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filmbuff-05706's rating
I've seen quite a few sad movies in my day- The Passion of the Christ (which is especially sad for me as a Christian), Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Terms of Endearment, to name just a few.
While those live action movies are sad, I personally don't think anything could be sadder than the animated masterpiece, Grave of the Fireflies. Many say that it's so sad that they can never see it again. I just watched it for the 2nd time (the first being about 6 years ago), and while I don't agree with that, I sympathize with the statement.
Grave of the Fireflies tells the mostly true story of 2 Japanese siblings, Seita- a teenager, and Setsuko, his 4-year-old little sister. They live during WWII and hide from numerous bombings from Americans- which costs them family members and makes it hard to find shelter and food. And Seita, while meaning well, makes numerous mistakes that are costly too, such as leaving a strict Aunt.
I said earlier that Grave of the Fireflies is animated. That's technically a misnomer. Being a Japanese animation, the proper term for it would be "anime." And the anime is beautiful- with well drawn characters and settings, and impressive shots, like Seita standing in front of a red light.
While anime filmmakers made Grave, I think the film works as a non- live action film on another level. Seeing the starvation, bombings, and death is hard to watch, even if it's all drawn. You look at the animation, and it's tempting to tell yourself, "It's just a cartoon. It's not real. Everything is okay."
But then it kicks in- no. WWII happened. These attacks (by Americans, no less, who are referred to as "the enemy" rather than Americans), happened. Such effects on Japanese people, happened. That makes this truth harder to swallow.
And that is something we overlook, especially in Hollywood. While we frown upon Japan bombing Pearl Harbor and forcing us into the war, this movie points out that they were humans affected by the war too, and like a film such as Saving Private Ryan, its images are a plea to end war, if possible. War doesn't just harm adults, but it hurts children too.
Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best animated films, and one of the best war films ever made, and very much worthy of being called a masterpiece. But heed my warning and take it VERY seriously- it is NOT for kids (don't show your little kids Frozen and then follow it up with this!), and you WILL cry or at least feel numb if you are at all human. I bawled my first time, and I teared up and felt empty this 2nd time.
Grave of the Fireflies is the saddest movie I have ever seen, but I highly recommend that everyone see it at least once. I apologize for the souls that I crush as a result of this recommendation, but it is that important. This movie is a necessity, because the cruel consequences of war are not.
While those live action movies are sad, I personally don't think anything could be sadder than the animated masterpiece, Grave of the Fireflies. Many say that it's so sad that they can never see it again. I just watched it for the 2nd time (the first being about 6 years ago), and while I don't agree with that, I sympathize with the statement.
Grave of the Fireflies tells the mostly true story of 2 Japanese siblings, Seita- a teenager, and Setsuko, his 4-year-old little sister. They live during WWII and hide from numerous bombings from Americans- which costs them family members and makes it hard to find shelter and food. And Seita, while meaning well, makes numerous mistakes that are costly too, such as leaving a strict Aunt.
I said earlier that Grave of the Fireflies is animated. That's technically a misnomer. Being a Japanese animation, the proper term for it would be "anime." And the anime is beautiful- with well drawn characters and settings, and impressive shots, like Seita standing in front of a red light.
While anime filmmakers made Grave, I think the film works as a non- live action film on another level. Seeing the starvation, bombings, and death is hard to watch, even if it's all drawn. You look at the animation, and it's tempting to tell yourself, "It's just a cartoon. It's not real. Everything is okay."
But then it kicks in- no. WWII happened. These attacks (by Americans, no less, who are referred to as "the enemy" rather than Americans), happened. Such effects on Japanese people, happened. That makes this truth harder to swallow.
And that is something we overlook, especially in Hollywood. While we frown upon Japan bombing Pearl Harbor and forcing us into the war, this movie points out that they were humans affected by the war too, and like a film such as Saving Private Ryan, its images are a plea to end war, if possible. War doesn't just harm adults, but it hurts children too.
Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best animated films, and one of the best war films ever made, and very much worthy of being called a masterpiece. But heed my warning and take it VERY seriously- it is NOT for kids (don't show your little kids Frozen and then follow it up with this!), and you WILL cry or at least feel numb if you are at all human. I bawled my first time, and I teared up and felt empty this 2nd time.
Grave of the Fireflies is the saddest movie I have ever seen, but I highly recommend that everyone see it at least once. I apologize for the souls that I crush as a result of this recommendation, but it is that important. This movie is a necessity, because the cruel consequences of war are not.
