Movielog book

So, strange circumstances aside, we started the movie. There's no mention of the title character for the first twenty minutes, which was strange, but not annoying. Having watched Spirited Away first, I did find the quality of the art a little lacking at first, especially the really corny way death and injury are shown, but these aren't at all distracting and are a little endearing, in a way. The art improves as the movie goes along, too.

Later, as the conflicts become grander and grander, I got the feeling that had this been written as a novel thirty years ago, schools would have children read it as a classic--there's so much symbolism there if you want to see it.

The forest spirit sequences are some of the best. American movies could learn a lot from Japan: the use of silence (when the forest spirit walks on water, etc.) and the use of the voice as an instrument (the strange vocal during the climax, placed low in the mix practically set the mood alone.). Up uses silence (of the characters) beautifully in the time passing scene, but this is a slightly different idea.

I mentioned not liking the art at the beginning, but the dream-time-esque Night Stalker and the demon-fire (which I hated at the beginning) were really well done; it was cool to notice characters from Mononoke who have analogues with characters from Spirited Away.

All in all, I liked it, enough that I thought I'd share my little musings with you.

Last night I saw an incredible movie that I recommend wholeheartedly. It is Invictus. It captures the essence of what makes Nelson Mandela so remarkable as a leader and offers insight into the key elements of transformation and reform.

Mandela's most powerful tool was forgiveness and rather than seeking to right a wrong through disenfranchising those who had oppressed him, he honored what they cherished most and used it as a focal point for creating unity. Mandela realized that for all the immense problems the country faced, none would be resolved successfully until the hearts of people were transformed and joined.

I am inserting the poem Invictus that shored up his spirit during his 30 years in prison.

"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced or cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

Willian Ernest Henley

This afternoon, I watched the movie Avatar in 3D. It cost 50% more to see it in 3D, but it's totally worth it.

In Avatar, a native population lives in harmony and connectedness with all of Nature. Then humans come along and start blowing things up in a "pre-emptive strike". This is another recent movie, along with District 9, that shows just how insane humans can be.

Avatar is also visually amazing... It illustrates visually how an entire planet can be seen as a living organism of vast intelligence. Add to that eye-opener a few strong resonances with the Matrix, and I pronounce this a good movie for awakening the heart and opening the mind.

Oh, and the plot's pretty good too. For more information on Avatar, here's the Wikipedia page.