Brian's Review - The Cat Returns

Worth returning to over and over again.

Released: 2002
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Comedy

When Studio Ghibli releases a film not directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki and dubs it for the English-speaking world, it's without a doubt a wild card situation met with supreme skepticism: there's always the potential that even the legendary animation studio will slip up and release something subpar (i.e. Goro Miyazaki's sweaty armpit of a debut "Tales from Earthsea"). The consistent, high-quality standard set by the studio's work is a mixed blessing, since every movie released under their banner has been scrutinized heavily under the magnifying glasses of both critics and fans alike. Although an earlier feature from the anime goliath's vast library of masterpieces, "The Cat Returns" easily fits into the pantheon of more recognizable titles, such as "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle." Filled to the brim with rich, vibrant animation, the film barrels along with enough creative energy to put a dozen childhood fairy tales to shame. The entire cast of characters exudes an intoxicating charm, wit, and exuberant insanity that keeps things so entertaining it won't matter if you're watching this at the age of five or fifty, mostly thanks to the enthusiastic and talented efforts of the English dub cast. The adventure itself is wickedly outrageous, and the larger-than-life set pieces will thrill those looking for an action fix, without ever delving into anything much darker than a Saturday morning cartoon - true, this Studio Ghibli feature might feel too lighthearted and comedic for those who are used to Hayao Miyazaki's foreboding undertones and eerie imagery, but at its core, this is just as superb of a journey as its shadowy brethren. Outstandingly beautiful, genuinely heartwarming, and wildly exciting, this is the type of movie that will make you wish you had nine lifetimes to fill up with repeat viewings.

Rating (out of 5): 4.5

Brian's Review - The Secret World of Arrietty

A secret world worth exploring.

Released: 2010
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Family

Studio Ghibli is internationally known for pushing the limits of human imagination, creating worlds so rich with creative splendor that it's impossible to not get completely wrapped up in the onscreen magic. The backdrop conjured up for "The Secret World of Arrietty" doesn't embody the same sort of eerily haunting, supernatural whimsy of past projects (such as "Spirited Away"), but despite taking place within a setting that initially appears to be somewhat pedestrian in scope (a quiet, suburban household), Studio Ghibli's newest film still manages to feel pleasantly grandiose and ambitious. While events take place on a very small scale, due to the tiny size of the titular character, the action here is entertaining and wild in a very big way. The animation is beautiful, fluid, and on par with some of the studio's best works, inspiring wonder in every single frame - it's great seeing such a high standard of quality not just being set, but also met on a consistent basis. The story might not break as much ground as Studio Ghibli's previous works, but this is still an enjoyable reimagining of author Mary Norton's children's book "The Borrowers" that packs a truly genuine message. The combination of excellent voice acting, stellar animation, and unmistakable Studio Ghibli charm makes this a family-friendly movie that is definitely worth a watch. While not quite perfect, this film is heartfelt and endearing enough to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages, and that universal appeal alone makes it a must-see for a random weekend evening.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva

The age-old mystery of how to create a good video game movie has been solved.

