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Spirited Away (2001)

“Spirited Away” is another film directed (and written by) Hayao Miyazaki, who also did “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. His style of storing telling and animation is so unique, and so very different from Disney movies. Miyazaki doesn’t assume that kids can’t understand more complex plots or be interested in something for shorter periods of time (most of his movies clock in around two hours or more). “Spirited Away” is the story of young Chihiro, who is on her way with her parents to their new home. She’s not happy about it, and is quite pouty and immature … Continue reading →

“Spirit Beasts” at Epcot

Coming from a literary background, I love examining the interconnectivity between stories. I am especially addicted to studies on how stories function and overlap in different forms, be it literature, film, television, art, or anything else. For example, Disney’s now-defunct “Dreams Come True” exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art, which explored the connection between Disney’s movies and their fairy-tale sources. I’ve lamented a few times the fact that the exhibition only appeared in New Orleans for five months, and Disney has no plans at the moment to run it anywhere else. Now Disney’s teasing me again. The official … Continue reading →

Miyazaki: Master of Animation, Pt. 2

“Each cell of (Miyazaki’s) movies is a painting you’d want to hang on the wall.” –Kathleen Kennedy, Executive Producer, “Ponyo” English language version Today I’ll conclude my look at Miyazaki’s films, and consider what makes him such a great animator. Whisper of the Heart (1995; adapted by Miyazaki). Based on a comic by Aoi Hiragi, “Whisper of the Heart” is unique for Miyazaki in that it’s set in modern-day Tokyo and is not a fantasy. This is another coming of age story with some Germanic influences and a gorgeous violin soundtrack. It follows teens Shizuku and Seiji as they determine … Continue reading →

Tarzan and Jane (2002)

Sometimes when a movie is a big hit, the movie makers think, “Well, if we did so well with that one, how about a sequel?” They tried this with “Tarzan and Jane,” and I’m sorry to say, it just didn’t work. Jane has been living in the jungle with Tarzan for a year now, and to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, she wants to plan a special surprise. She meets up with Tarzan’s best friends Tantor and Turk and they discuss ways to commemorate the day. Jane’s ideas all lean toward holding a fancy party, but Tarzan’s friends are quick … Continue reading →