Spirited Away

... is showing in theaters as a special event for the next couple days: https://www.fathomevents.com/events/Spirited-Away

Thanks for the heads up!

That's pretty awesome. I wish I could see that one in the theaters.

Tickets were all sold out yesterday when I went there. Except for the seats for people accompanying handicapped, and I wasn't about to be That Guy.

Got tickets for Wednesday, and wife got someone to cover her for On Call. 

She has NOT SEEN SPIRITED AWAY BEFORE!!! So I'm excited to share this with her.

In reply to Beer Baron :

Well, that will help her understand when you dress up as No Face next year for Halloween, won't it? 

I've never understand the fascination with Miyazaki films. My ex made me watch every one of them and I've always been underwhelmed.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

I'm sorry your life is empty of joy.

In reply to Beer Baron :

I imagine the fact an ex is involved might have something to do with it.

You need Porco Rosso. Way more of a motorhead kind of Ghibli film.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

Hey, everyone likes different things. I can't get into Star Wars. I've been recently rewatching them, but it's been tough. Even if a movie is mega popular, sometimes, a movie (or any story for that matter) just doesn't click with someone. That's okay. Variety is the spice of life.

Wont be able to catch it, but there are listings for the new(?) Evangelion film. Might see that.

In reply to Beer Baron :

I'm sorry these are the best films you've found.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

I'm sorry that's the funniest retort you could manage.

This is exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about. Everyone loves these movies except me and when I say "i don't get it." instead of people saying its because X Y Z I get some sort of smoothbrain response like "you have no joy in your life"

Super strong argument there bud. No notes.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

My son has tatoos from Miyazaki films. His college classmates love them. Not sure how he'll feel in 10 years.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

Geez dude. I figured you were just being curmudgeonly, and my impression was that you were just out to Yuck other people's Yum, not asking for explanation of why we loved them. So I responded with what I figured was an obvious joke.

Why I like them:

First, the art is gorgeous. I like animation, and especially hand drawn animation. This is among the best out there. The animation style has a texture and energy to it that you just don't see in CG movies.

All of his movies have a certain lightness and wonder to them. They are very clearly crafted with love.

Tonally... most of his work does a similar thing for me as Terry Pratchett. It is light and easily digested - especially the young-adult focused works like 'Spirited Away' - but not empty calories. You can sit back and let everything wash over you, time passes quickly, you feel lightened and good, but you haven't just shut your brain off watching garbage.

It is an epitome of my mantra about the best art "Rewarding attention, but not demanding it."

Also like Pratchett, Miyazaki is really an observer of people, who truly understands and cares about them, warts and all. His heroes are all flawed, and his antagonists have real motivations.

His films explore a lot of themes and morals. They definitely come down on certain sides about certain issues (e.g. Miyazaki is very environmentalist and anti-war; he is Japanese and born in 1941...) but he *explores* these themes, rather than getting overly preachy. He understands and has sympathy for his antagonist characters.

It's a wonderful chance to enjoy something delightful and hopeful. They are genuine and not cynical. They remind us to look at the world with wonder and caring. They show that these things are not stupid or foolish.

When so much of what is being fed to us is dark, cynical, and depressing, or made by heartless corporate studios shoveling out dreck because they think you're an idiot and just want your money - Miyazaki's films are an antidote to that.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

You never asked for an explanation to help you "get it." You walked into a model railroad club meeting and announced that "I never understood why grown men play with toy trains, " and then are surprised by the less than pleasant responses.

Miyazaki films are like someone took their time to make the best hot chocolate in the world. Took real ground cocoa, mixed it with fresh milk, real sugar, and a vanilla pod, and slowly heated everything to *just* the right temperature. Poured it into a hand glazed mug and topped it all with real whipped cream that they then grate a dusting of nutmeg on top.

Then someone comes in and wonders why the heck you'd like this kiddy drink instead of something good, while they slam back cask-proof whiskey.

I have seen lots of his films and Lupta, kikis, Pocco rosso are some of my fav movies. I got to see princess monokie when it first came out in the 90s at Pipers Alley in Chicago with a group of freinds. IT was very cool though.

Beer Baron said:

 

First, the art is gorgeous. I like animation, and especially hand drawn animation. This is among the best out there. The animation style has a texture and energy to it that you just don't see in CG movies.

All of his movies have a certain lightness and wonder to them. They are very clearly crafted with love.

Tonally... most of his work does a similar thing for me as Terry Pratchett. It is light and easily digested - especially the young-adult focused works like 'Spirited Away' - but not empty calories. You can sit back and let everything wash over you, time passes quickly, you feel lightened and good, but you haven't just shut your brain off watching garbage.

It is an epitome of my mantra about the best art "Rewarding attention, but not demanding it."

Also like Pratchett, Miyazaki is really an observer of people, who truly understands and cares about them, warts and all. His heroes are all flawed, and his antagonists have real motivations.

His films explore a lot of themes and morals. They definitely come down on certain sides about certain issues (e.g. Miyazaki is very environmentalist and anti-war; he is Japanese and born in 1941...) but he *explores* these themes, rather than getting overly preachy. He understands and has sympathy for his antagonist characters.

It's a wonderful chance to enjoy something delightful and hopeful. They are genuine and not cynical. They remind us to look at the world with wonder and caring. They show that these things are not stupid or foolish.

When so much of what is being fed to us is dark, cynical, and depressing, or made by heartless corporate studios shoveling out dreck because they think you're an idiot and just want your money - Miyazaki's films are an antidote to that.

^^ Worth posting twice. And it's totally OK not to like stuff. I don't like superhero movies and don't find supermodels attractive. But if you post just to piss on someone's parade you are exhibiting douche behavior.

'Spirited Away' got discussed in a YouTube channel that I watch semi-regularly.

Interestingly, they bring up a major point of why I think people love Miyazaki films, and others don't get them. Namely, that they're kind of bonkers. They don't follow completely logical ideas. They are very dreamlike and sort of follow "dream logic". They are almost surrealistic, but not in a "David Lynch" art film sort of way. They connect more emotionally than logically.

To me, this is a strength of their narrative and part of their appeal. I like that emotional nature of them. I like how much they reflect the watcher and what you bring to the experience.