Movies!

[PennLady]

My Studio Ghibli movies just got here! Yay, eight movies by Hayao Miyazaki and four more! Woo hoo. Now the little one can watch Kiki's Delivery Service again (sorry Tatyana ). Like I need more distractions...

 

[Liar]

That's some good stuff right there.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1Z2NBiupSE/TdaJcIKkEjI/AAAAAAAACcU/GP6J4UeU26E/s1600/totoro2.gif

 

[PennLady]

That's some good stuff right there.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1Z2NBiupSE/TdaJcIKkEjI/AAAAAAAACcU/GP6J4UeU26E/s1600/totoro2.gif

Oh, it is! It's a set of 12 movies, eight by Miyazaki. It's only the movies, but two versions of each, one in Japanese and one in English. Got it at Amazon -- couldn't resist. I should have, but I couldn't.

http://www.mangacastle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/totoro.jpg

http://www.comicbookbin.com/artman2/uploads/6/my-neighbor-totoro_04.jpg

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

My Studio Ghibli movies just got here! Yay, eight movies by Hayao Miyazaki and four more! Woo hoo. Now the little one can watch Kiki's Delivery Service again (sorry Tatyana ). Like I need more distractions...

Just for that you have to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJ_XuAgMNM


Sigh. I was planning on working at the library tonight. Maybe I'll check the movie out so I can see what all the fuss is about.

 

[PennLady]

Just for that you have to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJ_XuAgMNM

Sigh. I was planning on working at the library tonight. Maybe I'll check the movie out so I can see what all the fuss is about.

Hahaha. To listen I'd have to click -- but I don't have to click! And I hate to tell but I don't mind the song. My mom was more a Rod Stewart fan.

The movie is very sweet.

 

[litfan10]

Good for you! Wonderful movies all - I only watched "Grave of the Fireflies" once and it is one of the most haunting movies I've ever seen, so gut-wrenchingly sad. As I mentioned on the other thread "Porco Rosso" is one of the funniest films I've seen. Enjoy!

 

[PennLady]

Good for you! Wonderful movies all - I only watched "Grave of the Fireflies" once and it is one of the most haunting movies I've ever seen, so gut-wrenchingly sad. As I mentioned on the other thread "Porco Rosso" is one of the funniest films I've seen. Enjoy!

I am hesitant to watch "Grave of the Fireflies," even though I've read nothing but good things about it. I don't like situations with kids in trouble, to say the least, and I'm honestly not sure I could watch this after having read about it (Ebert named it a Great Movie, for those of you who follow such things).

My son decide to watch "Laputa: Castle in the Air," and seemed to enjoy although he didn't get a chance to finish it. I'm looking forward to just all of them. Did you know there's a sequel to Porco Rosso due out next year? I believe it's called Porco Rosso: The Last Sortie.

But I think tonight we'll catch up on Torchwood. Talk about dark.

 

[dawei]

Its been awhile since I saw many of those movies. My favorites were probably Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. But I thought Ponyo and Kiki's Delivery Service were very cute stories.

And for me, My Neighbor Totoro was just kind of strange. A big over-sized cat or whatever that thing was was too creepy for some reason to me, even for a Studio Ghiblie film which usually have bizarre stories anyway.

 

[Handley_Page]

I am hesitant to watch "Grave of the Fireflies," even though I've read nothing but good things about it. I don't like situations with kids in trouble, to say the least, and I'm honestly not sure I could watch this after having read about it (Ebert named it a Great Movie, for those of you who follow such things).

My son decide to watch "Laputa: Castle in the Air," and seemed to enjoy although he didn't get a chance to finish it. I'm looking forward to just all of them. Did you know there's a sequel to Porco Rosso due out next year? I believe it's called Porco Rosso: The Last Sortie.

But I think tonight we'll catch up on Torchwood. Talk about dark.

Until Porco Rosso appeared on my local TV, I'd never heard of it. I reckon it's great and I look forward to seeing the "last sortie". I reckon the technical drawing is damn good. The mixture of modern and 1920s is truly amazing.

/off topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFtbgpKAmTM&feature=related
I just love that left hand line
/on topic.

 

[PennLady]

Its been awhile since I saw many of those movies. My favorites were probably Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. But I thought Ponyo and Kiki's Delivery Service were very cute stories.

And for me, My Neighbor Totoro was just kind of strange. A big over-sized cat or whatever that thing was was too creepy for some reason to me, even for a Studio Ghiblie film which usually have bizarre stories anyway.

I haven't seen Princess Mononoke, but that may have been the one that brought Miyazaki to my attention. I remember seeing commercials for it, and then Spirited Away got a huge amount of critical acclaim.

Oh, Totoro is so sweet. The critter, Totoro, was made up by Miyazaki for the movie, although I think in the movie it's described as a mythical Japanese creature. What I love is that when the little girl finds Totoro, instead of being scared, she just curls up on his tummy and goes to sleep.

I want a Totoro for Christmas. A small one, though.

 

[PennLady]

Until Porco Rosso appeared on my local TV, I'd never heard of it. I reckon it's great and I look forward to seeing the "last sortie". I reckon the technical drawing is damn good. The mixture of modern and 1920s is truly amazing.

/off topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFtbgpKAmTM&feature=related
I just love that left hand line
/on topic.

Hahaha -- it was slightly off topic, but funny.

I think my hub is looking forward to Porco Rosso, as he's an airplane buff.

 

[PayDay]

My favorites were probably Princess Mononoke...

