The Sky Crawlers [Blu-ray]
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Movie Reviews of The Sky Crawlers [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: Absolutely stunning visuals, awesome sound and love the Oshii special features!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
In 2001, the best-selling novel "THE SKY CRAWLERS" by Hiroshi Mori was written and published. The novel would feature several books released between 2004 and 2008 which include "None But the Air", "Down to Heaven", "Flutter Into Life", "Cradle the Sky" and "Sky Eclipse".
In 2008, the novel was adapted to an animated film by critically acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii ("Ghost in the Shell", "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence", "Angel's Egg", "Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer", "Jin-Roh" and many more well known titles) and features music from well known composer Kenji Kawai and of course, the acclaimed animation studio Production I.G.
Instead of going with popular and experienced anime voice talent for the main character roles, Oshii went with Japanese top acting talents in film such as Academy Award nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel", "Naisu no Mori: The First Contact"), Ryo Kase ("Hachimitsu to Clover", "Naisu no Mori: The First Contact", "Tokyo!", etc.) and Chiaki Kuriyama ("Kill Bill Vol. 1', "Azumi 2: Death or Love", "Battle Royale", etc.).
VIDEO AND AUDIO:
"THE SKY CRAWLERS" is one of the most impressive looking anime that I have seen to come from Japan in terms of bringing realism and animation together. The opening sequence is just enough to surprise anyone of how beautiful director Mamoru Oshii strives in outdoing the look and feel of his last film.
"GHOST IN THE SHELL: INNOCENCE" looked gorgeous but "THE SKY CRAWLERS" which is featured in 1080p High Definition (aspect ratio 1:78:1) features awesome cloud effects, water effects, sunlight, shading and just everything you can think of Production I.G. can do to make it feel like you are watching real footage. In one scene where the planes fly high overhead, you can see water crashing into the rocky cliffs and it looks so breathtakingly real, I was very impressed of how 3D was utilized in the film.
I also found the background art and overall artistic look of the locations, an office or bedroom looked in the film. From the posters on the wall, details on the wood of table, details of the many trees. It's one thing to have vibrancy in colors which "THE SKY CRAWLERS" definitely has but to have this level of incredible detail was amazing.
If there was one thing that did surprise me is with the gorgeous 3D and the magnificent backgrounds, the character designs looked simple and clean but without the massive shading or detail that the film showcases in the background and for some, that simpleness may not be accepted when everything else looks beautiful.
I would imagine that the direction for the character design was to put emphasis on the pilot's surroundings and the various location shots but nevertheless, aside from the character designs, everything else looks incredible.
The picture quality of the film is nice and colorful and I don't recall seeing any compression artifacts, nor did I see any dust or scratches. If anything, the picture quality was very well done.
But what I found incredible on this Blu-ray is the audio quality. "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is featured in Japanese, English and Portuguese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (also, in Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1). For the making of this film, director Mamoru Oshii and Production I.G. worked with the folks at Skywalker Sound acclaimed for their expertise in audio. So, aside from the audio directionals on different channels which you would expect from the air battles and aircraft zipping around the air, audio is not limited to action scenes. In fact, you will be immersed in sound as you can hear the wind, crickets, birds and various sounds from the distance come alive all around you.
The audio is quite immersive and I don't think I have heard an anime film (aside from the recent "Akira" Blu-ray release) that would utilize audio so effectively. The lossless track for "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is well done!
Picture and audio quality definitely earn high marks for this Blu-ray release. As for subtitles, "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is featured in English, English SDH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"THE SKY CRAWLERS" has a total of three informative special features which are all featured in High Definition with subtitles in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The special features included are:
* "Animation Research for The Sky Crawlers" Featurette - (30:52) A very informative special feature showcasing Mamoru Oshii and the Production I.G. staff in the Czech Republic. Director Mamoru Oshii explains why he does a lot of research when it comes to looking for locations on which to utilize in "THE SKY CRAWLERS". Oshii is quite thorough as he looks at various aircraft, inspecting them, looking at things in the walls, various pipes, crates, switch panels and anything he can utilize in the film in a similar condition and making sure his photographers are there to take a picture of those objects. Also, featuring Oshii looking at soldier uniforms, buildings, school rooms and having his staff experience bowling. Also, shopping in a mall area and purchasing dozens of fashion books. A very interesting behind-the-scenes look at how meticulous Oshii is about getting certain details of machinery to clothing styles and incorporating it into "THE SKY CRAWLERS".
