Film Reviews: Origin: Spirits of the Past

I got given this anime film for my birthday and watched it with no idea what to expect.   I have to say that I really enjoyed it.  The story isn't particularly original or entertaining, but it's just all so pretty!   The animation is gorgeous.   And there's so much green everywhere!   It's set in a post-apocalyptic future when genetically engineered trees have rebelled against the humans and taken over the planet.   Now the trees are in charge, controlling the water supply, and the humans live in the ruins of their old civilisation.   One day a young boy discovers a young girl from the past in stasis and wakes her up.   She can't cope with the new reality and sets out to try and defeat the trees and restore the planet to how it was in her time, by using a secret machine that her father built.   In the end, however, she learns a bit more about the world's history and changes her mind.   The humans and the trees make peace. 

My favorite landscape was the human city, with people living in spartan shelters with only the bare necessities on top of ancient ruined sky scrapers.   Such a great looking contrast and worked really well.   I love the man-made all mixed up with the natural, and I love how precarious the humans' existence looks.   The forest looked really good too.   The whole thing is just beautiful and has a very beautiful soundtrack as well that complements the animation perfectly.   The beauty of the film more than makes up for the slightly weak storyline.

Films

A couple more film reviews for you.   The first is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.   I really enjoyed this.   It's set in India but has a quintessentially British feel to it.   It's about a group of British pensioners who, for various reasons, all decide to go and live in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India.   Each character has their own story, but all the stories are interwoven.   Some of them feel right at home in India and others can't cope.   It stars all the people you would expect it to, like Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy.   It's the performances, rather than the story that make the film for me.   Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Celia Imrie were all great, but Dev Patel as Sonny, the eternally optimistic manager of the hotel was especially brilliantly funny.   A funny film that leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

 



And now, Brave, the latest offering from Pixar.   All of Scotland is going mad for it, because it's set in Scotland, and I must confess I'm no exception.   It makes Scotland look so pretty!   It's about a feisty young princess called Merida who doesn't want to get married, so she turns her mother into a bear.   As you do.   She then spends the rest of the film mending the damage.   Again, there aren't really any surprises in the casting.   Kelly McDonald, Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane etc.   It's a great film.   Cute and moving and very funny.   It's also really easy to watch.  I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but it felt like the film doesn't expect too much of the audience.   It makes you feel like you to watch it you don't have to be clever or "normal".   Like being you is fine.   It's a very accepting film.   Yes, I am a weirdo...

And finally, Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate).   It's a very odd, but very good Mexican film.   It's about a young girl called Tita who is forbidden to marry the man she loves.   She starts expressing herself through her cooking, and this has very strange consequences on all those who eat it.   Plenty of magic, plenty of mystery, plenty of Old Mexico and some really excellent performances.   A really unique film!