World Cinema - "Kubo And The Two Strings" (2016) - A review

Fig 1. 

"Kubo and the Two Strings" (2016) dir. Travis Knight, produced by Laika Studios, centering on the titular "Kubo", a young boy who leaves his distant cave (and sickly mother) to go to town and perform for it's folk every day. Events kick off when Kubo stays out late one day in order to attend the villages "Bon Festival" - a festival honouring the dead; disobeying his mothers pleas in the process, which, as it transpires, turns out to be something he should have listened to. At sunset, Kubo is attacked my his mother's ghostly sisters, as she is forced to protect him with her last ounce of magic, sending him to a distant land...and his journey's start.

Fig 2.

What makes Kubo so enthralling is it's want to dispense with quickfire editing that seems to be ever present in contemporary children's entertainment. "There is a lyrical quality to the writing, which is a refreshing alternative to the slapdash slang assault of many family films." (Ide, 2016)  Kubo makes a point of making the audience wait, and as such, shot's frequently have that alluring quality that invites the eye to inspect each and every artisinal quality the film offers. And, if anything, that's the qualifier that best suits this film, for everything is truly bespoke. Aided by a myriad of new techniques, making this a tremendously ambitious affair and Laika's (and Travis') "most ambitious project his company has attempted, pushing the envelope of 3D printing in animation to new levels" (Giardina, 2016). It's such a treat to find a film that truly delivers on what it promises, on all levels including story. And that seems to stem from Travis' somewhat omnipresence on the project. Perhaps the quality of writing stems from that? Travis himself mentions "I wanted to approach [the subject of death] with sincerity and honesty," says Knight, who suffered his own loss in 2004, when his brother died in a tragic diving accident." (Giardina, 2016) and indeed the fact that this is such a personal overall theme seems to corroborate the immense quality of the film.

Fig 3. 

Laika's previous films, "Coraline" (2009), "ParaNorman" (2012) and "Boxtrolls" (2014) all carry this quality however, and it really seems as though the studio is going from strength to strength, in fact  "Laika's first film release was 2009's Coraline, which was nominated for an Oscar and grossed $124.6 million worldwide. Its second movie, 2012's ParaNorman, also was Oscar nominated and grossed more than $100 million. Ditto its third, 2014's The Boxtrolls." (Giardina, 2016) And it's really their knack for imbuing their properties with an interesting mix of classic stop motion work (in the vein of Harryhausen) with new techniques that afford them an incredible amount of flexibility in their workflow.

The bespoke design work features incredibly attention to detail. In one sequence, where Kubo and co journey over the "Long Lake" in a ship made of leafs, the design crew mention having "to map every leaf — thousands of them, each individually laser-cut and about the size of a human thumbnail — and reproduce the exact same pattern on both ships, so they'd match from shot to shot within the film. It's a lot of effort for something most people wouldn't notice. "God knows," Pascall sighs, "there are easier ways to make movies." (Robinson, 2016) But for Laika, and certainly Knight himself, easier ways aren't as worthwhile. It seems even during this projects inception Knight knew what an undertaking it would be. Knight, " A sucker for fantasy and a fan of Japanese culture" (Giardina, 2016) admits that "I bit off more than I could chew" (Giardina, 2016) though this isn't a problem. With critics and audiences alike serving as proof that the gamble paid off.

The distinct flavour possessed here isn't wholly 'of' any particular culture, although the film's director was a self confessed fan of Japanese culture, and the story presents a melancholic and mature take on the themes of loss and acceptance that evoke the complexity and maturity on display in Studio Ghibli animations. This represents a heady mix of Japanese influences and American sensibility, though it's sensitivity and patience can definitely be ascribed to the works of Ghibli.

Fig 4.

"Kubo and the Two Strings" is a rare treat. One that is distinct and measurable based on the sheer effort poured into it. The techniques on display here coupled with attention to detail make this feature an industry benchmark, throwing up grand notions of Laika stepping up to become this generations 'Pixar'. Whatever happens from here on, the audience wins.  


Bibliography

Giardina, Carolyn. (2016) "How 'Kubo and the Two Strings' Merged Stop-Motion Animation and 3D Printing (Plus a 400-Pound Puppet)" hollywoodreporter.com At: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/how-kubo-two-strings-merged-stop-motion-animation-3d-printing-a-400-pound-puppet-955406 (Accessed 20/05/17)

Ide, Wendy. (2016) "Kubo and the Two Strings review – lyrical stop-motion tale" theguardian.com At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/11/kubo-and-two-strings-review (Accessed 20/05/17)

