Forum - View topicREVIEW: The Secret World of Arrietty
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Posts: 23786 |
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I caught this one yesterday with another ANN poster (Hentai_JP) and enjoyed it immensely despite seeing it under adverse conditions. When I suggested seeing the 3:45 pm Sunday showing, I completely forgot that that would mean sharing the theatre with a bunch of rangy yard-apes. Anyway, despite that, I was able to get into the film. Dub was very good but I am curious as to how the UK version sounds. I see where Zac is coming from with respect to the slightness of story, but I was absorbed from start to finish.
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enurtsol
Posts: 14766 |
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It's already been released commercially in America awhile ago - it's called Bondage Fairies! |
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MidwestPride
Posts: 3 |
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Have any links that the UK was dubbed before the US was? |
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Chrno2
Posts: 6171 Location: USA |
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I saw the movie over the weekend with my niece. I enjoyed it but again I do have to admit I did leave with a feeling that there could have been more. It was simple and that was that. Of course always taking freedom with the work. Be curious to what the creator thought of it. I'll be seeing it again today with some co-workers. So I may get a chance to look at it again with a different light. Though I do have to admit it's a gorgeous piece to look at. There were some scenery that I was always pleased with. And of course one of my favorite moments when you just watch those normal situations get attention to detail. "Yes, here at Ghibli studios when we animate a car going into a driveway it's animated NOT CG'd." Sure that might mean much to some people but as an animation major myself I try to pay attention to those little details that are found in animation.
At least when I go this time I won't have to worry about the kid holding a sword over the seat next to me (from behind) or a crying baby. At least all this happened when the film was getting to the end. |
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Snomaster1
Subscriber
Posts: 2800 |
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I understand that "The Secret World of Arrietty" is based on the novel "The Borrowers." But the film also reminded me of a tv show I saw when I was younger. It was called "The Littles." The show was based on a series of books by a guy named John Peterson. It ran from 1983 to 1985. It was similar to "The Borrowers." I think the author of the books liked the original book a lot and could have done his own version in these series of books.
I saw the film over the weekend and I enjoyed it. I hope everyone else did too. |
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enurtsol
Posts: 14766 |
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Oh, we already knew about that. (I believe the show is still being rerun on early morning cable TV.) |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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Sorry, but this is driving me insane, you list their "great works" as: Totoro Whisper of the Heart Kiki Only Yesterday Porco Rosso (or, at least those are your favorites) I just have to ask, you DO know that all those movies were produced BEFORE Spirited Away, right? Since you disputed Maidenoftheredhand's notion that Spirited Away is the last "peak" before the "decline", is there any movie AFTER Spirited Away that you consider worth mentioning? To make things simple, I'll note these are the only Ghibli theatrical movies "post-Spirited Away" that I know of: -Howl's Moving Castle -Legends of Earthsea -Ponyo -From Up On Poppy Hill -Secret World of Arrietty |
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bravetailor
Posts: 817 |
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Geez, don't burst a vein. It's not that big a deal. Ponyo and Poppy Hill rate very highly with me right now, and Ponyo has leapfrogged over Mononoke and Spirited Away for me, so yes, that means there are some post-Spirited Away films I like better than pre-Spirited Away and, well, Spirited Away itself. In fact, I have Ponyo threatening to throw Kiki out of my top 5. I have only seen Poppy Hill once, so I'd like to see it again before I start figuring out a placement for it. Chances look good so far that it will contend with many pre-Spirited Away Ghibli films in my mind. Howl's Moving Castle is *probably* the most flawed Miyazaki film, though it is better than Pom Poko in my mind which is, yes, before Spirited Away. So yeah, there are Ghibli films post-Spirited Away are quite competitive with my 5 personal best, and Poppy Hill...so far it's the best non-Miyazaki/Takahata I've seen since Whisper of the Heart. It's better than Ocean Waves in my opinion, and obviously better than The Cat Returns. HOWEVER. Perhaps if one were to say that Ghibli had been declining since after WHISPER OF THE HEART, I can find myself somewhat agreeing with that because while I find all the Ghiblis to be good, I actually am not as enthusiastic about Ghibli's run from 1996-2001 (Mononoke, Yamadas, Spirited Away), and Ghibli reached its arguable low point from 2002-2006 (The Cat Returns, Howl's Moving Castle, Earthsea) I'd actually say that they're currently rebounding back in my eyes seeing as how much I liked Ponyo and Poppy Hill. I have not, of course, seen Arrietty yet. |
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TurnerJ
Posts: 481 Location: Highland Park, NJ |
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I just got a chance to see the movie, and I have to admit it: Arrietty is another lovely film from the folks at Ghibli. It's not my favorite of the Ghibli films, but it is a very sweet natured tale, very much in vain with My Neighbor Totoro. The music was beautiful, the artwork was as richly detailed as any Ghibli film, and the character animation itself was as gorgeous as usual.
