Reviews: District 9 & Ponyo

Gerrymandered

First off, it has to be said that if anything, this movie has the distinction of possessing one of the year's best teaser trailers. I simply can't give high enough praises for what that little bit of footage did. I had absolutely no idea what this movie was about before I saw that footage, and after I saw it, well, I still didn't know much about it but I was totally interested in seeing it. To turn pure ignorance into hyped up excitement is truly something to behold. However, as is usually the case, a movie can almost never be as good as its trailer, particularly when its trailer is amazing. This film is a perfect example, which has to deal with a severe amount of faults before it can relish in its grand accomplishments.

I walked into this film knowing virtually nothing about the plot or characters in this movie, and I'm going to try and preserve that in this review because it does enhance the experience a bit. What I will say is that even the current trailers divulge that aliens accidentally landed on Earth almost thirty years ago over Johannesburg, South Africa. The government has placed these aliens in a refugee camp and is planning to evict them to a new facility. A mediator between the two species, Wikas (Sharlto Copley), is sent to give eviction notices. He's gets on the wrong side of the military and attempts to partner with an imprisoned alien named Christopher to help get out of trouble.

This movie has two major flaws going in, and one of them is the story. The film's script by director Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell is a bit of a wild mess that preferences overwrought metaphors usually seen in science fiction rather than cohesive storytelling. Then, by the time the third act arrives, the film abandons its heavy themes in favor of an action set piece, which feels really out of place considering the film never once devoted enough time to get its leading man to transform into an renegade hero. There's a lot of ambitious things going on here, but it's all sprawled out without much cohesive sense.

Speaking of that leading character, it is difficult to root for him because at many times he is unsympathetic. He is not the lone voice that speaks out against the condition of the aliens' living environments. Instead he is the one who is willing to gleefully look on as the soldiers incinerate unborn alien fetuses, threaten to kill Christopher's son, and still insult that alien even when he is trying to help him. Even at Wikas's most vulnerable, the aliens still manage to posses more humanity and sympathy than him. I think they were stronger characters to deal with, and I wish the film didn't treat their storyline as it was only seen vicariously through Wikas.

Still, while his character is handled poorly by the script, Copley does do a credible job in this role, and he is more than capable to carry a film like this. He does put a lot of passion and energy into this character, and even when we the audience may want to abandon him because of his ethics, Copley makes sure he himself stays with him, continuing to bring out all the good, bad and ugly sides that this character can flesh out. That conviction is what really works. But, as I said, it does seem to shy in comparison to the aliens, and Christopher, who also carries around his young son, seems like a far more interesting character to want to know. Unless aliens look like E.T., there unfortunately isn't much room to have them become a central character. This could have been an exception, but it sadly isn't. Christopher is the film's best character that needed to be flushed out more.

Though, director Blomkamp does manage to keep the energy going with each scene, and he is able to rightly set up the mood in each moment. Even though you'll recognize how heavy handed the metaphors are, you can still appreciate the docudrama approach Blomkamp uses here to create that sense of relevant realism that goes on even today. When the film awkwardly slips into action mode, you also feel the energy in all of those scenes, and most deliver an effective job of entertainment. Blomkamp even stages the quiet moments well, and the emotions are felt even when the dialogue may not carry quite the same sharp punch.

There's always a soft spot in my heart for science fiction, but when it comes to combining that genre with action, instead of the operatic, it can become a missed opportunity. In a nutshell, that is what this film is, a series of missed opportunities. Starting from the beginning where the metaphors are too heavy, to the end where the action is misplaced, to the wrong character being at the center. Still, Blomkamp does have an ambitious vision here, and it is certainly interesting to watch them unfold. It certainly wasn't anywhere as good as the trailer, but it was an intriguing experiment to watch unfold. **1/2 / ****; GRADE: B-

Fisher King

Don't call Hayao Miyazaki the Walt Disney of Japan. It's not just because he has a history of saying that he deplores that title. It's not even because Miyazaki tries to steer clear of subliminal racism that past Disney films have been unfortunately guilty of. The real reason is because he is interested in more than just delivering an animated world that is heavy on the fancy. He wants one that also engages the audience in the beautiful canvas that is often times a very complicated story. His films are pure gems because they combine the striking animation with an intriguing premise that fleshes out equally valued characters. His latest film is one that goes for that once again, and it is an attempt that is fairly hit and miss.

