Movie Report
We rented movie DVDs a week or so ago and have watched two: Kiki's Delivery Service and Flushed Away. The first is yet another sweet and wonderful Miyazaki anime adventure, this one about magic, art, flying and being true to yourself.
The second is an Aardman movie and not easy to describe. In many way's it's a classic 30s screwball comedy about the poor little rich rat who finds life and love among the sewer-rat lower classes. However, this synopsis does not explain the singing slugs or the French frog mime or the deranged English toad who is an Ian-Fleming-like, over-the-top villain with a mad plan of revenge.
In case you don't know, Aardman is an English company that produced the Wallace and Gromit claymation shorts. They have made a deal with Dreamworks and are now producing feature length movies using computer graphics.
The first one I saw was Chicken Run. When I came out of it I said, "This is undoubtedly the best socialist chicken movie I have ever seen."
It's other things, mostly a send up of World War Two POW movies. But what I enjoy about it is the sight of ordinary, middle aged, working hens plotting together to escape their factory/prison camp and establish a utopian society Somewhere Else. I suppose you could say they didn't overthrow the status quo, but they certainly wrecked the chicken farm when they made their escape.
Curse of the Were Rabbit is a send up of a classic 30s horror movie. There a castle, a little village, a menace in the night, even a mob with agricultural implements, though I don't remember torches. I am unable to find a political message in it, though maybe I could if I tried harder.
I'm not yet sure what Flushed Away is. A lot of chase scenes, a lot of slapstick, a sweet love story, the best singing slugs you are ever likely to encounter, and a wonderful vision of London replicated underground in its own sewers.
Maybe the rats are building a new society below the shell of the old.
The second is an Aardman movie and not easy to describe. In many way's it's a classic 30s screwball comedy about the poor little rich rat who finds life and love among the sewer-rat lower classes. However, this synopsis does not explain the singing slugs or the French frog mime or the deranged English toad who is an Ian-Fleming-like, over-the-top villain with a mad plan of revenge.
In case you don't know, Aardman is an English company that produced the Wallace and Gromit claymation shorts. They have made a deal with Dreamworks and are now producing feature length movies using computer graphics.
The first one I saw was Chicken Run. When I came out of it I said, "This is undoubtedly the best socialist chicken movie I have ever seen."
It's other things, mostly a send up of World War Two POW movies. But what I enjoy about it is the sight of ordinary, middle aged, working hens plotting together to escape their factory/prison camp and establish a utopian society Somewhere Else. I suppose you could say they didn't overthrow the status quo, but they certainly wrecked the chicken farm when they made their escape.
Curse of the Were Rabbit is a send up of a classic 30s horror movie. There a castle, a little village, a menace in the night, even a mob with agricultural implements, though I don't remember torches. I am unable to find a political message in it, though maybe I could if I tried harder.
I'm not yet sure what Flushed Away is. A lot of chase scenes, a lot of slapstick, a sweet love story, the best singing slugs you are ever likely to encounter, and a wonderful vision of London replicated underground in its own sewers.
Maybe the rats are building a new society below the shell of the old.
posted by Eleanor at 5:47 PM
3 Comments:
What did you think of Kiki's Delivery Service? Shawn and I watched that one sometime ago.
Dear Eleanor
I googled your name because I was telling my co-worker about your animal menagerie that I fondly remember from my childhood. I came across your blog. I live in NYC now, and have an 11 year old son Dante. He is reading Sword Smith right now...
Anyway, I just wanted to say hi.. and I love you still...
Shoshana Pederson-Searcy
ps
I to have a blog:
www.shoshpart@blogspot.com
I just wanted to say that I have unconditional love for Kiki's Delivery Service .. There are many great Miyazaki movies, but that one and Porco Rosso would have to be my favorites
Post a Comment
<< Home