Reviews
Tenchi Muyô! In Love (1996)
A movie that does it all.. And does it well.
A subplot had been lurking in the background of the complex plot of Tenchi Muyo for some time: What happened to Tenchi's mother? Intriguing lines would pop up from time to time, like Katsuhito saying of Tenchi: "He's the serious type, just like his mother." This first movie based on the series reveals the long-awaited story of Achika Masaki.
The art and animation is gorgeous. The soundtrack by Christopher Franke is quite distinctive and beautiful. It stands out from the all the generic soundtracks these days, and lives up to the quality of previous Tenchi Muyo soundtracks, if not the spirit.
Viewers unfamiliar to Tenchi or to anime in general may be confused by the mixing of genres. Much of the movie is romantic comedy, but it switches gears often and without warning to drama, action, slapstick, mystery, and occasionally horror.
There is a level of poignancy that only time travel stories can achieve. Two images that stand out to me are the falling snow (referencing Tenchi's memories) and cherry blossoms(symbolic of a short life).
Kaze no tani no Naushika (1984)
Nausicaa assaulted by translators; wounded but still standing
I love 'Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind', and have never had such mixed feelings as when I watched this movie, the distilled essence of bad translation.
It is a testament to the power of the movie that it emerges from the defilement of this dub as still a beautiful work - but, absurdly, better with the volume turned down. Even with her name changed and her dialogue twisted, Nausicaa's heart shines through.
Shinseiki Evangelion (1995)
A flawed but precious jewel
On the one hand, Evangelion has its flaws.. It is full of angst and pain beyond the level of melodrama, which makes it hard to watch sometimes. The characters contain more psychosis than personality. Much of the introspection strikes me as nothing more than the author talking to himself (though perhaps that is the case in all fiction, merely disguised better). Much of the series is just monster-of-the-week scenarios. And how many times does Ritsuko say "Impossible" or Maya say "It's not working"...
Yet despite its flaws, in the end I must count myself a fan of the show. Its compelling images and ideas remain with me, and its influence on anime is undeniable.
Mulan (1998)
It was okay, I guess
Although I have a strong dislike for DisneyCorp, I have to admit Mulan is, for the most part, watchable.
For the protagonist, we have a liberated 90's girl transplanted into ancient china. She cross-dresses to get into the military - nothing like transvestitism for cheap laughs - and of course, proves herself to everyone. The plot is forgettable. The jokes are predictable.
The animation is okay. I couldn't stifle a snicker when I saw Disney's much-hyped computer graphics effects.
But the soundtrack... Ugh! I laughed out loud in the theater when the music blatantly ripped off Pink Floyd.
Hotaru no haka (1988)
On the most tragic movie I've seen...
This is a movie that pulls no punches. It tells you right from the start that the characters are doomed. It takes you through their joys and despairs, their happy moments away from a society at war, the shameful lows when they are forced to steal to survive.
I say that anyone who would make any statement about what is or isn't possible in the medium of animation must first see this movie.
Shark: Rosso nell'oceano (1984)
more like a beer commercial than a movie
Muscular 'scientists', unpleasantly thin females in swimsuits, lots of beer drinking.. Yet it's too long to be a beer commercial. Oh, okay, there's some plot about a big shark-like monster that's killing people and stuff. But it's nothing you haven't seen before.
The Deadly Bees (1966)
a saucerful of apathy
Our heroine, a pop star bimbo, vacations on a bee ranch on a peaceful island. Soon, she is caught up in a game of intrigue between two bee farmers. One of them is a jerk, the other a creepy, odd man. Can you figure out which one is raising killer bees before the clumsy bimbo does? Can you believe the amount of property damage our heroine causes with her inept struggle for survival?
Angels' Brigade (1979)
A movie without redeeming value
Playing devil's advocate, I can think of good things to say about a lot of the worst movies of all time. I can't think of a single word to defend Angels Revenge. Unless it was intended to be the most revolting bit of cinema ever, it fails in every way.
Tenchi Muyô! Manatsu no Eve (1997)
A complex mixture of emotions
Mixture of dark and light is the theme; pain mixes with pleasure, hope with fear, love with hate, innocence with evil. The usually upbeat Tenchi series takes a turn into dark, forbidden areas with this movie. Supporting it is a perfectly matching soundtrack.
Manatsu no Eve only fails in its shortness. At an hour's length, it moves too fast and misses opportunities for deeper development. Much like the Tenchi Muyo series as a whole, it falls just short of its tremendous potential.
Macross Plus (1994)
A dazzling success on many levels
A captivating story of test pilots, a love triangle, and awesome music. The movie that asks, "What if HAL was a pop-music idol?" Fans of light shows, jetplane action, and animation must not miss this.
Akira (1988)
An intense experience
Akira's only fault is its complexity; there is almost no chance of understanding it in one viewing. Otherwise, it is a mind-boggling example of how well animation is suited to far-out science fiction, matched by a strange and powerful soundtrack.
Uchû Kaisokusen (1961)
Ouch.
Between the senseless plot, the terrible soundtrack, and the irritating dubbing, 'Invasion of the Neptune Men' is the most tortuous viewing experience I have had... And I'm an MST3K fan, so that's saying something.