Released: 2009
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Mystery

For years, the thought of films based on video games made audiences and critics alike cringe, hide under their covers, and even cry in a combination of depression and terror; honestly, with movies like 1993's "Super Mario Bros." and every Uwe Boll production ever made being the most prominent examples out there, it's no wonder the idea became an industry joke. Hollywood has a strange obsession with dismantling awesomely epic video game storylines and reassembling them as cruel, laboratory experiments made up of various blockbuster clichés, barely resembling shadows of their former selves. Fortunately, every now and then, a film escapes directly from the shores of Japan and manages to make its way to our theaters and DVD players relatively unscathed, restoring my faith ever-so-slightly in the belief that someday a video game movie will have the power and depth to transcend the embarrassing stigma currently plaguing the genre. "Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva" is one such film. I'm a huge fan of the Nintendo DS-based puzzle game series under the Professor Layton title, and I was delighted to learn that the legendary studio Level-5 decided to create an original, feature-length anime adventure starring its enchanting characters, free of their gaming system confines; the games already contain beautifully-animated cutscenes, hilarious voicework, and whimsical plots that I've always felt would translate perfectly onto the silver screen. This movie does not disappoint - the animation is gorgeous, lush, and alive, drawing on a luscious color palette, giving the entire presentation a light, cheerful feel. CGI effects are tastefully integrated into the animation, seamlessly enhancing the onscreen excitement. The dubbing is eloquent and expertly executed, while the musical score is just as delightfully playful as it is in the games, bringing to mind thoughts of quaint, European countrysides and windup jewelry boxes. The puzzles - a staple of the game series - are cleverly and effortlessly worked into the mystery of the story, without feeling forced whatsoever. Just like the Professor Layton games upon which it is based, the light-hearted outward appearance of this movie masks much deeper, thought-provoking subject matter, frequently focusing on darker themes, including human mortality and the many gray areas of morality. While not a true masterpiece, it's nice to see that a film finally got the formula right: "Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva" could have been one hell of a fun video game, but instead manages to be one hell of a great video game film.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Spirited Away

Animation magic that will spirit you away.

Released: 2001
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Family

Those unfamiliar with anime may only be able to associate the term with the mainstream goofiness of shows like "Dragon Ball Z" or "Sailor Moon," and fat, smelly nerds, clad in Acapulco shirts sporting images of dragons shooting laser beams out of their eyeballs. While "Spirited Away" may appear to be nothing more than a Japanese children's cartoon, this movie views far more like a moving piece of gorgeous artwork. Director/writer Hayao Miyazaki, one of the crucial leaders at the legendary animation workshop Studio Ghibli, crafts a piece of cinema with a depth and weight rarely felt even within live-action films. Disney does the experience justice by doing a beautiful job of localizing everything, with the English voice-acting cast in particular being delightfully exceptional. The characters are pure fantasy, but whimsical, charming, lovable ones that feel so alive that letting go of them at the end of the movie is easily one of the most bittersweet farewells in my recent memory. A soaring soundtrack by famous composer Joe Hisaishi stands out as some of his very best work to ever make it into a major production, only further enhancing the raw emotion of the film. Even though Miyazaki's masterpiece incorporates some brief, yet profound, social commentaries, "Spirited Away" is in actuality a wild, surreal, family adventure, enjoying more silly, fun moments of wonder than heavy, dark themes. There's definitely enough excitement here to please action fans, and enough deep, thought-provoking elements to satiate the ponderer in all of us. An incredibly memorable experience, this is the movie to try out if you're unsure about getting into feature-length anime: simply turn down the lights and let the magic take you to an incredible realm of imagination and heart.

Rating (out of 5): 5

Brian's Review - Tales From The Dead

Homegrown Japanese horror means the best of both worlds.

Released: 2007
Genre(s): Horror, Thriller

J-Horror is one of my favorite sub-genres within the horror genre: it tends to rely more heavily on a suffocating and anxious atmosphere than on cheap jump-scares or over-the-top gore effects, and this sinister darkness is meticulously developed through character interactions, menacing environments, and unsettling plotlines. American horror movies tend to lack this focus on storytelling, rather falling back on stylized (and often gimmicky) presentation to invoke tension; this unfortunately oftentimes stifles the generation of any genuine terror. "Tales From The Dead" is quite a unique film, as it is a Japanese horror movie made in America using Japanese-American talent; due to this, it manages to sample from the best parts of both Japanese and American horror styles. The film consists of four short stories, each highlighting a different supernatural event, and each bringing about some major creeps. Plot-wise, this movie not only manages to build up an incredible amount of unease, but each vignette serves as a cautionary tale of sorts, without beating the audience over the head with its messages. Despite the obvious low-budget, the production value of this film is quite decent, and the cinematography, combined with the thoughtful, well-written story, yields more dread, intrigue, and mystery than most American movies with bigger studio backings. While some movies need to lean on cheap tricks to produce any real scares, "Tales From The Dead" proves it can effectively draw from two completely different worlds and this unique presentation alone makes it worth watching at least once.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Pulse (2001)

Never use the internet again.