The Disney dub? I needn't have worried; it's yet another solid production. I have nothing bad to say about it. Then again I love all the Disney dubs unreservedly, so it's not totally surprising. |
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vashna
Posts: 1313 |
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I was waiting for someone to mention The Littles. I was actually under the impression that The Borrowers and The Littles were based on the same old wive's tale. The idea of small people taking things that you've lost. When you go and look for things, you can't find them, but when you finally give up they magically reappear. It's said to be accredited to them returning what you had lost, since they're only ever allowed to borrow things that can't be missed.
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Alexis.Anagram
Posts: 278 Location: Mishopshno |
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I saw the movie a couple of days ago for my friend's birthday and I'd agree with Zac's review, on the whole. My sister and I are devout Ghibli fans (I even managed to love Ponyo, which is apparently a feat of some sort), yet this movie just fell a bit short of what I was hoping for. It wasn't bad in its own right, but I did have somewhat higher expectations of it.
That said, I'm surprised more hasn't been said about the character of Spiller, maybe to the effect of, "What the ever loving f**k?!" I distinctly recall the audible groans which were elicited amongst my friends and I as soon as he appeared on screen-- and they got louder once he started speaking in his broken English (can anyone say outdated stereotype?). I never thought I'd see that kind of blatantly racist caricature in a Ghibli film. I'm honestly wondering how that was meant to play to a Japanese audience and where the concept for this character came from; as far as I can recall, the equivalent role within the books wasn't described like this. Anyway, he was easily my least favorite part of the movie and I won't deny his brief scenes soured the experience for me quite a bit. |
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Ryo Hazuki
Posts: 363 Location: Finland |
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How was he a racist caricature? Last night I re-watched Totoro and I'm pretty sure Spiller is a recycled Kanta. |
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FLCLGainax
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Alexis.Anagram
Posts: 278 Location: Mishopshno |
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Maybe if you gave Kanta war paint, made him the only dark-skinned character in the movie and had him speak in broken English with some intermittent grunting? Add a range of "savage" or "wild" qualities (like eating crickets, because eating fruit or something more palatable is just too civilized) and a bow and arrow and then maybe there are some similarities as to what I'm referencing.
When he first appeared, actually, I tried to maintain the same impression. His clothing is pretty generically nomadic and I obviously have no problem with his skin color, by itself; the war paint was a bit unsettling considering how totally unnecessary it was, but it wasn't until they gave him "lines" that I was forced to realize where this was really going. This is the textbook "primitive" brown person stereotype. Even as a representation of indigenous peoples in general, it's a bad, bad choice. I mean, I know it's crazy, but there are people of color in the world who speak in complete sentences, dress in standard clothing and have more assets than their ability to hunt and fish (as an indigenous person myself, sitting here using a, GASP, computer! I can attest to this). Think of when he sits there trying to count and has to hold up his fingers to them and grunt in order to get his point across: now tell me that isn't totally insulting. :/ |
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FLCLGainax
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