Fantasia 2012 – Blood-C: The Last Dark Review (Matt Hodgson)

Fantasia Film Festival 2012

Blood-C: The Last Dark

Voice Cast – Nana Mizuki, Kenji Nojima, Ai Hashimoto

Directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani

Back in 2000 a company called Production I.G. was looking for an original concept and a chance to use completely digital animation. The result was a brisk 45-min feature called Blood: The Last Vampire. Production I.G. is now a household name amongst anime fans, having created such works as Ghost in the Shell, FLCL, Blood+, and The End of Evangelion. However, the Blood franchise seems to have a life of its own. Up until 2012 there have been feature films (animated and live action), an animated TV series called Blood+, another called Blood-C, video games, and probably other incarnations of the sword wielding schoolgirl named Saya that I’m forgetting about. With CLAMP, an all-female manga/anime company, in charge of the characters and story, Blood-C: The Last Dark was one of my most anticipated films of Fantasia 2012. Saya is back on the big screen, but this time for a whopping 106 minutes, surely enough time to flesh out an exciting story without skimping on the bloody action that the franchise is known for.

I have a little problem with Blood that I should disclose. For some reason it seems that many popular anime franchises constantly reboot or re-imagine the series, often keeping many of the elements and characters the same, but changing others in the process. I have personally seen Blood: The Last Vampire, and Blood+, the 50 episode TV series. I absolutely adored both of those versions of Blood, but I have not seen the Blood-C television Series. As a result, I have a very hard time keeping the stories and characters straight in my head. I’m sure it’s easy for hardcore Blood fans, but personally it just makes my brain do somersaults.

Riding home on the subway late at night, a young woman named Mana is abducted by the ultimate crazy subway passenger, a blood thirsty creature called an Elder Bairn. Forunately for Mana, a strange girl with a deadly sword named Saya follows the creature and Mana to the top of a skyscraper where Saya displays some serious skills with her blade, dispatching the Elder Bairn in effortless and bloody fashion. However, Mana and Saya don’t even have time for introductions as humans from an organization called Tower pursue them with far from friendly intentions. After a furious car chase, Saya and Mana find themselves at the home of a wealthy man who is the head of a secret organization combating Tower. We learn that Mana is already a part of this small group of young hackers, and that the members of the secret group share a common goal with Saya, the destruction of the man in charge of Tower. Saya is quickly enlisted as their ultimate weapon.

From the suspense, horror, and action of the opening abduction scene in the movie, I thought I was in for something very special. I think that the familiar subway scene may have played out in Blood+ or one of the Blood video games, so it may not have been totally original, but the fluidity of the animation was incredibly impressive. Also the edge of your seat action which starts inside the subway cars and ends high in the sky was exactly why anime is made for the big-screen. Other action scenes throughout the film are also exciting, but they are too few and far between and never again reach the near-perfection of the opening scene.

Like many anime projects these days, Blood-C appears to be a combination of hand-drawn and computer animation. The computer animation looks like a high quality cut-scene from a video game and is mainly used to render vehicles, from cars to a helicopter. I think I may be a purist in that I prefer my anime to be drawn by a hand, but the computer animation was tolerable more often than it was not. However, the last action sequence of the movie was largely computer animation and really cheapened the finale when it could have been so much more. Another issue that seems to be plaguing all kinds of genre films, not only Blood-C, was the uninspired creature design. I realize that not everyone can have the imagination of a Miyazaki or Katsuhito Ishii (Redline’s writer), but many creature designs these days seem so ho-hum that it is becoming embarrassing.