* "The Sound Design and Animation of the Sky Crawlers" Featurette -(32:16) Director Mamoru Oshii and the Production I.G. staff fly to California to visit Skywalker Ranch. It is the first time that Oshii utilizes the acclaimed studio for audio but a very good behind-the-scenes look at how Oshii directs the crew of how he wants audio utilized and being impressed with what Skywalker Ranch has been able to give him. This is very interesting to watch because in past interviews with Oshii, he has a very pro Japanese stance in the way films should be made, so for him to mention how Skywalker Ranch works on a lot of Hollywood films and then he, himself utilizing the popular sound studio was interesting. Also, interesting is how he interacts with his staff and the voice talent and the amount of work his whole staff went through in the process of making the film. Very informative and enjoyable to watch!
* Sky's the Limit: An Interview with Director Mamoru Oshii - (15:18) Director Mamoru Oshii talks about the characters and working on this film. Although the duration is around 15 minutes long, the interview portions are featured sporadically with anime cuts from the film in between each interview portion. Nevertheless, any featurette that helps the viewer learn the mindset of Oshii is a major plus.
JUDGMENT CALL:
"THE SKY CRAWLERS" is indeed a beautiful film that showcases top notch anime visuals utilizing 3D CG and beautiful background artwork. The film features an incredible lossless audio track that is definitely going to impress audiophiles who have desired more quality anime releases with top notch Japanese/English audio quality.
With that being said, I have to say that "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is another masterpiece from the critically acclaimed anime director and the film is nothing short of stunning and fantastic. With that being said, Oishii films are appreciated by fans who are willing to be open to cerebral storylines or storylines with a philosophical meaning behind it.
Like many of his film's, I have to watch it several times to appreciate the film in various levels. "Ghost In the Shell 2: Innocence" was visually captivating but the amount of detail that went into the creation of "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is amazing. The amount of detail incorporated to the audio is just amazing. You hear the basset hound barking in certain parts of the film that made me pause and wonder if the dog barking was coming from a neighbor, even the crickets.
Obviously, Oishii working with Skywalker Sound was definitely a magnificent partnership because the audio truly made this film come alive. It matched the quality set by Production I.G. in the beautiful 3D and artistic backgrounds and you really feel immersed in the detail and the storyline.
Also, it was a very bold move to go with Japanese film actors instead of experience anime voice talent. Even with the interviews on the special features, actress Rinko Kikuchi and actor Ryo Kase were unsure how they did in the film but were assured by the staff that they would take care of the rest. The talent felt they could have done more, so that uneasy feeling that they had, I think that Director Oshii wanted that. To make the film sound real, unclear emotions to be real and not to be well-acted. Definitely interesting choices made in the creation of this film.
With everything that I said being so positive about the film's video and audio quality, I do have to say that "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is a film that moves slowly. This is not a film to watch late at night if you are tired, this is a film that you may need to watch twice to understand certain scenes that you may have missed earlier in the film. Oishii chooses not to reveal much about the Kildren, he chooses to focus on the main characters.
This leaves us with many questions of "Why are they like this?", "Why were they created?"... A lot of questions asking "why?" and unfortunately, the film doesn't go into detail about the why's, it explorers these people who were created this way and live this way and now question that way of life and not having really any control of their destiny or do they?
Overall, "THE SKY CRAWLERS" is a fine film and the Blu-ray release definitely makes you much more appreciative of Mamoru Oshii's work. And most importantly, advice from Oshii from the special features, make sure you watch the film entirely as their is an imporant scene that takes place after the credits.