Robinson, Tasha. (2016) "Inside Laika studios, where stop-motion animation goes high tech" theverge.com At: https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/18/12500814/laika-studios-behind-the-scenes-kubo-and-the-two-strings-video (Accessed 20/05/17)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Kubo Poster. [image] At: http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/kubo-and-the-two-strings-poster-the-far-lands.jpg (Accessed 20/05/17)

Fig 2. Kubo and Monkey. [image] At: http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/moviemom/files/2016/08/kubo-and-monkey.jpg (Accessed 20/05/17)

Fig 3. The Sisters. [image] At: http://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/kubo-the-sisters.jpg?w=780 (Accessed 20/05/17)

Fig 4. Kubo with wings. [image] At: http://www.rotoscopers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FB_IMG_1457541105678.jpg (Accessed 20/05/17)

World Cinema - "The Secret of Kells" (2009) - A review

Fig 1.

"The Secret of Kells" (2009) produced by Cartoon Saloon and dir. Tomm Moore & Nora Twomey and nominated for the Academy Award For Best Animated Feature is an Irish animated feature that centers on a young Monk, Brandon, living amongst the walled community of the Abbey of the Kells, under the watchful eye of his circumspect uncle, Abbot Cellach. The boy, an apprentice at the scriptorium of the monastery, hears tell of Brother Aiden and his masterwork, the - as yet - unfinished Book of Kells, becoming embroiled in the plot further when a fleeing Aiden (and feline sidekick Pangur Bán) arrives at Kells after a raid on his own settlement, sending Brandon on a quest that ultimately sees him battling darkness itself, facing up to Viking warbands, as well as befriending forest spirits and perhaps even finishing the fabled Book of Kells.

Cartoon Saloon's other films include "Song of the Sea" (2015), "Skunk Fu" (2007), "Puffin Rock" (2015) & "The Breadwinner" (2017) - to be released - ; a selection of stellar 2D animation, with Song of the Sea bearing the most similarities in terms of style, with that of The Secret of Kells. Speaking of both The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, Brendon Connelly, writing for Den of Geek says "One was a very good film, the other was a genuine masterpiece. Maybe Cartoon Saloon will soon become as widely known and well-loved as Pixar and Studio Ghibli." (Connelly, 2015) and it certainly seems as though the method in which Cartoon Saloon creates its properties with generates the feeling of almost studio level 'auteurship' that early Pixar films had in spades. 

Fig 2.

Roger Ebert surmises the wistfulness of the nature of this tale by reconciling it with his own experiences whilst travelling in Ireland. "The studio sent a car to ferry me and my cohort McHugh to the Dingle Peninsula. As we drove along, we crossed an old bridge and the driver said, "Leprechauns made their home under this bridge." We stopped for petrol, and I quietly said to McHugh, "He doesn't know you're Irish and is giving us the tourist treatment." "Ebert," said McHugh, "he means it." " (Ebert, 2010) He later pairs this with a discussion of the Forest Spirit present in "The Secret of Kells" commenting that "The fairy girl is quite real, as Brendan can see for himself. If there are any leprechauns, she no doubt knows them. If there are not, how does she know for sure?" (Ebert, 2010). In doing this Ebert hints at a notion, that this film presents its universe as something tangible, where myth and reality meld into something greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, monks worked on the Book of Kells, was one of them helped by a woodland spirit? No, most certainly not. But does it matter? Absolutely not.

The film derives its aesthetic from actual examples of illuminated manuscripts, and as such the style is consistent throughout as well as serving to levy limitations that keep the picture flat, albeit extremely dynamic. It is a smart choice that services the film well as it keeps things distinct and of a flavour unique to the property it is based on, and thus, uniquely Irish. This is an example of a film that derives much from its own artifice, and as such, there is a certain amount of credibility, and authenticity to this feature. Roger Ebert muses that The Secret of Kells "is a little like an illuminated manuscript itself. Just as every margin of the Book of Kells is crowded with minute and glorious decorations, so is every shot of the film filled with patterns and borders, arches and frames, do-dads and scrimshaw images. The colors are bold and bright; the drawings are simplified and 2-D. That reflects the creation of the original book in the centuries before the discovery of perspective during the Renaissance." (Ebert, 2010) and continuing this discussion, "As for the look, imagine the flat abstractions of nature found in Celtic manuscripts and jewelry coming alive on the screen.  The film has a design that sets it apart from art from other parts of the world.  It is as distinctive looking as Persian miniatures or traditional Japanese block prints." (Cohen, 2010). In acknowledging these guiding principles in the overall look of the film it is impossible for it's roots not to be felt in every watch. And that's just the imagery.

Fig 3.

