Review of Ninja Scroll (1993) by Reginald R — 08 Jun 2010

[font=Arial][color=white][font=Arial]And here we go with the first round up. Seeing as how I hate reviewing movies that I've previously seen, due to the fact that I can never remember everything or my perception may be skewed in some stupid way, I am going to be doing one of these Roundup thingys aver week or so that only give a short impression on several films that have something in common. So sit back relax and...ah who am I kidding. No one's reading this stuff anyways. Ah well.[/font][/color].

[color=white][i][u][font=Arial]Metropolis [/font][/u][/i][font=Arial](2002) - And I do stress the 2002. This is not the age old film about that creepy gold robot (which I have to see, by the way) but instead the film adaptation to the popular manga series by the same name. [i]Metropolis [/i]is hard to watch because the entire thing reeks of American influence, despite being created, produced and filmed entirely in Japan. The film follows a very cliché storyline somewhat reminiscent of the short [i]Animatrix[/i] film [i]The Second Renaissance[/i] in that robots, while a large part of society, are not treated as equals and are prosecuted brutally for anything they do remotely wrong. [i]Metropolis[/i] focuses on the trials of one girl, who is unaware that she is, in fact, a robot created from the DNA of a very powerful man's daughter. Sounds weird? It is. The big thing that drew me into [i]Metropolis[/i] was the CGI effects and music. While the characters and most scenes are drawn in the traditional Japanese style, the buildings and sweeping views of the city are rendered on computers. While not the most realistic, the cartoonish/realistic look of the buildings adds another breathtaking layer of depth to the already superb animation. Also, the music throughout the entire film is culled from Southern United States, New Orleans-esque music that is highly upbeat and is quite an odd choice (that works for some reason) for a futuristic mega-city depicted in the film. All in all, [i]Metroplis [/i]is a very strange movie that looks and sounds incredible. See it for the ambience, not for the story. [/font][/color].

[color=white][i][u][font=Arial]Ninja Scroll[/font][/u][/i][font=Arial] (1994) - I saw this one because of the name. I love ninjas. Ninjas are probably one of the coolest things around. Its a shame that there really haven't been any good films about Ninjas ([i]The Last Samurai[/i] probably has the best Ninjas) so I jumped at an anime based around any thing relating to the Ninja. And it turned out to be fairly decent. The story is basically about a lone Ninja for-hire who ends up being tricked into the service of an old man. He then proceeds to slice and dice his way through the most renowned assassins in the land in a very gory manner. The animation is surprisingly solid for an older film and the action is paced well enough so we can see what?s going on at all times. My only complaint would also be my warning. This movie is not for the young ones. Aside from a few bits of nudity and adult subject matter (all in animation, of course) the film is overly violent and very splatter-tastic. Recalling some of the scenes sends shivers up my spine. But, overall its a good Ninja filled movie with a slightly corny storyline but tremendously fun action.[/font][/color].

[color=white][i][u][font=Arial]Princess Mononoke[/font][/u][/i][font=Arial] (1999) - Technically my first foray into the world of anime, [i]Princess Mononoke[/i] was a triumph on both sides of the Atlantic and remains one of the best films I have ever seen. The struggle between nature and industry throughout is still quite relevant, especially in today?s world of big business. Hayao Miyazaki, the genius behind the Studio Ghibli films, delivers a very powerful film full of artistic grace and spirit that you have to see many times to fully appreciate. And even though I haven't seen the film in a while, I know that it stands out as one of the best animated films of all time, which actually leads well into...[/font][/color].

[color=white][i][u][font=Arial]Spirited Away[/font][/u][/i][font=Arial] (2002) - The best animated film of all time, hails again from the studio of Hayao Miyazaki. There are hardly any words fit to describe the astounding achievement that is [i]Spirited Away[/i]. The first time I witnessed it, I was stunned by the incredible visuals that graced my vision. The second time I saw it I just shut my eyes and let the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack wash over me. This is a rare film that combines a raw passion for life and the pursuit of happiness, and adds the human spirit that is usually lacking from run-of-the-mill animated films. The story centers around a small girl who is somehow transported into somewhat of an alternate Universe and ends up working in a bathhouse that caters to all the different spirits of the world. A strange concept for sure, but one that gives the filmmakers the ability to explore different concepts about the world around them (Miyazaki said that several of the spirits were inspired by everyday life around him) I'm sure that if you have already seen this amazing film you already know what I'm talking about. And if for some reason you haven't yet experienced it, you must. For that is what it truly is. An experience. [/font][/color].

[font=Arial][color=white]And that?s it for this round of...er...round-up. I still have many anime films to see including [i]Akira, Ghost in the Shell [/i]and [i]Castle in the Sky[/i] so I'll be sure to get those ones up as soon as I see them. As for next week...who knows. I may just have to vary it a bit. We'll see.[/color][/font].

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