"THE SKY CRAWLERS" is highly recommended!
Movie Review: Delicious!
Summary: 4 Stars
First, let me say that this is not your usual, giant robot anime. There are no monsters. There are no powerful and magical battles being waged between tall haired tweens. While it does fall into the fantasy and science fiction genre, it approaches it with a real world flair and concentrates on people more than just amazing flying machines.
Enter the world of THE SKY CRAWLERS - an alternate timeline in another world. A battle is being fought between two factions and children-beings called Kildren fight within it. They may live forever - no one knows. They know that each day may be their last. And, they don't care. They fight when called on and spend the rest of their time waiting to fight again. Grim, indeed.
But, there's more.
If you are a fan of GHOST IN THE SHELL, PATLABOR or JIN ROH, you already know about Oshii and the deliberate pacing of his films. He takes time with them and lets the viewer take everything in. Sounds and interactions take on a quiet strength that makes you take stock in what's really going on. The characters wander through their world and take on a realistic and sometimes fatalistic quality that strikes a chord when watching.
But, it's not all character and plot development. It's dogfights and amazing design. The propeller driven fighters the Kildren fight in are based in a real world design and are very believable. This isn't X-Wings and things of fantasy. These machines look like they could be built and flown today. The vehicles are rendered in 3D while the characters are drawn (a style I love!) and the blend works very well. This is something Oshii does in many of his films and it works really well. The dogfights are amazing and choreographed very well. They could hold their own in the world of cinematic air battles.
Fans of Oshii are also familiar with something else as well. The feeling that you missed something somewhere along the line. You follow MOST of the plot, then something that is introduced somehow misses the thought process and you find yourself thinking, "I don't get it." And, a second later, you shrug and think, "Yeah, but, I don't really care. This is really cool," and move along. If you've seen GHOST IN THE SHELL, think about long strings of dialogue about th "Puppet Master" and his plans and ghosts and the meaning of life. Yes, now you get it. It never reaches THOSE proportions, but prepare for that watching CRAWLERS - it'll happen, I'm sure, but you won't care because it's so much fun to watch.
Oddly, the folly work and sound design on this film struck me as well. I found myself wondering if Oshii had players acting out each scene so he could get the proper sound for the scenes. It was real and well done and really helped to lock me into a real world feeling even though the film was animated.
Half way through the film I muttered, "That's it, I gotta buy this film," out loud. I think that sums it up rather well. If you're a fan of Oshii, real world anime, World War II dogfight films, or alternate time line fantasy, you'll love THE SKY CRAWLERS.
Movie Review: More than "Ghost in the Shell" goes to "Area 88"
Summary: 4 Stars
The film opens with a fast, furious, and fatal dogfight, but who was the victim? When newly assigned replacement pilot Yuichi Kannami arrives at the base, it seems familiar to him, and he is familiar to everyone, especially the commanding officer, Suito Kusanagi.
There are so many echoes still reverbrating from "Ghost in the Shell" and "Innocence" that it's hard to not see this as a continuation. If there are definite philosophical differences, it is not the human/machine line, but youth/adult, and society's need for war to make peace meaningful. The seemingly never-ending battles between the Lautern and Rostock corporations/"nations" are a curious "non-war": there aren't any ground battles, and civilians are free to tour the air bases and watch the battles with full details given by the CNN-like commentators. Beneath the surface, though, this Nietzschean cycle of endless recurrence can be intepreted in as many ways as your imagination will allow. Is this Oshii's comment about modern adolescent fans who don't, or won't, "grow up", and remain immersed in endless loops of the same old anime cliches? (These folks are known as hikikomori in Japan.) Or is it a lament that, without breaking out of adolescence, people are doomed to sterile, emotionally unfufilling lives, and to repeat childish mistakes? (It's no mistake that the lethal Lautern fighter pilot is known as "The Teacher".....)