The choice to source an Irish voice cast also adds to the authenticity felt here, to the extent where sometimes lines can get lost in the mix to the unfamiliar ear. Yes, accents don't give way to accessibility, for to do so would sully what is effectively a cultural curio. In essence, the fact that this is Irish is intrinsic, and something that is felt on every watch. Marking out "The Secret of Kells" as an important first feature film for this studio, perhaps having some semblance of importance that "Toy Story" (1995) held for Pixar.

Bibliography

Connelly, Brendon. (2015) "Wolfwalkers: first pics of new film" denofgeek.com At: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/wolfwalkers/250459/wolfwalkers-first-pics-of-new-film (Accessed 19/05/17)

Cohen, Karl. (2010) "'The Secret of Kells' - What is this Remarkable Animated Feature?" awn.com At: https://www.awn.com/animationworld/secret-kells-what-remarkable-animated-feature (Accessed 19/05/17)

Ebert, Roger. (2010) "The Secret of Kells review" rogerebert.com. At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-secret-of-kells-2010 (Accessed 19/05/17)

Illustrations

Fig 1. The Secret of Kells Poster. [image] At: http://www.impawards.com/2010/posters/secret_of_kells_ver2.jpg (Accessed 19/05/17)

Fig 2. The boy and the spirit. [image] At: http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the_secret_of_kells_movie_image-1.jpg (Accessed 19/05/17)

Fig 3. The Raid. [image] At: http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the_secret_of_kells_movie_image-9.jpg (Accessed 19/05/17)

World Cinema - "Ethel & Ernest" (2016) - A review

Fig 1.

"Ethel & Ernest" (2016) dir. Roger Mainwood, is a hand drawn animated feature film written by Raymond Briggs and based upon his book of the same name. The film itself focuses on Briggs' own parents over their lifetime and largely tells the story of how they met, their experiences of living in wartime Britain and beyond that. As such, it's an extremely personal tale without an inkling of agenda, bearing the fruit of a story which packs a sentimental wallop to back up it's charming watercolour draping.

Fig 2.

Briggs's previous work features the same altogether pleasing linework; Of those efforts, Tim Robey writing for the Telegraph enthuses that "The English writer and illustrator Raymond Briggs has bequeathed things, famously, to the art of animation – not just the 26 minutes of shivery joy that is Channel 4’s version of The Snowman, but the 1986 feature version of his nuclear parable Where the Wind Blows". (Robey, 2016) Utilising the Briggs' aesthetics the film resembles one of his children's books in motion, with a slight lean towards Hergé in terms of character design. It results in a decidedly 'old' feeling, and provides a sense of British peculiarity in places, which is of extreme importance in setting the piece. Robey goes on to say, of the films director, "Mainwood faithfully reproduces the colours and textures of Briggs’s book – the faded quality of the greens and browns, quaintly suggestive of a make-do-and-mend mentality that couldn’t afford brighter hues. It’s a whole history of mid-20th-century, lower-middle-class life in England, even while it remains squarely rooted to one spot: the family home the Briggses never left." (Robey, 2016) This muddying of the waters, this deliberacy in giving us a softer reality, becomes the crux of a kind of conversation between the viewer and the film. This is both a telling of something that did happen, and a perhaps, wistful, recounting of the past, enshrined in gloriously - almost kitsch - locales and warm, inviting colours. This is a film that wants to be seen, not because it has a message per se, only that it highlights the very real state of happiness in building a life, and sadness when that life wanes. These almost universal themes lend weight to the otherwise cutesy visuals, and as such, are the true success here.

Fig 3.

Beyond its usage as a way into Briggs's familial existence, "The film touches on some dark subject matter - neighbours whose sons have been killed in the war, the schizophrenia of Raymond’s girlfriend – but does so with a very British restraint. It is also quietly satirical about the British class system and changing social attitudes – but it never patronises its characters." (Macnab, 2016). These quieter issues insinuate themselves within the story and go a long way in making it seem that much more real. It's by and large because of these smaller moments that the film transcends what would normally be considered garish nostalgia piece, into a far more nuanced and moving story. This is surmised in Robey's review of the film where he says that "The ordinariness of this relationship, though, is just what makes it special, both on the page and floating by in Roger Mainwood’s adaptation." (Robey, 2016) and this is important in considering the briskness of the pace, as effectively the film succeeds or fails based on your willingness to buy into the format.

In essence, the film is a slow burn montage sequence, taking great lengths to pass the audience through the greatest amount of time, and thus, further along the course of the Briggs's lives. Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian notes that "The story moves briskly, even faintly incuriously through events, never staying all that long on each one." (Bradshaw, 2016) though this approach may turn some people off, perhaps those who might yearn for a more definite story. However, Bradshaw also notes that "It’s an engaging film, but it leaves you with a feeling that there might be a deeper, darker, more specific story yet to be told." (Bradshaw, 2016) Be that as it may, this approach lends itself well here and in fact amplifies the reality on display. The stories surrounding the main ones displayed herein are paramount in situating the film in our reality, making the story, and it's outcome, all that more impactful and personal. Perhaps it is also because the characters of Ethel and Ernest play on a far more knowing and altogether 'cozy' level, that evokes archetypes familiar to all of us. Certainly if not exposed directly in our day to day lives then somewhere on the peripheries, again heightening the universality the film has. This, coupled with the films ending; an ending that would put even the harshest cynic to the test, makes "Ethel & Ernest" an incredibly poignant tale indeed.

