Princess Mononoke
|
List Price: Our Price: $12.00 You Save: $10.99 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $10.00 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Princess Mononoke
Movie Review: Disney, Give Matsuda a Little Room on That Pedestal!
Summary: 5 Stars
As an old-school anime fan I was at first put off by the obvious American influence in this movie, especially in the dubbed version. I was very sad at the thought of such a classic cult phenomenon as Anime' being mainstreamed; the same feeling I had gotten when I saw that, after twenty years, George Lucas had finally digitized Yoda. I was sure I was about to watch the death of something unique that had been swallowed into the mass media forever, and I prepared to greive and gripe nonstop. That feeling lasted about thirty seconds.
I have sinced watched Princess Mononoke about fifteen times, and each time it gets better and better. Old-school fans, take heart - it's not the gut-twisting violence of Akira or the tongue-in-cheek comedy of Dirty Pair, but Mononoke offers superb, smooth-flowing animation of exquisite detail and texture. All the quality one could ever expect from today's high-tech animation is readily visible, but you won't see CG anywhere.
The story details and violence might be a bit much for the little kids, but adults will love it. Simplistic themes of man-against-man and man-against-nature tangle intimately with underlying tones of mystery, community, love, despair, and ultimate sacrifice. This is a complex movie; it lacks the rough edges so common in line-drawn animation. Neither is it a bland, commercial delivery mass-produced for inspection. It is ART. It is PASSION. It sits in the mind and heart like a well-shaped stone in a Zen garden, awaiting contemplation without distressing the stomach.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who has an interest in animation (Japanese or American - Disney fans, beware the quality coming at you, it might unseat you!) or to families with children old enough to grasp the concept of a small struggle inside a larger one, inside a massive one. My seven-year-old will be seeing it shortly - with me. AGAIN. Aw, heck - I recommend it to ANYONE who enjoys a good story and likes to watch good movies. Just make sure you have a lot of time on your hands; you're going to watch this disc often.
Movie Review: Pure story-telling brilliance
Summary: 5 Stars
The mind is boggled, words fail and there aren't enough stars to commend this film. Everything about it - characters, story, animation - makes it one of the greatest movie experiences of all time, animation or not. Just pipping the 2 hour mark, the plot draws on Japanese mythology which, although it may mean more to people more familiar with the culture, can be understood on a fairly universal basis - I won't bore you with details since it's done above. There's no ecological preaching, no clearly-defined good and evil, just a battle between the forces of progress and nature itself, and the bravery of a young stranger who would try to unite them both while fighting for his own life. Perfect acting and amazing animation only strengthens an already powerful experience, plus the DVD quality was quite excellent. Just one point to mention - this movie seems to have set itself up for a sequel, even a series, where the origins of the two young heroes and their continuing relationship are revealed. Finally, I am fairly new to the works of Studio Ghibli (I may have seen some of their other stuff aeons ago but nothing's available here in the UK - WHY?), yet I can quite confidently say that their animation is the greatest of anime and at least the match of Disney's best efforts. They are not the Japanese Disney though; their smaller number of creations are infinitely more diverse and full of the magic the best of Disney contains but a spark of(that spark seems to have died out since the classic Lion King). Weary of flat Hollywood efforts, bored of slushy romances and endless films about Brit drug culture? Well I'm confident there's any number of countries can produce better films than the US of A, but why not start here? Japan may have given us guys in rubber dinosaur suits but it's also given us classics for all time, such as the great Tombstone for Fireflies and now Princess Mononoke. I can't speak for everyone, but my expectations were sure as heck exceeded! (Oh by the way, this film is not the "Star Wars" of animated features - who came up with that one?)Movie Review: This is TRUE anime
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I have to say that I am not a big fan of anime, both movies and TV series. Most of them are incredibly over-the-top, some are just plain strange, a lot of them are style-over-substance, and many of them have characters that are WAY too sexual in terms of appearance. The plots themselves are odd to begin with; most of which are as bad as those that we find in more recent cartoons here in the United States. The craze that surrounds these anime films and shows are just wild; it's almost unbelievable. I do respect that other people love these forms of entertainment, but to me, anime is not, and has not been, my thing.
...Why are you rechecking my last name?...