Despite some great animation and action scenes, Blood-C: The Last Dark really became a huge let down for me. Perhaps I was expecting too much, but I think so much more could have been done in those 106 minutes. I’ll always be a fan of Saya, this movie has not deterred me. Maybe fans of the Blood-C television series will have a more rewarding time with this one than I did.
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Thoughts on a Tragedy and the Dark Knight Rises Review

On a day that is supposed to be one of celebration for movie-going fans across the globe with the release of one of the most highly anticipated films of 2012, it is actually one of sadness as a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado ended in bloodshed as an armed assailant killed 12 and injured 59 other people when he opened fire in a packed theatre.  The debate will undoubtedly rage on concerning topics of gun culture in the United States, violence in films & TV and may even range touch on the state of the global economy and the desperation that some people are feeling struggling to make ends meet.  Despite the 24 hour news cycle’s desperate attempt for answers there simply won’t be any because this is the act of a sick and deranged mind that wanted to share his anger with the world, what appears to be an evil and reasonless crime.  Do the sales and use of guns need to be better regulated in both the United States and Canada? Without a doubt, but when someone wants to do harm to an individual or a group of people they will usually find a way, and while I know that the thoughts of everyone here at Entertainment Maven are with everyone affected by this horrible act of violence, I just hope that this event doesn’t discourage anyone from doing what all of us here do when we are feeling a little down, or a little angry or just need a little bit of an escape…we go to the movies.

The Dark Knight Rises

Starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, and Tom Hardy

Co-written & Directed by Christopher Nolan

It has been eight years since Batman (Bale) vanished into the night, turning in that instant from hero to fugitive as he decided to assume the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent. The Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act, however everything soon changed with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) with a mysterious agenda who has targeted a now reclusive Bruce Wayne. However, far more dangerous is the emergence of Bane (Hardy), a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile.  Even though he ultimately decides to don the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane and could be forced to give everything he has to save Gotham.

To put it simply this is a stunning and epic end to a trilogy that is draped in emotion and the necessary dread of the times that these characters are living in.  Christopher Nolan uses the sweeping vistas and immaculate shots provided by him through the use of shooting a fair portion of the film in IMAX, creating this universe in as grand a way as he possibly could, as endings like this were never meant to be small.  The story which despite being a touch overloaded with distinct and unique characters was incredibly refreshing as it never gave itself an out or an excuse to think that maybe there could be more, everything is wrapped up in an incredibly efficient and emotionally effective way making this a definitive ending.  Nolan raises the drama of everything in this film to all new stakes, as he truly ends things on his terms, and so often in Hollywood blockbuster type films we get treated to unsatisfying, open-ended endings just in case they want to make a movie. Nolan has crafted a true trilogy that we can all accept and be happy with due to its grand and epic nature of the visuals along with some emotionally balanced performances to bring it all home.

As we see Bale all these years later, he is ultimately a broken shell of the man that he once was in The Dark Knight, and as we see him climb back up that ladder to regain his former confidence and skills, Bale takes on a journey where Bruce Wayne learns the ultimate meaning of humility and self sacrifice while re-assembling his life by means of saving Gotham from the threat of Bane.  Tom Hardy makes a fantastic bad guy as Bane, as he oozes pure dread and evil on the screen, matching Bale’s Batman scene for scene.  As the elusive Selina Kyle, Anne Hathaway was reasonably effective as the not quite bad, yet not quite good ‘cat burglar’ who Wayne found as an intriguing kindred spirit. They had very good chemistry.  The rest of the ensemble was loaded with strong performances from returning cast members like Gary Oldman and Michael Caine as well as new faces like Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. However, the film revolved around Bale & Hardy as they commanded the screen every time they were on it.

The one real emotion I have coming out of seeing The Dark Knight Rises is one of resolution.  This trilogy ended in such a satisfying way that it is a credit to Nolan as a storyteller to give the iconic character of Batman/Bruce Wayne the send off that he deserve – that is until the unfortunate reboot that we will undoubtedly get in 2018.

The Dark Knight Rises is playing at theatres all across the city of Toronto as well as the globe, check with your local listings for show times.

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Fantasia 2012 – Dragon (Wu Xia) Review (Matt Hodgson)

Fantasia Film Festival 2012

Dragon (2011)

Starring Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tang Wei, Jimmy Wang Yu

Directed by Peter Chan

My second and final screening on the first night of Fantasia 2012 was Dragon, an action packed period piece starring Donnie Yen, an accomplished martial artist on the cusp of legendary status. Yen has been thrilling audiences for decades, but it is just recently with the huge success of the Ip Man series that he has truly become a household name. Dragon was being discussed by some as the film which could round out Donnie Yen’s career by showing him to not only be an accomplished martial artist, but actor as well.

