Tag: film

An Overlay :: Three Days of the Condor Bebop

Posted by Ryan A - June 3, 08

Sydney Pollack, pass away last week; quite sad :/. To tribute him, TCM has spent a large block airing his films. Last night, I caught 3 Days of the Condor [reflection], which was a decent film. Aside from the quality of conspiracy, it debuted in 1975, but the looming atmosphere held was something that quite reminded me of my experience with Cowboy Bebop.

I am not stating any influence, but the particular scene, where Turner and Hale parse each other is worthy of comparison to that of Spike and Julia. Perhaps many will never experience the film, so I shan’t go into it, but three notes: music, lighting, situation.

The error of this comparison is that of the heroine. Julia was much more involved in the overall thick of Bebop, than Kathy Hale (Dunaway). Still, Turner and Spike have decent character similarities, and Spike was always an interesting one to eye.

Ryan A

Note: Public library FTW, they had the film, and somehow I found the ADV release of Kanon there as well. OCLS is something.

Experience :: Megane

Posted by Ryan A - April 30, 08

Today’s experience post comes from a 2007 film, Megane. There wasn’t much particular about how I ran into the film, only a link I followed from Google, etc. Of course, the term megane (眼鏡) has extravagant connotation in anime, but the film is unrelated. The only I relation I could find to “glasses” was that each main character wore them. So…

Morning Exercises

Truthfully, and though it may be a just so-so film, I found it a delight for my current circumstance (recent freedoms), but I greatly believe this film is not for everyone, or one in any given moment, it just isn’t. The film is especially slow, subtle and predominately slice-of-life. Imagine H+C without any romantic threads and much less apparent comedy (via Morita).

Megane held countless “silent” scenes, a fair amount of beer drinking, hunger-inducing foods, and other “goodies” for those who enjoy subtle-ordinary things, and it did have moments of humor in the characters, but it wasn’t comedy. It was just what I needed to start my break, a let go, a release. Yet, stepping out of a busy lifestyle, experiencing the film, and then back into the rush of things doesn’t do it justice… the atmosphere needs to be felt. And the setting/atmosphere is precisely why I related, minus it being in Japan; the setting was quite familiar to Florida (open house, small community, nature, beach, ocean… it’s like a mirror). [reflection @ melative]

Here is a clip from the film, where there is some mandolin music. It sounds like that meditation music, which is about the vibe of the film.
Mandolins

I won’t touch on the whole issue of “Twilighting” (stems from たそがれ, but I didn’t know what the suffix was), rather why is this atmosphere so hard to find in anime? The beach and an open “beach” house, where are they?

Answers, I want

I know what many would say, “most series have beach episodes” and that is great for Fumoffu!, TTGL, Lucky Star, and other big titles, but it isn’t the setting. And I don’t mean seaside towns like in Umisho or Asatte no Houko. I mean the beach, as in the setting of Weekend at Bernie’s (bad example D:). Does Macross Zero come close? Mmm, I guess, but penis sticks wasn’t really what I had in mind (excuse me).

beach

Finding this open, do little, enjoy big, relax, don’t rush aura in anime will be tough… or it could just Aria compensating for these by its little self. I am opening up cases for slice-of-life variants, but finding little resolve in anime…. I will continue without rushing.

Ryan A

note: for anyone interested, I am not sure of the availability in US (no Netflix), but its probably available somewhere on DVD. There was a torrent, and mkv, but the subtitles were not nice. I demuxed and repackaged as .ass subs for clear fonts.

Experience :: Twilight Seibei

Posted by Ryan A - April 23, 08

So this is Wednesday, I should be studying for my final in 5 horus. ANYWAY!

Experiences are the things we take with us in time. Media gives us experiences we may never encounter in our normal lives, and this is a good thing. Wednesday is experience day. Last week, I shared an experience in my post, Real Girls. Though it was not an anime or manga experience, I did see a relation in the midst, and that is what I want to do here. Take experiences (media or real) and see why I relate/d them to anime/manga. I don’t intend to just make things up, like it could be related this way. Rather… well you’ll see.

Short History

I began my fandom of anime and manga somewhere in 2002. Though I enjoyed the well known titles that had floated around the US (Akira, GiTS), I never took to the media, nor did I even know these things were peculiar (their own form of media); unaware, even to DBZ or anything on Cartoon Network, for six years. It just wasn’t in my world.

One way or another, Rurouni Kenshin, tha manga, caught my eye, a terrific story. Things began to roll, but for my immediate purpose, RK introduced me to the Meiji era, and also bits of curious and intriguing Japanese culture. Soon after RK, I ran into this film Twilight Seibei (たそがれ清兵衛, 2002), which was quite the contrary to RK in terms of mood, but very much related in substance; life during the Meiji.

Cover

Reflecting on the film, I was drawn into the era by the subtle display of “ordinary life.” There is a slight plotline, good conflict, great atmosphere, but I would classify it as slice-of-life more than anything. At the time, I never asked myself, what is slice-of-life, as I was unaware of such things, though it makes me wonder if I would see the film in different light. For my own reasons, I will say it would yield the same effect, but a rewatch over the Summer would be nice.

Yes, I enjoyed this film, and all it’s subtleties, but I was hoping for more action on my original intake; I was shounen lol. In my current state, the film has greater meaning, and does not need more than the two fight scenes contained. Seibei, the main character, is portrayed graciously, and though he is is nearly powerless in society, he is strong in life, and not soley for his wicked kodachi skils (slightly featured). He has respect for life, and things, he is a good father, but he is a normal man. He does not try to shine bright, but is brilliant all the same (ch24s2^^).

Manga has extensive variety, but sadly, it is hard to find these sort of main characters in the media. Unspecial and sincere, where are they? Would they be worth portraying, and/or could they even be portrayed without slice-of-life? If we look deep into an ordinary life, does still seem that ordinary?

Ryan A *pondering answers*

Note: Is it me, or are samurai tales are going out of fashion? Gothic appeal is up, samurai appeal is down. I wonder what Raimei would think…

Real Girls

Posted by Ryan A - April 16, 08

Lars and Bianca

Yesterday, I spent the evening watching a movie with a couple family members. Lars and the Real Girl (imdb), reminded me [in premise] much of the debated escapist reality which general viewers, otaku, hikikomori, and NEET create in stimulation to mixing anime, manga, and life.

We have a presumed adult male who has a delusion about Bianca, a “Real Doll”. This entirely rang “Japan”, since we have all seen these love toys abundant on Mr. Choo’s and other sites. Unfortunately or not, the plot line soon sharply turns from any assumed building which had been taken place. Lars, though seemingly a hikikomori (but lacking the Japanese interest), is not, and his delusion about Bianca, is far from the notions one might get of another purchasing such a doll (pleasurezorz).

The film yields awkward, funny, and compelling moments, but it really makes these issues of escapist reality among anime fans seem quite feeble. It is an interesting watch that many could relate to, but not necessarily identify with, and I do recommend a viewing if one has the time and chance, as it is not entirely unrelated to the world of anime and manga.

Ryan A

In a related note, Ryan Gosling, the main actor, has appeared in also in The Notebook and Half Nelson. I recommend both, especial for HN’s slice-of-life appeal, and The Notebook’s heartwarming story.