Bibliography

Bradshaw, Peter. (2016) "Ethel & Ernest review – moving adaptation of Raymond Briggs's graphic novel" theguardian.co.uk. At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/27/ethel-ernest-review-moving-adaptation-of-raymond-briggss-graphic-novel (Accessed 26/03/17)

Macnab, Geoffrey. (2016) "Ethel & Ernest review: Wonderfully evocative" Independent.co.uk. At: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/ethel-ernest-film-review-a7381006.html (Accessed 26/03/17)

Robey, Tim. (2016) "Ethel & Ernest review: Raymond Briggs honors his parents with slow-drip poignancy" Telegraph.co.uk. At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/ethel--ernest-review-raymond-briggs-honors-his-parents-with-slow/ (Accessed 26/03/17)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Ethel & Ernest Poster. [image] At: http://www.filmfund.lu/var/www/storage/images/www/laptop/film-catalogue/films/ethel-ernest/55899-11-eng-GB/ethel-ernest_producer_logo.jpg (Accessed 26/03/17)

Fig 2. Ethel & Ernest relax. [image] At: http://www.filmfund.lu/var/www/storage/images/media/images/q016c005_compositing.0001/65548-1-eng-GB/q016c005_compositing.0001_film_lightbox_gallery.jpg (Accessed 26/03/17)

Fig 3. Family. [image] At: http://film.britishcouncil.org/images/EthelErnest.jpg (Accessed 26/03/17)

World Cinema - "Waltz with Bashir" (2008) - A review.

Fig 1.

“Waltz With Bashir” (2008) written and directed by Ari Folman is an Israeli animated war film, centering on Folman’s search for his lost memories with regards to the 1982 Lebanon war. The importance here, being that, this is very much still a raw subject, and indeed, is so raw, that this film remains banned in Lebanon still. Centering on Ari’s investigation into his past in a pseudo-documentary that’s less anchored in the real world - despite its subject matter - and more akin to the soporific haze of “Apocalypse Now” (1979), part parable, part prosecution, and yet somehow, it manages to portray its subjects in a sympathetic light.

Folman himself hasn’t been majorly prolific in terms of filmmaking, which perhaps makes the success of Waltz that much more a of a victory, but his other feature film “The Congress” (2013) continues the same aesthetic established in his previous work, whilst pushing it into new bounds with the mixing of live action and 2D/3D animation elements. While not as overtly personal and politically charged as Waltz it seems to bear Folman’s touch, nonetheless.

Fig 2.

Describing the aesthetics - which utilise “hyperreal rotoscope-animation techniques, similar to those made famous by Bob Sabiston and Richard Linklater. Live-action footage on videotape has been digitally converted into a bizarre dreamscape in which reality is resolved into something between two and three dimensions.” (Bradshaw, 2008) - This is where the strengths of animation really shine, for another layer has been added here, one that reinforces the detachment so obviously felt by Folman; allowing not only the viewer to more or less comfortably witness events as Folman uncovers them, safe in the knowledge that nothing shown, will shake them. Which makes the films finale that much more poetic and succinct. As the inclusion of live action footage, as Folman has finally pieced his memories of the massacres together. “The decision to suddenly switch from animation to video footage at the movie’s conclusion was, says Folman, “always the plan.” “I just wanted to prevent a situation where someone somewhere would walk out of the theater and think it was a cool anti-war movie with great drawings and music,” he says. “I wanted to put it very clearly that this massacre happened – more than 3,000 people were slaughtered and most of them were kids, women, old people. That video footage puts my story in place, the design and animation style in place, the story in place, and the audience in place.” “(Kaufman, 2008) This is a moment that wouldn’t have worked had the movie been in live action. In fact, this is a rare moment in cinema, where the audience is invited into a dreamworld, only to wake up to the reality of war and conflict in a most harrowing way.

Fig 3.

Fig 4.

In choosing to envelope this story as an animation, Folman has reinforced the confusion felt within war, and conveyed his own disillusionment towards it. “From the beginning, Folman saw Waltz with Bashir as an animated feature, drawing inspiration from graphic novels--many coming out of post-war Bosnia. "If you look at this film," he says, "with [its] lost memory, dreams, war--which is pretty surreal--there is no other way to tell this story." (Adams, 2009). This level of distance, this, separation, is of course, tantamount in setting up the finale’s rather solid gut punch.