Well anyway, there are some few animes that I really admire, and Princess Mononoke is one of them. This is one of the fewest animated films in which it's targeted at an older audience. It's not a family film: it has blood and no childish humor. It has a strong message: it focuses on humanity and how it's destroying the natural and spiritual side of the world. It is never over-the-top: no quick, colorful shots or strange techno music whatsoever. It's a classic in its genre, and it's Miyazaki's greatest creation, in my opinion. If you're tired of the Akira-like flashy lights, or lack of logic a la Bleach, or maybe even the Pokemon-like cuteness that you find in many children's anime, then Princess Mononoke can be the perfect alternative.
Mind you, though, that even though I see this as one of the greatest anime films ever created, it's not one of my top favorites. I did find the film a bit slow in some parts, and there were some moments about environmentalism that felt too preachy. And San was very annoying in some scenes. I just wished she could be quiet when the film goes on. But those are all the flaws that I can find, and they really are few. Princess Mononoke is, without any doubt whatsoever, one of the greatest animated films to ever come from Japan, and is one of the greatest in general. Kudos to Miyazaki for creating this gem.
Movie Review: The Most Beautiful Animation I Have Ever Seen
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure that many people like me look at the cover to this and say "Oh, another of those rediculous _ Japanese _ Animation _ Videos _ " and walk right past it. I must say, I too would have done that, had I not rented this video because of the all-star cast doing voice-overs of the original Japanese masterpiece. At first glance, when the movie begins, and you see a demon that resembles a pig covered in entrails, your first thought is "Why?" and then as the mysterious creature is shot by prince Ashitaka, and it's flesh melts from it's bones, you reach for the remote. Hey, it's what I did! But don't let the graffic opening sequence scare you into missing out on this great adventure.I must say that, as compared to most Japanese animations, this has a relatively normal storyline. The Prince, Ashitaka, saves his tribe from a demon boar that is roaming the woods, and in return, the demon puts a curse on the young prince which will claim his life. He is bannished from his tribe, with no hope. Without despair, he journeys to Iron Town, in search of what cause the Demon to become such. It is there he meets the ruler of Iron Town, Lady Iboshi, and is introduced to San, or The Princess Mononoke, a girl who was raised by a Wolf God. San and Ashitaka form a friendship (or perhaps something more) and together, they try to bring down the Lady Iboshi, who plans to kill the Great Forest Spirit, who protects the Gods within it's forest.
This is one of the most BEAUTIFULLY animated movie I have ever seen, in truth. The landscapes were breath-taking, and would rival the great photography of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The story is wonderfully told, and the characters are not only likable, but believable. Unlike many films, there are no "Good Guys" and "Bad Guys". There are only people. Some misguided, some not. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves adventure, fantasy, and, oh yes, romance. It really was a great movie!
Movie Review: The Most Beautiful Animation I Have Ever Seen
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure that many people like me look at the cover to this and say "Oh, another of those rediculous _ Japanese _ Animation _ Videos _ " and walk right past it. I must say, I too would have done that, had I not rented this video because of the all-star cast doing voice-overs of the original Japanese masterpiece. At first glance, when the movie begins, and you see a demon that resembles a pig covered in entrails, your first thought is "Why?" and then as the mysterious creature is shot by prince Ashitaka, and it's flesh melts from it's bones, you reach for the remote. Hey, it's what I did! But don't let the graffic opening sequence scare you into missing out on this great adventure.I must say that, as compared to most Japanese animations, this has a relatively normal storyline. The Prince, Ashitaka, saves his tribe from a demon boar that is roaming the woods, and in return, the demon puts a curse on the young prince which will claim his life. He is bannished from his tribe, with no hope. Without despair, he journeys to Iron Town, in search of what cause the Demon to become such. It is there he meets the ruler of Iron Town, Lady Iboshi, and is introduced to San, or The Princess Mononoke, a girl who was raised by a Wolf God. San and Ashitaka form a friendship (or perhaps something more) and together, they try to bring down the Lady Iboshi, who plans to kill the Great Forest Spirit, who protects the Gods within it's forest.
This is one of the most BEAUTIFULLY animated movie I have ever seen, in truth. The landscapes were breath-taking, and would rival the great photography of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The story is wonderfully told, and the characters are not only likable, but believable. Unlike many films, there are no "Good Guys" and "Bad Guys". There are only people. Some misguided, some not. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves adventure, fantasy, and, oh yes, romance. It really was a great movie!