Sunday 21 February 2010

Review - Ponyo (English dub)

Originally released in 2008 in Japan, Studio Ghibli's Ponyo finally makes it to the UK. This animated treat, although lacking some of the depth of Ghibli's previous efforts, is an enjoyable caper that both kids and adults will enjoy. Ponyo (Noah Cyrus) is a goldfish who dreams of living on the surface, and uses magic to change herself into a five year old girl and makes her way to dry land. Once there she meets five year old Sosuke (Frankie Jonas,) who lives with his mother (voiced by Tina Fey.) The two strike a friendship, but unfortunately Ponyo's magic has wreaked havoc and the moon is threatening to crash into the Earth. Also Ponyo's father (Liam Neeson) is desperate to bring her back, and is not afraid to use unorthodox tactics to do this.

The story, based on the Little Mermaid, is rather simple but it's fast paced and manages to keep some tension going. What works much better is the characterisation of Sosuke and his mother and Ponyo and her father. These are fleshed out characters and are very likeable and engaging. This helps make the sometimes slight story very enjoyable. The scenes where Ponyo is first bought to Sosuke's house in particular are funny and charming. There's plenty of humour throughout and a colourful supporting cast including some elderly care home residents who are impossible not to love. Overall the entire film is incredibly charming, and there's rarely a dull moment. The English dub of the film is rather good and well acted, especially from the young leads and Tina Fey.

The animation is excellent, and is clearly a labour of love which shows on the screen. The detail is great and director Hayao Miyazaki even manages to give waves and fishes engaging characterisation. Although the ending feels a little bit rushed, overall Ponyo is a delightful little feature and well worth a watch. Try to catch it in the cinema if you can to see the wonderful care and attention that has gone into the animation.

Review - Let the Right One In

This strange, enchanting film from Sweden is a refreshing take on the now well worn vampire genre. Kåre Hedebrant plays twelve year old Oskar, a lonely boy who is having trouble at school with bullies and has a strained relationship with his mother at home. He meets Eli (Lina Leandersson) a similarly distant and slightly weird twelve year old girl, and we follow the development of their sometimes awkward friendship. We also learn that Eli is hiding a dark secret: she is a vampire, and her “father” (Per Ragnar) who she lives with is actually a serial killer who kills his victims to provide blood for her.

Let the Right One In successfully combines two very different genres, coming of age and vampire horror, into a thoughtful and entertaining film. Oskar and Eli's story is subtly handled and draws the viewer in with a slow burning tension that works well. The screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist, based on his book, is excellent and although it moves at a slow pace it does not affect the viewer's enjoyment. The story is quite happy to take its time and allow the audience to enjoy a deeper understanding of Oskar and Eli. The horror elements are handled extremely well, with the film unafraid to enter darker and gorier territory. Due to the way the main bulk of the story is sensitively handled and feels realistic, when the horror does punctuate the story it allows director Tomas Alfredson to provide some memorable shocks and scenes which will remain in your memory. The film also makes good use of Sweden's snowy landscape and is beautifully shot. The scenery sometimes giving the film an otherworldly feel.

This is an accomplished film and is the work of people highly skilled and confident in their craft. Performance wise the young actors are particularly good, making this supernatural story seem like something that could actually happen in real life. The film rightly won a number of awards at the time of its release and no doubt a Hollywood remake is on the cards, although I doubt it could match the quality of the original.