Released: 2001
Genre(s): Horror, Thriller

Japanese horror films tend to follow a fairly predictable formula: someone dies under mysterious circumstances, her (almost always a "her") ghost comes back to kill a bunch of people, then an understanding person manages to pacify the angry spirit by uncovering the truth. Or everybody dies. Regardless, Japan's "Pulse" (originally titled "Kairo") differentiates itself just enough to stand out in the crowd of long-haired, pale-faced, vengeful ghost girls. There are zero jump-scares here: this film is driven solely on atmosphere, and the first half of this movie makes this especially clear, almost feeling overwhelmingly heavy and dark at times. While the second half of the film offers some segments of mild reprieve, during which the characters try to decipher what is actually going on (these, unfortunately, can drag a bit), there's no real sense of relief offered, as the situation becomes more and more hopeless. The symbolism in this movie is powerful, if you let it be, and the weight of that message left me feeling a bit drained, but overall, a horror film is a potent vessel for a social commentary. Whether you take it purely as a Japanese creepfest, or as an overwhelmingly bleak cautionary tale, "Pulse" is well worth a watch if you're in the mood for something outside the normal realm of horror offerings. Oh, and be sure to avoid the crappy American remake. Avoid it like you'd avoid a Japanese ghost in a dark room.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Ju-on: The Grudge 2

A good reason not to visit Japan.

Released: 2003
Genre(s): Horror, Thriller

With "Ju-on: The Grudge," horror fans were given a sinisterly bone-chilling haunted house story, complete with creepy, Japanese spooks crawling out of random shadows. However, the pacing of the first title lacked consistency, allowing the tension to build up nicely enough, only to drop off completely and without warning whenever a new "chapter" of the story decided to randomly interrupt the current scenario. While "Ju-on: The Grudge 2" returns to this vignette-driven formula, each segment feels more intact than those in the previous film: the plot doesn’t just suddenly jump away without first ensuring that your skin is crawling with the ferocity of an angry anthill. The menacing atmosphere seems to have more stamina in this iteration as well, rarely letting up, even when transitioning between scenes. The creep-out factor in this movie is ramped up significantly from the first, with the ghosts finding new, awful ways to terrorize their victims, which consequently means there’s more for the audience to bite their nails over. Even though everything feels very familiar in this film, the execution here is just so much more effective than in the first movie, making it a clear improvement over the original in almost every respect. This sequel is an incredibly unsettling thrill ride that will have fans of the first "Ju-on: The Grudge" feeling even more creeped out than before.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Ju-on: The Grudge

Making little, Japanese boys scary since 2002.

Released: 2002
Genre(s): Horror, Thriller

Some of you may not know this, but two years before Sarah Michelle Gellar ventured into a Japanese haunted house and battled the spooks inside in "The Grudge," the Japanese version of the movie "Ju-on: The Grudge" was released, and made people incredibly uncomfortable about dead, Japanese women who slithered on the ground while croaking. While not as jump-scare-happy as its American counterpart, "Ju-on: The Grudge" manages to effectively produce a significantly creepy ghost story through the most fundamental of means: dark rooms and corridors, weird sound effects, and the inability to escape any of it. Perhaps the most impressive feat of all is the complete lack of gore - a feat seldom accomplished in this day and age of gimmicky splatterfests (and to be honest, I think people who watch horror only for the gore are complete morons). However, the techniques employed in this film would be so much more effective if the pacing of it was not quite as disjointed: the movie is broken up into multiple "chapters" or "episodes" centering around each character. However, this relieves any of the building tension that the previous chapter had been working to establish, effectively starting the whole process over, instead of letting the fright build to a truly terrifying head. Those who are used to watching mainly American horror-style movies may find this bothersome, and even those who are fans of foreign horror may disapprove of this layout. Regardless, "Ju-on: The Grudge" is an effective chiller, and something that can easily be enjoyed with the lights off and the volume cranked.

Rating (out of 5): 3