Dragon takes place in the early 1900’s and tells the story of Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen), a simple man who works as a papermaker in a rural town. His life is simple but rewarding as he lives with his wife and their two sons. However, despite Liu Jinxi’s appearance, some of his actions and abilities don’t fit the mold of a small town man. It’s impossible to not raise a questioning eyebrow when Liu effortlessly and painlessly pulls out his son’s baby tooth which was causing the young boy pain. Who is Liu really? This question is almost answered after a deadly encounter between two violent robbers and Liu – deadly for the robbers that is. The town hails Liu as a hero and are ready to get back to their normal lives, but a detective from the big-city, Lu Baiju (Takeshi Kaneshiro), doesn’t buy the story that Liu accidentally killed the robbers. Is Liu hiding something or is Lu letting his mind runaway on him?

Dragon starts off with a bang, the combat between Yen and the men who play the robbers is of the highest quality and nothing short of thrilling. Impressive acrobatics, the expert use of CGI, and the fight choreography were very impressive. Dragon could have very easily played out as a straight martial arts movie with a lot of success. However, the filmmakers decided to go above and beyond the mold of the genre. Instead the audience is treated to a CSI/martial arts mash-up as Lu (Kaneshiro) tries to discover just how Liu (Yen) could have killed these men while making it look like an accident. Both Yen and Kaneshiro are great in their roles, unfortunately some of the story is hampered by some odd script decisions later in the film.

Much like For Love’s Sake, Dragon seems to be a tale of two different films. The first half of the film is when the CSI/martial arts mash-up is at its best, but the second half seems like a different film. Dragon has absolutely gorgeous photography, from the combat scenes to establishing shots of Liu’s village. The filmmakers are certainly consistent throughout the film when it comes to the visuals, as they are nothing short of enthralling. However, in the second half the behaviour of major and minor characters distracted from the heart of the film. I won’t get into details as I don’t want to ruin the movie, but one particular action by Yen had myself, and by the sounds of things many other audience members, downright confused.

Despite the fact that I didn’t love Dragon’s entire script, I think fans of martial arts and intelligent storytelling need to check Dragon out. It may not deliver for the entire run-time, but the storytelling in the first half and the action scenes throughout the entire film are worth the price of admission. Now we wait for Ip Man 3, which we were told is on its way!

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Fantasia 2012 – For Love’s Sake Review (Matt Hodgson)

Fantasia Film Festival 2012

For Love’s Sake (2012)

Starring Satoshi Tsumabuki, Emi Takei, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Takumi Saito, Ito Ono

Directed by Takashi Miike

Making my way to Montreal on a very high tech snail provided by VIA Rail Canada, I could not have been more excited for the 16th annual Fantasia International Film Festival to kick-off. My preference in film has always been horror, but I’m open to viewing nearly anything. However, nothing could prepare me for the opening night film, For Love’s Sake. Billed as a violent and comedic musical, on paper For Love’s Sake sounded insane and like nothing I had ever seen before. The trepidation that I was feeling for a screening this odd was ratcheted up to full blown excitement when I discovered that it was directed by Fantasia veteran, Takashi Miike.

Adapted from the manga Ai To Makoto, created by Ikki Kajiwara, For Love’s Sake tells the story of Ai (Emi Takei) and Makoto (Satoshi Tsumabuki), who keep meeting under the strangest circumstances. The first time they met, when they were young children years, Makoto saved Ai from a trip down the ski slopes which very well could have ended Ai’s life if Makoto had not intervened. Despite his good deed, Ai and Makoto don’t really get along. Ai certainly tries to get along with Makoto, but the fact that she comes from a wealthy family and is at the top of her class seems to put-off the hardened Makoto, who is really the polar-opposite of Ai. Makoto is angry, rude, poor, but his worst trait is certainly his penchant for solving problems with his fists. In fact when Makoto and Ai meet for the second time, nearly a decade after the skiing accident, it is in the midst of a Grease/West Side Story gang confrontation in which Makoto brutalizes a large group of young men, while also singing a song. Did you forget it was a musical? Recognizing the violent young man and dedicating herself to him immediately, Ai decides that she will do anything in her power to save Makoto from himself.

