Damn, there sure were a lot of good animated movies in 2012. I guess it makes up for the Great Animated Movie Drought of 2011.
On with the list. . .
The Secret World of Arriety
Based on the classic children's novel "The Borrowers", "Arriety" is the latest winner from Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. The whacked-out, hallucinogenic milieu of their previous films has been toned down quite a bit, but their knack for telling gentle, heartfelt stories through flowing, beautifully detailed hand-drawn animation is stronger than ever before. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that studio head and director Hayao Miyazaki ("the Walt Disney of Japan") has "retired" somewhat. On "Arriety" he's credited as the screenwriter and planner (I'm not entirely sure what that is), leaving the directing to Hiromasa Yonebayashi. In Yonebayashi's hands, the world of the Borrowers comes to life with thoughtful detail and creative invention, easily convincing the viewer that a society of tiny beings could very well be hiding in the forgotten spaces of your home, living their lives, taking your Milky Way bars, moving your car keys - okay, Borrowers wouldn't take those things, I'm just inventing solutions to my own woes. The story of teen Borrower Arriety and her forbidden friendship with a sick human boy named Shawn doesn't quite end up where you might expect it to, and that's one thing I love about Japanese animation - it's not formulaic, it's not "safe". It embraces the unexpected, and that's something I dig.
Looper
There are all kinds of theories of time travel, especially in movies. #1) If you go back in time and change anything significant in the past, the whole timeline will shift to reflect these changes. #2) If you go back in time and change anything significant in the past, it creates a separate, alternate universe where both timelines continue onward, parallel to each other, but different. #3) If you go back in time and try to alter things, you will fail. Time is fixed and cannot be changed (the "No Fun" theory of time travel). #4) Time is made up of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey bits (the "Doctor Who" theory). #5) The Looper theory: Time is in a constant state of auto correct. If you change things in the past, the universe will instantly compensate in the present (although human memories take a little longer to reset). It's a time travel theory where paradoxes are not possible. It took me a while to wrap my head around this new thinking (the other theories are ingrained in my sci-fi lovin' brain) but, really, it matters little when the film itself is so electric and the cast is so cool that it takes your mind clean off of "The Rules" and transports you straight into the story. Rian Johnson ("Brick", "Breaking Bad") created a winner.
Wait a minute: If crime lords in the future send their victims back in time in order to dispose of the bodies, then why do they need Loopers? Couldn't they just instantly send the victims back in time and directly into a giant furnace or something? Why am I unable to come up with my own theory? Well, Johnson has explained his reasoning and it's because. . . well, the answers do exist. In special features, interviews, deleted scenes - for those who must know. It would have been nice to have been included in the movie itself, but it doesn't matter in the end. In this case I trust the filmmaker and am able to come up with my own personal theories for the seemingly unexplained stuff (it's seemingly well thought out by Johnson and his buddy Shane Carruth, director of "Primer", which is arguably the best time travel movie ever made). "Looper" is film noir, a genre which banks on mystery, shades of morality, and the razor sharp obscurities of life.
Frankenweenie
Tim Burton has been involved in some of my favorite films over the years: "Ed Wood", "Big Fish", "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", "Beetlejuice", "Edward Scissorhands", to name a few. Lately, though, he's been sucking. "Alice in Wonderland", "9", "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", "Dark Shadows" - all visually spectacular films, certainly, yet perfect examples of hollow, lifeless cinema. Then came "Frankenweenie", a movie that very few people paid to see in theaters but turned out to be one of Burton's best. Based on a live action short film he directed in 1984 (his first live action film), "Frankenweenie" tugs on the heartstrings of any person who's ever had a pet, and also on the heartstrings of anyone who's ever been a fan of classic sci-fi/horror movies. What a surprise! A Time Burton movie filled with classic movie references! I'd have it no other way. Besides being a great Gothic family film, it's also yet another fantastic showcase for the (not-so) lost art of stop motion animation, a trend Burton has spearheaded with the likes of "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "James and the Giant Peach", and "Corpse Bride". Stop motion animation has always been my favorite type of animation, and 2012 was a banner year for this particular style of hand crafted filmmaking. "Frankenweenie" (the title is fun to say) is a beautifully crafted mix of nostalgic sweetness and warped, dark humor. Plus, Mr. Whiskers is one of the creepiest movie characters of 2012. Welcome back, Tim Burton.
Perfect Sense
Now here's a frightening idea for an apocalypse: The human race is collectively, and inexplicably losing the use of its five senses, one at a time. The loss of each sense is preceded by a sudden rush of emotion, followed by one of the senses blinking out. Now imagine that, just as this crisis is beginning to take hold, you find the love of your life. "Perfect Timing" might have been a more appropriate title. Eva Green and Ewan McGregor are the two unfortunate lovebirds. She's a scientist, he's a chef. Both of them are emotionally stunted human beings, but have found, in each other, a complementary soul. Under the solid direction of David Mackenzie it would have been a fine love story all on its own, but the addition of the unique apocalypse story turns it into something special. Despite its low budget, we get to experience how the rest of the world (beyond the story's main setting of Glasgow) deals with the crisis. It's scary, it's tragic, and yet, at the same time, life-affirming, humanistic, and fearless. Great drama. Trivia Time: Ewan McGregor was the star of the "Star Wars" prequels. The actor who plays his boss in "Perfect Sense" is Denis Lawson, who played Wedge Antilles in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. In real life, Denis Lawson is Ewan McGregor's uncle. Consider your mind blown.
21 Jump Street
And now for a love story of a different nature. I was never a fan of the original series, but I'd caught some of the episodes back in the good old days (it used to air before one of my favorite shows, "Star Trek: The Next Generation"). This new movie, despite focusing on new characters and having a far more comedic tone, is actually a continuation of the original show (as the surprise cameo appearances confirm). It matters not, however. Even if you aren't familiar with the original, this is the perfect entry point. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (whose previous movie, "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs", made my 2009 list), it's uproarious, foul-mouthed, action-packed, it features Ice Cube as the Angry Black Captain, and is surprisingly sweet and full of heart. It slows down a little bit in the middle, sure, but quickly picks up and finishes on a hilarious high note. And who knew that Channing Tatum would be so good at comedy? The sequel, "22 Jump Street", hits theaters in the next couple of months. I will be there on opening day.
Next time it's cowboys, cannibals, corpses and Katniss.
No comments:
Post a Comment