R.I.P. Satoshi Kon

One of my favorite directors has died. Satoshi Kon was the creator of the incredible visionary anime films Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, and the series Paranoia Agent. All of which are required viewing for fans of animation or Asian film and television.

Most of his work deals with a blurring of dreams and reality. His movies capture the nature of dreams in amazing and visceral ways, at a level Christopher Nolan's Inception never comes close to.

Tokyo Godfathers is the one exception to this theme. It is the story of three homeless people on the streets of Tokyo who discover an abandoned baby, and their adventure to find the baby's parents. It's basically a heartwarming Christmas miracle story, turned on its head.

Satoshi Kon marries whimsy with the darker aspects of life and human nature in a way I don't think I've seen anywhere else. At least not to such an extent. But his movies also tend to suggest that no matter how bad things might get, the human heart can persevere.

[via A.V. Club]

Ponyo

I was disappointed to see that Ponyo (or Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea, to use its full translated Japanese title) was playing at the large Pinnacle theater as opposed to Downtown West like all the previous Miyazaki releases. If it had been released at Downtown West there might have been a good chance of seeing it in Japanese with subtitles. Showing on one screen at the biggest theater in town pretty much guarantees a dubbed release. But it seems unlikely that Disney even released a subtitled version in theaters, and that was probably a smart decision. Outside of the ardent anime fans (and Miyazaki fans in particular), the audience for this movie is really young. More Totoro, less Mononoke.

But I'm a fan of all Miyazaki's work. Even - if not especially - movies like Kiki's Delivery Service, which features no greater conflict than a young girl trying to regain her confidence. But under Miyazaki's masterful direction movies like this absolutely brim with charm and beauty, and even a sense of serenity. When's the last time a movie simply made you feel content? Miyazaki handles tenderness and youthful wonder with such a sure and honest hand that it never gets bogged down in false sentimentality or schmaltz.

So, even with the dub (and it's really not a bad dub) it is a fantastic movie. The story of a young sea creature that wants to become a human is obviously inspired by The Little Mermaid, but it is grounded in a unique world. It's a fairly loose adaptation, filled with all the incredible detail Miyazaki is known for.

The only real action scene takes place about halfway into the movie. The rest is saved for great character moments, adventure, and a pleasant story that takes its time to unfold. Even when the entire world is in peril you never get the sense that anyone is too worried about it. The characters in Miyazaki's lighter films prefer to take things in stride, and that's something I can get behind. It's nice to spend time in a world where even evil isn't entirely committed to getting its way all the time.

Something To Look Forward To

Here are some movies that I eagerly anticipate:

1. Cowboy Bebop

I'm not convinced this one will make it to production, but I could be wrong. Like Watchmen I'm torn about whether this movie should be made at all. Bebop is my favorite anime series, one of my favorite series period. I'll be unable to watch this without an extra critical eye. And unless Yoko Kanno is composing the score I'll dismiss this one outright.

2. The Goon

If you haven't read the comic series The Goon then you are severely missing out. Eric Powell's art and writing are among the best around (and he's from just south of here, bless him). Some of the absurd irreverent humor is reminiscent of Sam & Max, but that's only a small part of what makes the comic great. Among the giant zombie apes and salty, fish-headed seamen and emo vampires, is a story that is filled with geniune pathos. Goon is basically what I wish Hellboy was.
The movie, which Holly alerted me to, is being handled by David Fincher as a CGI animated film. I think that's the best way to go, because Powell's artwork is so damn good. And Fincher is a big enough director to make this movie huge.

3. Burn After Reading

Saw a slightly different version of this trailer in front of The Dark Knight. Let's hope this one is more Lebowski and less Cruelty. But following No Country isn't going to be easy. It's great to see Sledgehammer getting work, though.