As suspicious as I initially was about attending the screening of a musical, I have to say that overall For Love’s Sake was pleasantly surprising. The first musical number was used to introduce present-day Makoto and Ai, but it was a little underwhelming, making me think I was in for a long night. However, subsequent numbers were some of the most entertaining bits of comedic filmmaking that I have seen in a while. Specifically, the hopelessly romantic student (Takumi Saito), who would pursue Ai to the end of the earth, and a powerful brawler (Tsuyoshi Ihara) provided some of the biggest laughs with their intentionally ridiculous performances. Despite this incredible entertainment, For Love’s Sake does not speed by. At 133 minutes it feels like it could have lost up to 30 minutes in the writing phase or in the editing room. Also of concern is the almost complete disappearance of the musical numbers from the second half of the film. I understand that Miike is legendary for mixing genres and giving audiences an original movie experience, but For Love’s Sake was working so well as a musical that it was really disappointing to see it completely switch gears.

Worth checking out for fans of Miike and those who would like to see a violent musical, For Love’s Sake was certainly an interesting experience at the cinema. I’ll remember the energetic and hilarious first half for years, but I wish I could say the same about the rest of it.

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Shinsedai Cinema Festival 2012 – Tentsuki Review (Kirk Haviland)

Shinsedai Film Festival 2012 (Toronto)

Tentsuki

Starring: Taku Manabe, Natsumi Seto, Ryuzaburo Hattori and Akaji Maro

Written by Masafumi Yamada and Takeshi Miyamoto

Directed by Masafumi Yamada

Tentsuki is a strange little film. Clearly inspired by the likes of David Lynch and the more obscure works of Takeshi Miike, Yamada’s Tentsuki takes place in a rural part of Japan that is inhabited by the quirkiest of characters and scenarios. But is there enough of a cohesive plot to carry the film forward?

Noburo (Manabe) is having quite the string of bad luck. After losing his job when his boss closes the company and runs away during the night, Noburo goes back to the company office and breaks in as he now needs a place to live. Shortly after breaking in Noboru receives some visitors in the form of the local Yakuza looking for their payout. Seeing Noburo in the office they assume he is a delegate of the company and demand their money. Noburo manages to escape and runs away to the country where he has a friend who acts as a building landlord. After setting up in one of the apartments Noburo meets the strange inhabitants of the building including the beautiful but mainly catatonic Miyuki (Seto). Miyuki seems to be content to drink away most of the days and can be seen in her catatonic state all over the building – oh and did I mention that she in convinced the “growth” on her back is actually a set of wings breaking out to the surface? Nobuoro starts a job as a safety guard, basically keeping people clear of construction areas which are inhabited by even more quirky characters. As Noburo and Miyuki’s relationship develops and the Yakuza start to close in, more details come to light from Miyuki’s past that might just send Noburo off and running again.

Manabe and Seto manage to execute this script to the best of their ability. Noburo comes off as apathetic and bumbling through most of the film, but this is probably the intention of director Yamada. Seto is adorable and safely steals every scene she is part of. Seto is truly the standout of Tentsuki. Another standout is the senior guard that teaches Noburo the ins and outs of the job, a nice piece of comic relief. Yamada’s direction is a little all over the place as I feel he got lost in worrying about atmosphere more that plot. The film meanders way too much and even at a reasonable 96 minutes feels very long in places. The film does look great though as most of the scenes are staged well and the backdrop of Kyoto shines.

Ultimately Tentsuki did not work for me very well as its meandering nature and my perceived feelings of a lack of direction and depth left me wanting. I cannot recommend Tentsuki, but I am fully aware that there is a whole audience out there who will probably disagree completely.

Till Next Time,

Movie Junkie TO

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