Here's my suggestion as someone who had McDonalds and goulash today- if you are going to watch Fast Food Nation- eat eggs or cereal with yogurt, fruit, or a bagel for breakfast. Have a PB and J or grilled cheese for lunch. Then have something vegetarian for dinner.
Why? Because this movie ends with cows getting slaughtered and made into a fast food burger- and that's not something you want to watch before setting the table for a dinner involving meat. I survived, but still...gross.
That's not the only thing Fast Food Nation exposes. The premise, through numerous storylines, is to expose the problems with the fast food industry. Greg Kinnear plays a chain restaurant executive who discovers that animal feces is in the meat that his company serves.
(He doesn't witness this- but he orders a burger and a shake at one of his restaurants on a road trip, and his meat is spit on and falls on the floor before it reaches his mouth. Not to mention that the worker is making the burger with bare hands and not gloves. I scowled at the sight of this.)
The movie also exposes the harsh treatment of the meat workers (one Mexican worker sees the animal slaughter and starts work with blood sprayed on her face), and how a teenage fast food worker feels knowing how her company's burgers are made.
Fast Food Nation reminded me a lot of Super Size Me, the documentary made 2 years before this one. That film exposed what eating fast food 90 times in a month does to your body. This one shows why that food is so disgusting in the first place. And the processing scenes are very similar to Food Inc.- a documentary on how meat is made.
Granted, I'm sure there have been more regulations in fast food chains since this film was released in 2006. But the fact that fast food was like this when I was in 2nd grade is astounding.
As well done as this movie is (no pun intended), I do have to remove a star for the very unnecessary inclusion of sex scenes in the movie, like a brief one in a car and the audio of a lesbian porno that Kinnear watches.
I don't understand why Hollywood would feel a need to include that kind of "meat between the buns" when its focus is on how burgers are processed. This movie would be very good for high school students if it weren't for that, and I'm not even mentioning the amount of 4 letter words in the film. (Yes, there are permission slips, but should you have to sign for THAT in a movie like this?)
As a film buff, I cross such content often, but the sex scenes here do nothing to service the message at hand and are very unnecessary to a fast food commentary.
That NIT-PICK aside, Fast Food Nation is a profound and stabbing look at the fast food and meat industry, and while not much wraps up in a bow, that's the point. It exposes its problem...and it calls for us to find the solution.
Why? Because this movie ends with cows getting slaughtered and made into a fast food burger- and that's not something you want to watch before setting the table for a dinner involving meat. I survived, but still...gross.
That's not the only thing Fast Food Nation exposes. The premise, through numerous storylines, is to expose the problems with the fast food industry. Greg Kinnear plays a chain restaurant executive who discovers that animal feces is in the meat that his company serves.
(He doesn't witness this- but he orders a burger and a shake at one of his restaurants on a road trip, and his meat is spit on and falls on the floor before it reaches his mouth. Not to mention that the worker is making the burger with bare hands and not gloves. I scowled at the sight of this.)
The movie also exposes the harsh treatment of the meat workers (one Mexican worker sees the animal slaughter and starts work with blood sprayed on her face), and how a teenage fast food worker feels knowing how her company's burgers are made.
Fast Food Nation reminded me a lot of Super Size Me, the documentary made 2 years before this one. That film exposed what eating fast food 90 times in a month does to your body. This one shows why that food is so disgusting in the first place. And the processing scenes are very similar to Food Inc.- a documentary on how meat is made.
Granted, I'm sure there have been more regulations in fast food chains since this film was released in 2006. But the fact that fast food was like this when I was in 2nd grade is astounding.
As well done as this movie is (no pun intended), I do have to remove a star for the very unnecessary inclusion of sex scenes in the movie, like a brief one in a car and the audio of a lesbian porno that Kinnear watches.
I don't understand why Hollywood would feel a need to include that kind of "meat between the buns" when its focus is on how burgers are processed. This movie would be very good for high school students if it weren't for that, and I'm not even mentioning the amount of 4 letter words in the film. (Yes, there are permission slips, but should you have to sign for THAT in a movie like this?)
As a film buff, I cross such content often, but the sex scenes here do nothing to service the message at hand and are very unnecessary to a fast food commentary.
That NIT-PICK aside, Fast Food Nation is a profound and stabbing look at the fast food and meat industry, and while not much wraps up in a bow, that's the point. It exposes its problem...and it calls for us to find the solution.