The title of this film refers to the main character, Ponyo, whose American dubbed voice in theatres right now is provided by Miley Cyrus's little sister Noah. Ponyo is a type of fish/girl who aspires to escape the confined life under her strict sorcerer father (Liam Neeson). She eventually befriends a boy, Sosuke (Frankie Jonas, the absolute youngest of the Jonas Brothers), who takes a strong liking to Ponyo, even as she begins to sprout legs, arms and the command of giant waves that look like fish.

The plot to this movie is a paper thin tale concerning Ponyo wanting to permanently become a human, but that has some speed-bumps because the natural balance of the universe is being distorted by the moon. I think. I wasn't all that interested in the plot because it is really lacking in this film. Granted, this is meant for kids, but it still means that the adults brought into this movie will feel like the simplistic storyline will feel uninteresting and a bit slow. The last act in particular is a serious drag and makes the film lose major steam by the end.

But then, Miyazaki certainly has a beautiful canvas to to paint on. It is really magnificent how well detailed the scenery is, given that it is completely handrawn. His eye as a filmmaker is always one that knows how to draw in great dramatic energy in heart pounding scenes. Then, given the fact that they look incredible, the scenes really have a sense of kinetic life, helped greatly, but sometimes overpowered, by Joe Hisaishi's score. Those elements were lacking in Howl's Moving Castle, but it is present here.

I'm a big supporter of the necessity of foreign films being shown in their original language with the subtitles attached. Please, people, do not be afraide of the subtitles. This film is being released with a dubbed American cast, as most Miyazaki films are, and at times it isn't all bad. Even though Frankie and Noah purely got these roles because of Disney nepotism, they give their characters the right amount of innocent speech, though Noah seems like she's trying a bit harder than Frankie. Other voices like Tina Fey as Souske's mother Lisa, Cate Blanchett as Ponyo's mythical mother, and Lily Tomlin as a cranky old lady in the nursing home where Lisa works offer a real warmth in their characters and infuse them with a believable sense even among all the fantasy. However, two voices in particular, Neeson and Betty White, are very distracting. That fault isn't entirely theirs, but because their voices are so distinct, it is difficult to separate between the actor and the character

There is another reason why I think foreign films should be watched with subtitles. Often times, elements of films tend to get lost in translation, and the original intent of a film is not always felt. Sometimes this is the case of a line delivery that is a beat off from what the scene should demand, and other times it seems like a cultural rift doesn't gel well with an American audience. A specific moment is when a discussion on the origin of breast milk is brought up, and I'm willing to bet that those parents who brought their children to see this movie will have an awkward conversation afterwards. There might also be a cultural difference in education, since five-year-olds Ponyo and Sosuke can name gigantic fish from the dinosaur age. I don't know what's being taught in those Japanese kindergartens, but I think even adults could benefit from them.

I understand that this movie is meant for children, and I'm willing to bet that anybody who reads this is not in the target audience either. But the draw of Miyazaki is not only how well the pictures look but how much the dramatic story draws you in. Here, the picture is rich, but the story is severely lacking, particularly in the last act which ends on a horrific freeze frame. But, these characters can still be endearing while sometimes being difficult to totally believe. In the end, you'll wear a smile throughout most of this movie. This might be the one instance when Miyazaki could be called the Walt Disney of Japan because here has has taken the more fantastical route. However, I'm sure it's not a nickname that will stick. *** / ****; GRADE: B