Tekkonkinkreet [2006] – ★★★★1/2 🛒Grim realism collides with childhood innocence in a striking, kaleidoscopic artwork. Based on a manga Tekkon kinkurito (1993) by Taiyo Matsumoto, Treasure Town is a well-made animation about two orphaned boys: street-wise and brave Kuro (Black), and lovable and innocent Shiro (White). Street-raised “Yin and Yang” of the cruel world around…
Tag: Anime
“Millennium Actress” Review: Transcendental & Beautiful
Millennium Actress [2001] – ★★★★1/2 A cinematic journey to stardom and to finding answers as to the identity, history and inexplicability of love, while “playing” with time, and fusing reality and make-believe. “All the world’s a stage, [and] all the men and women [are] merely players”, famously stated William Shakespeare. It appears that this quote…
“Big Fish & Begonia” Review: Other-Worldly & Beautiful, even if a tad Confusing
Big Fish & Begonia [2016] – ★★★★1/2 Often perplexing, but still uncanny, almost mystical and visually-stunning cinematic experience. This fantastical tale is about Chun, a girl who is a member of a tribe of mythical beings (“neither humans nor gods, but others”) living underwater, capable of controlling tides and knowing the secrets of nature. As…
“Tokyo Godfathers” Review: Socially Astute & Uplifting
👶 A fun and heart-warming Christmas tale about homeless “misfits” that sheds light on many of Japan’s social problems, including alcoholism, poverty and discrimination.
“Miss Hokusai” Review: Idiosyncratic, Poetic & Inspiring
Miss Hokusai [2015] – ★★★1/2 🎨A gentle anime-biography, unveiling the character of Katsushika Ōi and the mysteries of art-making. Based on a manga series by Hinako Sugiura, Miss Hokusai is a Japanese animation about the daughter of the famous real-life Japanese painter Hokusai. Her name was Katsushika Ōi. A great artist herself, Ōi helped her…
Studio Ghibli: “Only Yesterday” & “Kiki’s Delivery Service”
Only Yesterday is a beautifully-drawn animation, a masterful portrayal of childhood longing and nostalgia for the past.
Makoto Shinkai: “Your Name” & “5 Centimetres per Second”
Your Name [2016] – ★★★★★ 📆 An emotionally intense, unforgettable viewing experience, filled with “coming-of-age” fun and spiritual longings. Showcasing Makoto Shinkai’s talent for presenting emotional connections, fully-fledged characters and breathtakingly beautiful, detailed animation, Your Name is a romantic story of an accidental body-swap between country girl Mitsuha and city boy Taki, who, in reality,…
Spotlight on Film 