With regards to subject matter, to say that this film inhabits troubling territory seems to merely be addressing the proverbial tip of the iceberg, especially when the aforementioned sympathetic tone is brought into the fore. Naira Antoun mentions the lack of humanity ascribed to the portrayal of the Palestinians within the film, “To say that Palestinians are absent in Waltz with Bashir, to say that it is a film that deals not with Palestinians but with Israelis who served in Lebanon” (Antoun, 2009) And while this is true, this is entirely systemic of a story that needed to be told, for ultimately - and perhaps wistfully - it places the blame on those much higher up for their actions in 1982, whilst remaining untainted of that sometimes maudlin anti-war message of American tradition, that would see the guilt shoved down our throats. It is perhaps interesting, that in utilising this conflict to at once absolve the little man in this conflict, Folman has perhaps been a little ignorant of those that are persecuted in this film. In framing it so that “we don’t see Palestinian facial expressions; only a lingering on dead, anonymous faces.” it makes it seem as though “Palestinians are never fully human, Israelis are, and indeed are humanized through the course of the film.“ (Antoun, 2009) Though this doesn’t detract from the films message, nor it’s poignant ending, it is indeed an ending who’s milage may vary depending on who is viewing it. Instead, whilst making a very marked point at the films climax, the film still remains ambiguous in its finger pointing, allowing instead, for the personal stories of the Israelis involved in the film, to take the limelight.  

Importantly though, it is in this more personal approach to such a large conflict, and also in the narrative confusion that pairs with Folman’s real confusion towards his own experiences that allow the audience to perhaps inhabit that moment in time,

Bibliography

Adams, Beige. (2009) At: http://www.documentary.org/magazine/waltz-bashir-fallibility-yet-persistence-memory (Accessed 19/02/17)

Antoun, Naira. (2009) At: https://electronicintifada.net/content/film-review-waltz-bashir/3547 (Accessed 19/02/17)

Bradshaw, Peter. (2008) At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/nov/21/waltz-with-bashir-folman (Accessed 17/02/17)

Kaufman, Debra. (2008) At: http://www.studiodaily.com/2008/12/how-they-did-it-waltz-with-bashir/ (Accessed 19/02/17)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Waltz with Bashir Poster. [image] At: http://www.impawards.com/intl/misc/2008/posters/waltz_with_bashir_ver2.jpg (Accessed 19/02/17)

Fig 2. Soldier. [image] At: http://filmint.nu/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/waltz_with_bashir-blue-794824.jpg (Accessed 19/02/17)

Fig 3. The Beach. [image] At: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuGY8R791CBjVWpkkPbGvM45YRs5iYOKUeh9JB_eKjUvC3nHYXz9yEVDxme2NrdVVZyHzKdyiJyq_MdZI1ojvPxKp888vpLrGwHaNMoDlpFNqhsZ3S23dIcJ1igQA5cg6vcYcV-8PTQ/s1600/Waltz+with+Bashir+(4).jpg (Accessed 19/02/17)

Fig 4. The Massacre. [image] At: http://www.filmeducation.org/images/events/screenings/WaltzWithBashir.jpg_cmyk.jpg (Accessed 19/02/17)

Interesting Links

How they did it: "Waltz With Bashir"

World Cinema - "Sita Sings The Blues" (2008) - A review.

Fig 1.

“Sita Sings The Blues” (2008) written, directed, produced and animated by Nina Paley, features multiple styles and uses of animation to tell parallel tales about the Ramayana (an epic poem which details the divine prince Rama’s rescue of his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana), including segways into comical discussions between shadow puppets, musical interludes that feature songs by Annette Hanshaw and hand drawn scenes from Paley’s own life. It’s a heady mix that - when it works - is an engaging and colourful display of the power that animation can have in allowing people to tell very personal stories without many limitations.

Fig 2.

The interesting thing to firstly consider here is that this is markedly ‘Indian’ in flavor, yet Paley herself is American and has appropriated the story of the Ramayana into an understanding of her own experiences during her stay in India. “The ingenuity of “Sita” — which evokes painting, collage, underground comic books, Mumbai musicals and “Yellow Submarine” (for starters) — is dazzling” (Scott, 2009) The not-quite-documentary that ensues is a collage of different aspects of the Ramayana. Structured like a Bollywood film, even down to the interval (present in Bollywood films largely due to how they “follow a different structure. In the first half, the characters and the plot is introduced. It is here when we are introduced with the conflict as well.” (Sharma, 2016) ). It is with this blending of myth and reality from different cultures that certainly already places the film within a problematic context, yet it’s impossible to be wholeheartedly offended by this aspect of the film, as it’s goal is pure in intent. For Sita in particular, “There are songs, bright colors and a story taken in part from one of the biggest, oldest epics in the world. But it is also modest, personal and, in spite of Ms. Paley’s use of digital vector graphic techniques, decidedly handmade.” (Scott, 2009) In the most basic sense, this animation represents a catharsis of Paley’s personal strife, viewed through an incredibly old yet relevant love story and In that way, the film succeeds.

