Quick Takes: "Arrietty", "Weekend", "Fargo", "My Week with Marilyn"

"Arrietty" (1st Viewing)

Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi

I've kept myself out of the theaters for most of this year, simply because there hasn't been anything to lure me out of the Oscar season, with this being the single exception. Last year was a truly sad year for animation, and we didn't get everything that we deserved. Dreamworks was at a level of dispensable fun, and Pixar on a level of materialist carnage without proper justification. I had similar feelings about Studio Ghibli as of late, which has degraded to the levels of films like "Ponyo" and "Tales from Earthsea". I can say rather confidently that Hayao Miyazaki is able to bring the studio back to their intimate roots in the most subtly fantastical of ways.

In terms of conflict, "Arrietty" ("The Borrower Arrietty" or "The Secret World of Arrietty" in some countries) is very much scaled back. The objects of life and death lay in the background of philosophical concepts the film plays properly with. The relationship between Arrietty and Sho is much like the relationship of a rebellious young woman and a young boy dealing with traumatic events with dashes of optimism and the desire of being necessary. It's a very intimate story, not about friendship or family, but the desire to live a happy life in a world that doesn't care. There are political connotations to this story that are quite touching. The miniaturized characters cause for a fantastically maximized scale for the house the borrowers live in, and it's especially attentive in terms of sound design and absolutely gorgeous animation, like a moving still-life given the full cinematic treatment. It would be a joy to see this film inspire a generation of illustration majors from it.

For Your Anticipation: What in the Hell's A Bean?

Having already seen "The Secret World of Arrietty", I can vouch that is an absolutely heartfelt and beautifully drawn film. But I do take issue with the voice cast, which is absolutely ridiculous in the U.S. dub of the film. Casting Will Arnett and Amy Poehler in roles that were already perfect with Mark Strong and Olivia Colman seems more than a few steps overdone. And the random girl they found to play Arrietty is already proving more distracting than inviting. The U.K. dub wasn't about drawing attention to the voice actors. It was about fitting the characters, which they did beautifully. See the film anyway, but know that I fell in love with the U.K. version. Also, let me know if that Jonsi song from the trailer is in the film. If it is, that' just another issue.

Films to See in 2012: February

How did we get slammed with practically nothing for two months in a row? I mean, I'm sure that the media glut is going to be happy with the films coming out in February, and those of us who ask for something more will probably be busy indulging in the films heading for Oscar. Myself, I'm very easily bored and I kind of expected that the world would finally be able to keep me entertained. Not so. Second month in a row where I can't satisfy you with three films I'd suggest. First weekend, you get a movie about whales, as if we didn't have enough of those already. I was fine after "The Cove", which actually meant something. "Big Miracle" does not, beyond the inexplicable drive for audiences to see a movie about nature.

There's also the mockumentary superhero film, "Chronicle", which is just another mark crossed off on the we-haven't-done-a-found-footage-film-about-this list. Cap it off with "The Woman in Black", which is only mildly relevant as it's Daniel Radcliffe's first role outside "Harry Potter". Let's see how quickly he fades. Heading into the following week, we have the action-nothing "Safe House", the pointless romance "The Vow", 3D jizz-fest "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island", and the 3D re-release of "The Phantom Menace". Is anybody else already deeply pissed off that we're given a trilogy of some of the worst films ever made before we get to the original trilogy?

"The Secret World of Arrietty" Trailer

I think that Pixar has wrongly taken focus from Studio Ghibli as far unimpeachable animation companies go. Sure, I've fallen for many a Pixar darling in the past, likely will again when "Brave" comes around next summer. But whenever Hayao and company bring us one of their films, I'm always just so ecstatic to see them. "Arrietty" definitely looks better in the studio's more fortunate strain than "Ponyo" was. If not, then certainly more than "Tales from Earthsea". Only real problem with this is the Jonsi music playing in the back. Is he now the go-to guy for sentimental kids flicks? And as interested as I am, I'd rather see the UK dub with Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong, and Olivia Colman. Who else is with me? Get me THAT film!