**applause**

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I haven't seen Princess Mononoke, but that may have been the one that brought Miyazaki to my attention. I remember seeing commercials for it, and then Spirited Away got a huge amount of critical acclaim.

Oh, Totoro is so sweet. The critter, Totoro, was made up by Miyazaki for the movie, although I think in the movie it's described as a mythical Japanese creature. What I love is that when the little girl finds Totoro, instead of being scared, she just curls up on his tummy and goes to sleep.

I want a Totoro for Christmas. A small one, though.

Princess mononoke is a very integral work. It's sort of like the Japanese 'Beauty in the beast' being the first animated movie to ever be nominated for film awards in Japan. It's considered to have one of the best english dubs of all of the movies, and it has a really deep sense of culture that you don't get with the some of the other miyzaki films.

It doesn't take sides. There is no truly bad guy. After being spoon-fed mustache-twirling disney villains your whole life, it's very gratifying to have complex well-rounded characters that would have been reduced to 2-dimensional bad guys in a disney flick.

It is beautiful. Every frame was drawn by hand.

It is disturbing. Depending on how old your children are, they will either love the movie for it or be scared. This is a movie where wincing is one of the main reactions.

It is a movie that will draw you in and keep changing your opinion. You will be disturbed, awed, enthralled, saddened, wincing, and crying. You will love every minute of it.

If you can't tell, I'm a fan.

 

[PayDay]

It is disturbing. Depending on how old your children are, they will either love the movie for it or be scared. This is a movie where wincing is one of the main reactions

Vouch. Those arrows that cut off body parts get me every time.

Plus the giant goo pig...

 

[PennLady]

My son has watched Princess Mononoke, but I haven't yet had the time. I enjoyed The Cat Returns, but Porco Rosso was just kind of weird. And I don't think weird in a good way. I think I'd really enjoy Mononoke but want to sit down with it with few distractions.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Vouch. Those arrows that cut off body parts get me every time.

Plus the giant goo pig...

For me, it's when the blind pig is crazy from blood loss and pain and keeps vomiting blood.

Or when Moro bites off Eboshi's arm.

Or when the great forest spirit gets shot through the head.

Ugh, there are just too many to count.

 

[PayDay]

My son has watched Princess Mononoke, but I haven't yet had the time. I think I'd really enjoy Mononoke but want to sit down with it with few distractions.

Do it, you'll be well pleased

I vote original audio with subtitles even though the dubbed voiceovers are killer (especially on Mononoke).

The story is slightly different in the translation, as in: Sometimes the English scripts get confusing when they try to explain Japanese society.

English scripts often go as far as changing ideals. Kames, aka Gods, become Lords or Rulers instead. The Japanese for things like honor, hate, duty, romance and more are changed to the English meaning. English dubs also have to drop terms of respect, and reduce them all to Mr and Mrs.

Not to mention, Japanese voice actors go all in and over the top to illustrate their character. It's actually a very precise skill, and very, very directed to fit the film.

Plus, subtitles are a literal translation. Let's use the news to illustrate:

A local News channel, let's say, Channel 69, is reporting a national news story. All the facts are stated, and it's happening locally. (Original Japanese)

Jon Stewart and the Daily Show are also reporting the same story, from a great distance geographically, and all of the facts are stated. (English Voiceover)

 

[PayDay]

For me, it's when the blind pig is crazy from blood loss and pain and keeps vomiting blood.

The real pig or the fake pig?

 

[sethp]

I hanen't seen any of those..but you have me interested, is he the same guy that did ponyo?

 

[PayDay]

I hanen't seen any of those..but you have me interested, is he the same guy that did ponyo?

Indeed.

 

[sethp]

Indeed.

That one was amusing.

 

[Brunne]

IOh, Totoro is so sweet. The critter, Totoro, was made up by Miyazaki for the movie, although I think in the movie it's described as a mythical Japanese creature. What I love is that when the little girl finds Totoro, instead of being scared, she just curls up on his tummy and goes to sleep.

I want a Totoro for Christmas. A small one, though.

Totoro!! I love all those Studio Ghibli films, but for some reason I find watching My Neighbor, Totoro incredibly relaxing when I'm stressed out. Maybe because it takes you back to time when your problems were as big as chasing small fluffy things through the undergrowth.

I love that first scene with Totoro, and then the one in the rain next to the bus-stop when he discovers UMBRELLAS

Oh, and you don't need to wait for Christmas to have your own Totoro: http://cheekandstitch.com/diy-totoro-plush-tutorial/

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

but for some reason I find watching My Neighbor, Totoro incredibly relaxing when I'm stressed out.

I love it when other people have stress movies!

Mine is Billy Elliott.

(Though Almost Famous, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Lost in Translation will do in a pinch.)


ETA: Re-reading this thread got that damn song stuck in my head again. Thanks a lot for bumping, PayDay.

 

[desertslave]

Totoro is a family favorite here. I did a major score for my son, a few years ago, by finding him a Totoro T-shirt on a trip to NYC. It's all sky blue with the classic Totoro grin. (I think of him as the Japanese Cheshire cat as a result. LOL)

Has anyone seen The Secret World of Arietty, from this past spring? I loved The Borrowers books as a kid, and this telling was absolutely beautiful. Some of the frames would be delightful as paintings, IMO. The details within the small scale were so clever.

 

[R. Richard]

I haven't seen any of the Japanese films, but I'm still looking for a DVD copy of the original "Monster That Devoured Cleveland."