Showing posts with label animation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animation. Show all posts

18 November 2012

Berserk: Egg Of The King On UK DVD And Blu-Ray (R2)

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If you where at last months Scotland's Love Anime in Glasgow and Edinburgh you would have seen this Anime, Berserk: Egg Of The King.A skilled swordsman who joins forces with a mercenary group named ‘The Band of the Hawk’, led by the charismatic Griffith, fights with them as they battle their way into the royal court. Manga Entertainment UK will be releasing this on DVD and Blu-ray on 24th December.

He trusts nothing but his own sword. He has no place to call home. The lone mercenary Guts travels a land ravaged by a hundred-year war. Moving from battlefield to battlefield, his skill and ferocity eventually attract the attention of Griffith, the leader of a group of mercenaries called The Band of the Hawk. Desiring Guts's power to help him achieve his goals, Griffith succeeds in recruiting the distrustful Guts by challenging him to a duel and defeating him.

As the Band of the Hawk fight together and their bond as a unit grows stronger, Griffith and Guts's bond deepens as well. With their continued success on the battlefield, Griffith achieves the first step toward his lofty goals: his band of mercenaries becomes recognized as a full-fledged army within the Midland Kingdom. Despite all their success, Guts begins to question his reasons for fighting for Griffith's dream, which, unbeknownst to Guts, is destined to bestow a monstrous fate on them both.

Pre-order your copy:Berserk - Film 1: Egg Of The King [DVD]/ Blu-ray + DVD Double Play / Collectors Edition Blu-ray

12 November 2012

My Neighbour Totoro Blu-Ray Review

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When you look at the history and worldwide reputation it's had over the years, it's hard to believe Studio Ghibli having a film open so badly in it's native Japan.Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro did suffer that poor opening but like a certain famous high street chain store ' this is no ordinary animation, this is a Studio Ghibli animation'. Like all good things, they mature as they get older, Totoro is that fine wine you will enjoy second time around that's of course you didn't enjoy it the first time around as it has a kind of magic very few filmmakers can achieve.

My Neighbour Totoro is a charming tale about 10 year old Satsuki and her inquisitive younger sister Mei (voiced by real life actress sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning) who move to a new home with their father into the country to be closer to their mother who is in hospital nearby. Far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, the sisters discover a mysterious place of spirits and magic and the friendship of the big fluffy woodland creature Totoro. This is a family suffused in the joys of country living with an elegy of two fading miracles: the fairytale world of childhood and the disappearing countryside.

My Neighbour Totoro is a beautifully constructed film. Unlike many of the other Studio Ghibli films, Totoro is not set in any war feuding countries or has villains hell bent in destroying the environment or the natural beauty of the location. The film is totally grounded in the real the world  with a story that is told from a child's point of view, enticing the children to be imaginative and creative essentially enjoy childhood. The simplicity of the story helps the film flow naturally  helping the children be characteristically children even if they are of the animated, this is something Disney have forgotten about recently and surround them with unnatural fantasy surroundings.

The film does have one typical Ghibli trait, fantasy and a giant mythical spirit, the Totoro who is like the (giant) imaginary friend children sometimes have  hence why the girls do not fear as to them he's like that first cuddly toy a child gets. Totoro isn't actually on the screen too much but enough to become the face of the studio like the way Mickey Mouse does it for Disney. Every Studio Ghibli film his logo is seen at the start of the film and no matter where you are in the world when you see the Totoro you know what your getting and he's become that recognizable he even got a cameo in the last Toy Story film!

The girls parents nor many adults actually have much screen time either but this doesn't mean to say they are not well developed characters either. We do see the girl's mother(Lea Salonga) a few time but thanks to letters written by Satsuki we do cover some of the ground but not the reason why she's in hospital as this isn't important as this is all from a child's view on life, they know your ill but telling them what is wrong they would be lost forever. Their father (Tim Daly) is so busy working  even at home, to make ends meet it's also a reminder of how tranquil and safe the countryside was in the 1950's (the era the film is set) and the trust they had for neighbours like Nanny (Pat Carroll) who was like a surrogate parent to the girls.

I'm a newbie when it comes to blu-ray, so out of the films I already own or watched via the format, My Neighbour Totoro is the first film I can say I've experienced the true power of the format. The bu-ray transfer has been nothing but fantastic,the picture is clear, crisp, colours so vibrant the hand drawn style animation really shines through giving the feel a organic natural feel. The best scene to show blu-ray's power is the bus stop scene when the Totoro joins at the stop you see the improved lighting, sounds crisp and the we meet the Cheshire Cat bus which is like something straight out of Alice In Wonderland, the scene also delivers some depth and atmosphere to the film.

When you talk about films be them live action or animated in the status of been categorized as classic, legendary even cult My Neighbour Totoro is all 3 categories.The quality of Totoro (and Studio Ghibli) is nothing but sublime, as what we get could easily be regarded as one of if not the studios finest film. To highlight the sheer brilliance of the film it was one of the very few animated films (highest entry) to make the recent BFI poll of 250 greatest films ever made, a testament to how highly regarded the film is with fans and critics,Miyazaki actually has the privilage of 2 films as Spirited Away is also in the list too. Scorsese, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Tarkvosky, and Miyazaki habe all got one thing in common they are all master storytellers, My Neighbour Totoro is a perfect example of why animation is not just for kids just lovers of film in all its beautiful forms
.

Paul Devine

★★★★★

Rating:U
UK BD Release Date: 12th November 2012
Directed By:Hayao Miyazaki
Cast:Pat CarrollTim DalyDakota FanningElle Fanning,
Buy My Neighbour Totoro: Blu-ray (+ DVD) [1988]

7 July 2012

Watch Trailers For Filipino Fantasy SAVING SALLY

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Over the years there's been a number of films that have combined live action with animation like Mary Poppins, Who framed Roger Rabbit  Quietearth have spotted this awesome live action-animation SAVING SALLY. Been described as a love story involving boy, girl and lots of monsters and in this there's lots of monsters. The romantic comedy (yes romcom but there's no Katherine Heigl in this!) has been in the works for years working on a blue screen using real actors combining it with 2d animations and yes it may not look in a style or some would argue same quality as those but here at Cinehouse we love what we see from this film. 3 trailer below so do enjoy!

Saving Sally Trailer #2 from Avid Liongoren on Vimeo.

Saving Sally Trailer # 1 from Avid Liongoren on Vimeo.

20 June 2011

First trailer for Luc Besson Produced Animation MONSTER IN PARIS

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He's the man who brought French action movies to a wider audience, gave Bruce Willis his first sci-fi flick and brought prehistoric birds to 20th century Paris, Luc Besson and now he's trying his hands at 3D Animation. Besson is the producer of MONSTER IN PARIS (Monstre A Paris), his next step towards creating more  family based movies but dont despair action movie fans, he's only diversing his palette action movies wont be forgotten! The movie is directed by Bibo  Bergeron (Shark's Tale) and for a French based movie it does boast a international cast which includes Danny Huston, Cahterine O'Hara, Vanessa Paradis, Adam Goldberg, Bob Balaban and Sean Lennon.

The movie is due out in France October 19th and with the international cast behind it dont be surprised if the movie does get some cinematic time in UK&Ireland probably early 2012.

Paris, 1910. Panic sweeps the city. Floodwaters are rising and a monster is on the loose! Formidable Commissioner Maynott and his men hunt it down day and night. With no luck. It could be that in the limelight at The Rare Bird, a Montmartre cabaret where feisty Lucille is the star attraction, isn't a bad place to hide at all! 


sourceTwitch