Paley’s other work includes a selection of shorts, “Fetch” (2002), “Thank You For Not Breeding” (2002), “Dandaka Dharma” (2005)  & a short segment in “The Prophet” (2014), the common threads between the works seem to be spiritualistic, humanist and pragmatic, while Paley also showcases an eye for the psychedelic in “Sita Sings…” ; Aesthetically they share the same traits, insofar that there is an almost Gilliam-esque sensibility to proceedings, especially in Paley’s later work, in both aesthetics and a pitch dark affinity for satire.

Fig 3.

“Sita Sings the Blues” features an array of different art styles, each parallel segment having its own style, each doing it’s best to push each scene into far more interesting avenues - the shadow puppets struggling to retell the story of Rama and Sita being a highlight of the piece -  The fact that this is indeed a collage of cultural aesthetic is precisely why this film is so original; the story coiling “around and around, as Indian epic tales are known to do. Even the Indians can't always figure them out. In addition to her characters talking, Paley adds a hilarious level of narration: Three voice-over modern Indians, Desis, ad-libbing as they try to get the story straight” (Ebert, 2009). Though “Sita Sings…” has not been without its problems and detractors, copyright issues with the use of Annette Hanshaw’s music in certain scenes (that could have been cut outright, as they seem quite clunky in comparison to other scenes) aside.

Roger Ebert suggests of Nina that “There are uncanny parallels between her life and Sita's. Both were betrayed by the men they loved. Both were separated by long journeys.” (2009)  but par superficial readings of the original text, it seems as though Nina has adapted the parts that work with her own personal journey. And as functional a choice this is, it has divided the Hindu community, one blog going so far as to say that “this unjust film attempts to violently fit the great Hindu epic with its immense complexities into a mundanely depressing post-split atmosphere which thousands of Americans experience daily”. (Basu, 2009)

Whether each side can be wholly agreed upon is another question entirely, but the fact that this debate exists around the problematic nature of using cultural stories is a testament to how important stories are in our day to day lives. Regardless of the fact that this is a product of interpretation, and ultimately of Paley’s own journey after her own divorce, this showcases that artefacts of the past, however culturally important, can be made relevant and personal in the right context.

Bibliography

Ebert, Roger (2009) At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sita-sings-the-blues-2009 (Accessed 17/02/17)

Basu, Saurav, (2009) At: http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=781 (Accessed 17/02/17)

Scott, A. O. (2009) At http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/movies/25sita.html (Accessed 17/02/17)

Sharma, Sampada (2016) At: https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Why-do-Indian-movies-have-intervals-theory/#.s3oai8ph3 (Accessed 17/02/17)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Sita Sings The Blues Poster [image]. At: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PLI1WVPkpgY/maxresdefault.jpg (Accessed 17/02/17)

Fig 2. Sita crying [image]. At: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PLI1WVPkpgY/maxresdefault.jpg (Accessed 17/02/17)

Fig 3. Shadow Puppets [image]. At: http://sitasingstheblues.com/SitaEPressKit/BhavanaSitaContaminated.jpg (Accessed 17/02/17)

World Cinema - "Spirited Away" (2001) - A Review.

Fig 1.

One of the most well received - and until very recently, highest grossing Japanese anime feature film - "Spirited Away" (2001) dir. Hayao Miyazaki and created by Studio Ghibli is a coming of age tale concerning Chihiro, an 11 year old girl who is currently moving with her parents to a new home. In transit her father takes a wrong turn and they come upon a seemingly deserted fairground. Leaving her parents at a food stall and exploring the area further Chihiro meets Sen, who tells her to leave immediately before it gets dark. The ominous request sends Chihiro back to find her parents, who have now turned into pigs from eating the food left in front of them.

There is a certain amount of pedigree to consider when talking about the films of Studio Ghibli, and it is worth noting at their inherent and often inferred quality. Of "Spirited Away" in particular, Miyazaki confers that each frame was hand drawn, but what is perhaps most staggering is the attention to detail within those frames. Roger Ebert mentions that at times in the background of the bathhouse scenes he noticed that "watching from the windows and balconies of the bathhouse are many of its occupants. It would be easier to suggest them as vaguely moving presences, but Miyazaki takes care to include many figures we recognize. All of them are in motion. And it isn't the repetitive motion of much animation, in which the only idea is simply to show a figure moving. It is realistic, changing, detailed motion." (Ebert, 2012) and this generosity is only compounded further when considering the way in which Miyazaki effectively wrote the story, preferring at first to start with the storyboarding process first of all, and allowing the script writing process to erupt from that. 