If you want to enjoy the film as pure eye-candy, you can always zip through the non-aerial scenes. The graphics are nothing short of astonishing - I'm sure that some folks will feel a trifle queasy if they see this on a large screen. Oshii and crew went to GREAT lengths in researching the environments that serve as backdrops, and WWII fighter buffs will get a kick out of analyzing what parts of what aircraft were used to create these incredible machines. (Yuichi's "Sanka Mark B" looks like a Japanese Shinden with a Messerschmitt canopy and drop tank, while Teacher's Skyly J2 is a late-model Focke Wulf on steroids mated with a P-51.) In Blu Ray - an easy 10. I couldn't spot a flaw. Stereo sound is also great.
It would be trite to point out there's more to the film than dogfights and death. But just what you'll bring away is going to be up to you. Highly recommended.
The extras are also top-shelf. Oshii and crew are shown scouring a Polish air base and towns for, not specific details, but overall atmosphere, from which the artists would create a familiar-looking but original environment (soft of what the Kildren must feel when (re)called to action.
Movie Review: The Sky Crawlers... The English Patient the Anime
Summary: 4 Stars
The Sky Crawlers: (Sukai Kurora):7 out of 10: This is an adult anime...In fact this is a very adult anime. No there isn't copious amounts of fan service or blood. (In fact the film is rated PG-13 primarily for smoking.) Instead Sky Crawlers has a very quiet, reserved pacing. It's a two hour anime that feels like it clocks in at over three hours. Not boring per se but very deliberately paced with adult conversations, adult music and an overall adult tone that reminds one of Before Sunrise with occasional airborne dogfight to break up the relationship introspection.
The plot is both light (I will reveal that here) and quite heavy (I will let the movie itself surprise you with its philosophical underpinnings). On the light side is there is a special group of teenagers who are pilots that never grow old. The movie refers to them as Kildren and much is made of how they are just kids; but if you drive, fly, have sex, drink, and smoke a pack every 10 minutes of screen time your are at best a teen and in reality a young adult.
These Kildren fight in retro WW2 style aircraft against each other in an air war with no winners and no other casualties all to apparently satiate the public's need for conflict. (Think Star Trek's "A Taste of Armageddon"). There is a new pilot, a wingman and a couple of androgynous love interests with deep secret pasts. There is even a Red Baron character rumored to be an adult and a constant source of tension and conversation in both the dogfights and on the ground.
The Animation is simply awe inspiring. The CGI work is better than many a Hollywood blockbuster and the 2 dimensional characters fit both the pacing and the mood of the film. The attention to detail is quite amazing overall.
Overall the film is recommended for fans of adult drama and serious anime. I do confess I did wish for longer sky battles, more realistic violence and even some fan service. It is ironic that one of the most adult anime I have ever seen suffers from a lack of adult thrills with its PG-13 rating.
Movie Review: Not an Action Movie! But Still, Worth Your Time
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie is very much like "Jin-Roh", which was probably the best movie done my Mamoru Oshii. Meaning, some, SOME great action, but it's mostly a quiet and wonderful character piece. Definitely worth your time, but go in with your expectations appropriately locked down.
The only problem with the movie is that Oshii plays some of the clues WAY too obviously. It reminded me of Grant Morrison's "Mystery Play", where he felt so burned by his previous, breakthrough graphic novel "Arkham Asylum" because the fanboys were upset that the book was too obtuse and required them to puzzle out the story, that he made the second story much more obvious. "Look, my hand is bleeding." (Translation, pay attention, this, THIS is a important.) Oshii does some of the same things, and that's what slows the movie down a little for me. But, to each their own.
Lastly, some (insane) reviewers have read WAY too much of their own psychosis into the story, and have claimed the story is a FU by Oshii to anime fanboys. After seeing the movie, you can decide for yourself, and I'll admit, this analysis does have SOME merit. However, the bigger picture is that everyone's life is about breaking out of routine and trying to make your own path, finding your own identity. In short, those (insane) reviewers need to relax.