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The Virgin Suicides. Creepy.

Seen any good movie lately ?
Yes, I did!
Ahead of his time.......

Under the Great White Northern Lights

Great docu!!!

Years ago, I saw Princess Mononoke



I liked it, so when I heard about Spirited Away, I checked it out.



They were both directed by Hayao Miyazaki from Japan. I don't know much about foreign films, but I found his style to be something new, unique and creative. More recently, I decided to use Netflix and check out some of his other work. After seeing several, I still find Spirited Away to be my favorite with Princess Mononoke second.


3rd Favorite Nausicaa is a SF/Fantasy. Very good story, I watched it twice before sending it back.


A good story, strictly fantasy.



Porco Rosso was a decent story with sort of a WWII fantasy.


OK story, the most kid-oriented of the ones I've seen.


Ponyo is the most recent film from Miyazaki. I haven't seen it yet, but it should be on Netflix soon.

Note - All Hayao Miyazaki films have fairly bad voice-overs. Many were made in the 80s and 90s before they were of interest to English-speaking countries. So, in the early 2000s they were dubbed in English using somewhat famous actors such as Patrick Stuart, Uma Thurman etc...
Nevertheless even though the actors speak English, there is still often an uncomfortable pacing to speech. It is spastic and jerky and can destroy the effect of the story. The more I watch, the more used to it I get and it is definately worse in some movies than others.

In the last movie, I especially enjoyed the visual presence of beautiful Belgian actress Lyne Renee:

Hey Arkay! Have you seen Tales from Earthsea yet? I love that one!

Since you like Miyazaki, I would also highly recommend "The Cat Returns" "Kiki's Delivery Service" "Castle In the Sky" "Grave of the Fireflies" "Whisper of the Heart" "Pom Poko" and the one Disney has thus far not released in the U.S. "Only Yesterday." All from studio Ghibli.

If you wanna stay somewhat similar in style, but expand a touch to a series try "Kamichu." Stylistically it is very similar to Miyazaki's work both in storyline and character design. Some of the people involved in the production of it worked for Studio Ghibli if I remember correctly. It might be out of print now though, unless someone picked up the license after Geneon U.S.A. closed up shop a couple years ago.

Its not on Netflix!
Thanx for the suggestion BBP, I'll have to find it somewhere...


one of the uglies - The Cat Returns should arrive tomorrow, next in the queue. Thanx for the other recommendations.

Earthsea is supposed to be scheduled for release next year, I think. Right now it is only available streaming or as a Chinese import. If you can play region 4(that includes British DVDs right?) you can check out "Only Yesterday" on DVD, otherwise check for streaming.
You are welcome.

... I have it on DVD, is it rare then? I found it at a second-hand store. It's a Region 1 release with Japanese audio and Engrish, Malay, Chinese and Thai subtitles.

I think it just means yer lucky BBP.
According to imdb.com, USA will be last in line for a release date:

Japan 29 July 2006
South Korea 10 August 2006
Italy 3 September 2006 (Venice Film Festival)
Hong Kong 26 October 2006
Singapore 9 November 2006
France 4 April 2007
Italy 6 April 2007
Russia 19 April 2007 (limited)
Australia 26 April 2007 (limited)
Belgium 16 May 2007
Poland 18 May 2007
Turkey 22 June 2007
UK 10 July 2007 (Cambridge Film Festival)
New Zealand 14 July 2007 (Auckland International Film Festival)
Germany 27 July 2007 (Fantasy Filmfest)
Germany 29 July 2007 (Stuttgart Fantasy Filmfest)
Netherlands 2 August 2007
UK 3 August 2007
Poland 5 August 2007 (Film and Art Festival Two Riversides)
Finland 28 September 2007
Poland 28 September 2007 (re-release) (limited)
Germany 30 October 2007 (Munich Asia Filmfest)
Germany 8 November 2007
Poland 14 November 2007 (DVD premiere)
Denmark 19 December 2007
Spain 21 December 2007
Norway 26 December 2007
Sweden 4 January 2008
Estonia 27 October 2008
Belgium 7 October 2009 (Gent International Film Festival)
USA 30 July 2010

Go out and find this movie now!

It's on the list, and my what an unbelievably long list it is. If you like gore fest J-horror check out Hellivator. It's pretty good.

In the mean time check out a commercial for Suntory tea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0r6LfjMYRE

UP - Disney

I always asked myself, why this film is so famous. But i watched it again completeley, so maybe it is really good.

Point Blank is just plain great ! My fav Alcatraz movie is still the one with Burt Lancaster. How is the other movie I can't spell.

I saw Point Blank last night for the first time. It's an unusual film the way it is edited and paced, but the ending was a good one since it didn't give the audience a grand finale. Did Walker ever get his $93,000? I could see an immediate connection with Kill Bill with the theme of the criminal who was thought to be dead only to come back after the people who did him wrong. There really is no honor among theves. Then of course, there was the scene of Walker walking through the airport, his footsteps becoming a sort of drumbeat pushing him on. The only part I didn't really like was the part in the night club with the terrible singer who kept singing "YEAH....ALRIGHT...YEAH"

Burt Lancaster is such an excellent actor. I still have more of his films to see. So far I think his best ones are...
1. From Here to Eternity
2. Local Hero
3. The Professionals (also w/Lee Marvin & Miss Claudia C. wink wink nudge nudge )
4. The Train
5. Seven Days in May (opposite Kirk Douglas)

Koyaanisqatsi is something you have to be in the mood for; usually late late at night. Its a hypnotic & powerful visual tour de force without actors or script. I think its up to the viewer to make up his/her mind as to "what its all about?"
Music by Philip Glass