Fig 2.

In terms of characterisation, this is where the film really shines, for it doesn't follow the traditional route of "apathetic child learns how to be good" as is so often the case in coming of age tales, instead the characterisation is much more grounded in reality, allowing Chihiro to come to terms with things in her own time. Critics have posited that Chihiro comes across as rather sullen, which is a disservice to her character and errs too closely to presuming that at the start of the film she's merely a typical spoilt child that needs to learn a lesson over the course of the film. The inspiration behind her character is perhaps most telling as to the aim a - then retired - Miyazaki had when setting out on this project. "Miyazaki said he'd decided to make it based on the ten-year-old daughter of friend, associate producer Seiji Okuda, who came to stay with him every summer. With this in mind, he made the movie for ten-year-old girls. This is exactly why it resonates so well with people of all ages and why Chihiro feels so real. How often can you say a film has been made for young girls, rather than money or mainstream audiences?" (Ewens, 2016) coupling this with the natural growth of the story out of the storyboarding process leads to an extremely naturalised feel over the film. Miyazaki cementing this viewpoint when asked in a Midnight Eye interview about that process. "It's not me who makes the film. The film makes itself, and I have no choice but to follow" (Miyazaki, 2002). 

Fig 3.

In terms of sheer ambition, "Spirited Away" can only be commended, for it not only allows itself to pose as an atypical example of a coming of age narrative, but also in the way that it distances itself from American animation. A scene that perhaps typifies this is when Chihiro's "parents eat so much they double or triple in size. They eat like pigs, and they become pigs. These aren't the parents of American animation, but parents who can do things that frighten a child." (Ebert, 2012) and it is in this way that the true flavor of this particular type of animation can be felt. Things are a bit more complex, a touch more naturalistic and grounded that say, something from Disney, which while entertaining, has a tendency to play it safe with it's characters. In fact, the very notion of Chihiro choosing to push to survive despite all the odds stacked against her and ultimately save her parents - who had spent most of the opening brushing off Chihiro's fears, and in general, not hearing her - is complex and mature, and in general the film doesn't patronise its audience. 

"There's a quote on Tumblr somewhere that says "Disney movies touch the heart, but Studio Ghibli films touch the soul." (Ewens, 2016)

Bibliography

Ebert, R. (2012). At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-spirited-away-2002 (Accessed on 31 January 2017)

Ewens, H. (2016) Why ’spirited away’ is the best animated film of all time. At: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/spirited-away-ghibli-miyazaki-15th-15-year-anniversary-best-animation-hannah-ewens (Accessed on 31 January 2017)

Midnight eye interview: Hayao Miyazaki. (2001). At: http://www.midnighteye.com/interviews/hayao-miyazaki/ (Accessed on 31 January 2017)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Spirited Away Poster. [image] At: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/4f/d0/0f/4fd00fcfc910fbf3a2f6f083cea103a1.jpg (Accessed on 31/01/2017)

Fig 2. Chihiro & Sen. [image] At: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_jGXcSBcvQQ/maxresdefault.jpg (Accessed on 31/01/2017)

Fig 3. Chihiro watches her parents eat. [image] At: https://vice-images.vice.com/images/content-images-crops/2016/07/19/spirited-away-ghibli-miyazaki-15th-15-year-anniversary-best-animation-hannah-ewens-body-image-1468944720-size_1000.jpg?output-quality=75 (Accessed on 31/01/2017)

World Cinema - "Mary and Max" (2009) - A Review

Fig 1. Poster

"Mary and Max" (2009) dir. Adam Elliot is an Australian stop-motion animated film centering on the developing relationship between hapless pen pals, Mary - a somewhat ostracized and lonely youth - and Max - an affected older man that suffers with Asperger's syndrome - Together, via somewhat secretive communique they find a form of solace as the two regale each other with tidbits of their day to day activities as well as 'tell all' accounts of their unique and particular neurosis and how it plays out in their lives. It is over the course of the film that their relationship is explored over the years, blossoming or otherwise, in what feels a completely natural account. In fact, this whole film has a naturalistic element to it, reminiscent of Aardman Animation's work on "Creature Comforts" (1989) - wherein recordings from people off the street were transposed into animation - leading to a very strong feeling that - despite the animated element - we're witnessing something that actually happened, an account.

