I saw Princess Mononoke in college and loved it. However, it wasn’t until Spirited Away that I realized how amazing his films truly are. After seeing Spirited Away the first time, I was completely blown away, and realized I had seen one of the best movies of my life. This motivated me to check out some of his previous work, and I discovered Nausicaa of the Valley of The Wind, another brilliant film that also has a place amongst my favorite films ever made.

Miyazaki’s films contain a sense of imagination, wonder, and hope portrayed in a medium that I haven’t seen anywhere else. His whimsical stories are usually backed by a deep concern for our footprint on our world, and often explore the consequences we might face if we ignore the signs; which is kind of deep for a “kid’s movie” huh? His animation, story telling, and direction take dreams, and make them into a visually stunning experience that you can enjoy while you are awake. I find it almost impossible not to fall in love with is characters, and even more impossible not to enjoy their adventures.

As Ponyo is being released this Friday, I will do something I NEVER do: I will head to a theater to see this film. Those that know me, know very well that I HATE going to the movies (with one notable exception: the drive in), but my excitement for this film will force me to put my hatred of all things movie theater aside, and go out to see it. If anyone wants to come along, let me know, because I can’t wait to see this movie, and I definitely want to see it this weekend for sure. I’m hoping that it is everything that I think it will be and more; and given Miyazaki’s track record and the previews, it looks like it might be just that!

Also, I am really, really hoping that the release of this film gets some (if not ALL) of his films onto Blu Ray here in the states. As I said, his films are visually stunning, and bringing them to high definition would be outstanding!