I just watched Zeus and Roxanne for about the 3rd time in my whole life. Once at my Grandma's on VHS when I was very young, a 2nd on my own VHS when I was maybe 11, and now a 3rd time about 15 years later on DVD, with the same Grandma.
The plot follows a dog named Zeus who falls for a dolphin named Roxanne- but Zeus's owner and the marine biologist who studies the behavior of Roxanne have their issues. Their kids hope that they fall in love, and if a dog and dolphin can fall in love, why can't their parents?
The movie had some good performances- I particularly enjoyed Steve Guttenburg (also in 3 Men And A Baby) and his son, played by Miko Hughes, who was one of Michelle's classmates in Full House.
Apart from that, there's nothing much I can say about the movie. The plot was fine, the filmmaking competent, and from such a standpoint, the movie is fine.
However, the 3rd act is clearly taken from Free Willy, with kids and adults working together to save a marine animal from those who want to do them harm. There were some pacing issues that I had, but that's a minimal complaint.
I know I'm sounding nit-picky for a 7/10, but animal movies like this are more my Grandma's thing than mine (she gave it a 10 for reference, and I put the movie in her collection rather than back in mine). As such, I was less entertained by it and slightly annoyed by the unoriginality of it than she was.
I don't hate Zeus and Roxanne, but it's not a must watch either. Let me put it to you this way- if you have interest in seeing this, you enjoy animal movies, and by reading this review, you are asking for my recommendation, then in that scenario I mildly recommend it.
However, in Siskel and Ebert terms, I have to give this thumbs down, but that's just based on my taste. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't personally go around recommending it.
If I'm telling others what good movies I've seen lately, I won't enthusiastically be talking about this one. But if you like animal movies and want to kill an hour and a half, then the movie has done its job. Maybe the best way to put it is that Zeus and Roxanne is for animal lovers more than it is for film lovers.
Note: I also have to admit that I took an hour long nap after the movie, and when I woke up, I felt like I saw the movie yesterday. So...there you go.
Reverse Recommendations: Apart from Free Willy, which is a better movie in comparison, the movie was directed by Geroge Miller- who also directed Babe- one of the few animal movies that I actually LOVE. I also got some Beethoven vibes from the movie. So, I would recommend Free Willy, Babe, or Beethoven over Zeus and Roxanne.
The plot follows a dog named Zeus who falls for a dolphin named Roxanne- but Zeus's owner and the marine biologist who studies the behavior of Roxanne have their issues. Their kids hope that they fall in love, and if a dog and dolphin can fall in love, why can't their parents?
The movie had some good performances- I particularly enjoyed Steve Guttenburg (also in 3 Men And A Baby) and his son, played by Miko Hughes, who was one of Michelle's classmates in Full House.
Apart from that, there's nothing much I can say about the movie. The plot was fine, the filmmaking competent, and from such a standpoint, the movie is fine.
However, the 3rd act is clearly taken from Free Willy, with kids and adults working together to save a marine animal from those who want to do them harm. There were some pacing issues that I had, but that's a minimal complaint.
I know I'm sounding nit-picky for a 7/10, but animal movies like this are more my Grandma's thing than mine (she gave it a 10 for reference, and I put the movie in her collection rather than back in mine). As such, I was less entertained by it and slightly annoyed by the unoriginality of it than she was.
I don't hate Zeus and Roxanne, but it's not a must watch either. Let me put it to you this way- if you have interest in seeing this, you enjoy animal movies, and by reading this review, you are asking for my recommendation, then in that scenario I mildly recommend it.
However, in Siskel and Ebert terms, I have to give this thumbs down, but that's just based on my taste. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't personally go around recommending it.
If I'm telling others what good movies I've seen lately, I won't enthusiastically be talking about this one. But if you like animal movies and want to kill an hour and a half, then the movie has done its job. Maybe the best way to put it is that Zeus and Roxanne is for animal lovers more than it is for film lovers.
Note: I also have to admit that I took an hour long nap after the movie, and when I woke up, I felt like I saw the movie yesterday. So...there you go.
Reverse Recommendations: Apart from Free Willy, which is a better movie in comparison, the movie was directed by Geroge Miller- who also directed Babe- one of the few animal movies that I actually LOVE. I also got some Beethoven vibes from the movie. So, I would recommend Free Willy, Babe, or Beethoven over Zeus and Roxanne.