Objectively this is a somewhat sad tale yet it is marked by a bittersweet ending, all-the-while managing to form an engaging and funny narrative over the course of the 1h34m run-time. There's an incongruity in tone here that other reviewers seem to have found issue with, Andrew Pulver, writing for The Guardian muses "the switches in tone are jolting, to say the least: at one moment, Mary is enthusing about her favourite TV show; the next, we are being treated to a lecture on the symptoms of Asperger's" (Pulver, 2010) but this is actually one of the strengths here. That patchiness in tone goes a long way in conveying the reality of the situation and further cementing and solidifying the films foundation in reality. Despite the cutesy aesthetic, there is no saccharine ending, and there is also no real doom filled ending, it's muddled, like life. Often conveying multiple emotions at the same time, and this is the main strength of "Mary and Max".

Fig 2.

Luke Buckmaster, also writing for The Guardian mentions Elliot's style as being "Sculpted with bulging eyes, wobbly lines and clumpy figures, Elliot's characters look haunted but cute, as if Ralph Steadman got his hands on the cast of Gumby. An analogue artist plying his trade in a digital era, Elliot's painstaking art – hands-on in a literal sense – is a rare treat for audiences accustomed to computer effects and CGI fakery." (Buckmaster, 2014) and indeed it is this 'hand-made' sheen that pervades the film that lends itself well to the nature of the story. "Like all Elliot’s work, it deftly mixes humour and pathos and imbues simple-looking surfaces with complex emotions." (Buckmaster, 2014) Typically the medium is one associated with children, but with the themes explored here, this is something that couldn't be further from the truth. "Mary and Max" explores complex themes and revels in it's use of animation techniques. It is by doing this that the film achieves something that couldn't be recreated in another medium, truly utilizing the medium to its advantages.

In terms of story, this is a tale that culminates as a bittersweet celebration of human connection, even between those that - on the surface - can't connect with people in their immediate surroundings. There are a great many themes at play here, and if the film had not been an animation it would have certainly been a hard task to generate as much comedy as Elliot has managed here by sticking with Stop-motion animation. It may have been an entirely dour affair had it not been for the somewhat 'cutesy' aesthetics on display, and in fact, the film would have suffered without it. There is a delicacy in the way these darker themes are handled, which some could consider perhaps a bit blasé if they wanted to take it as a negative. There's a "disarming way Elliot goes about depicting alcoholism, mental illness and other psychological maladies is a testament to the skillful way the film balances happiness and sadness, playfulness and profundity." (Buckmaster, 2014).  And it is precisely in doing this that Elliot manages to circumvent our defenses and subtly portray the tragedy, and the humor to these oft depicted as heavy concepts.

Fig 3. A Scared Max

Technical aspects are perhaps most impressive considering the apparent chaos the film was made in. Elliot himself comments that "We only had eight million Australian dollars, which is tiny, pathetic, almost tragic to spend compared to some of the other animated films out there. I feel like I wasn’t the director of the film, I was the ringmaster of the circus. There were days of anarchy and controlled chaos, and we didn’t even have the resources and the wonderful facilities that these other studios like Aardman and Laika." (Pond, 2009) Taking this into consideration, it is necessary to applaud what was achieved amidst that. The Cinematography is absolutely on point, creating an immersive and visually stimulating piece that belays the inherent lack of color in the world. Of course, everything being either a mundane grey or beige to reinforce characters worldviews totally makes sense, but it takes the compelling framing expressed here to really make the material sing.

In it's essence and execution, "Mary and Max" is a heartfelt and brave portrayal of loneliness, depression and in a much grander sense, the human condition. Adam Elliot has achieved a poignant and distinct tale that feels very real and heartfelt, despite it's aesthetics, which perhaps paradoxically, strengthen the emotional connection and subsequent impact that this story packs.

Bibliography

Buckmaster, L. (2014) ‘Mary and max: Rewatching classic Australian films’ In: The Guardian [online] At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/australia-culture-blog/2014/may/30/mary-and-max-rewatching-classic-australian-films (Accessed on 20 January 2017)

Pond, S. (2009) The weird brilliance of ‘Mary and max’. At: http://www.thewrap.com/weird-brilliance-mary-and-max-11544/ (Accessed on 20 January 2017)

Pulver, A. (2010) ‘Mary and max – review’ In: The Guardian [online] At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/21/mary-and-max-review (Accessed on 20 January 2017)

Illustrations

Fig 1. Poster [image] At: https://digitalnews.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mary-and-max-26769-hd-wallpapers.jpg [Accessed on 20/01/2017]

Fig 2. Mary and Max [image] At: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=blaze&oq=blaze&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.1191j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=dictionary+blase [Accessed on 20/01/2017]

Fig 3. A Scared Max [image] At: https://blog.animationstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Figure-1.png [Accessed on 20/01/2017]