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Jack et la mécanique du coeur (2013)
Touching and not at all light
For those who say "animation is for kids" and "I don't like anime", you should watch this movie. It is not at all sweet and cute like the Disney movies, but manages to touch our hearts as much as any Disney work. The animation is also very beautiful, one of the movie's Strong points, together with the soundtrack. The songs are adorable, and I love how they sing it naturally. In some animations, the songs are a bit forced in (it seems), and there are too many songs. In this movie, the quantity is just right. We struggle with Jack from the very first scene to the very last, since it is easy to sympathize with the chracter - a very well constructed character, in my opinion. I did end up crying a lot at the end, since we really don't see that ending coming. At least I didn't...
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
Right into the heart of the japanese culture
This is my favorite movie of all times. As other Miyazaki movies, the main character is a girl who goes through a lot during the story, resulting in great change and growing of the character. But, unlike other movies do, Chihiro's change is subtle. By the time we get to the end, we are not actually informed that she has grown. In order to perceive it, we need to pay a lot of attention to her actions and words from the beginning to the end. Not only her character is very well constructed, but all the main characters. Even the secondary ones, I' d say. The meaning behind No Face's actions is one of my favorite things of the story.
The japanese culture is so well presented in this movie, it makes my Japan-lover heart trembles everytime I watch it. Those who don't know Japan very well may not realize it, but even the way the names are chosen is related to the japanese language.
Another Strong point is the amazing soundtrack, composed mainly by Joe Hisaishi, one of my favorite musicians of the world. "The name of life" gets me to the movie feels even when at the most random moments.
Born with It (2015)
Too much of an inconclusive ending
The idea of making a film about discrimination in Japan was pertinent, and trying to put this heavy theme in a story where the main characters are children was risky, but well done. The actors were convincing, in my opinion. But the storyline was maybe too complex for a short film; what I felt was that it ended abruptly, just because it was getting too long. I mean, there might be people who like open endings; I don't. The fact that we never get to know if the kids stop the bullying or not bothers me. Even though, just the content of it made me appreciate the film.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
It made my heart melt
Elio is a teenager that lives with his parents, who receive every year a new intern to help with the dad's research Project. This year, the intern is Oliver, a very good looking american. Gradually, Oliver and Elio get closer and closer, a kind of relationship only few people are Lucky to experience during life.
The most beautiful thing of this movie, besides the great performance of all actors, specially Timothée Chalamet, is the construction of Elio and Oliver's relationship. The scenes are able to show things that dialogue would never even get close to. Elio's emotions are so extremely cute and touching, that it is impossible not to wait with enthusiasm for the time they will finally get together. Also, it is super nice the way they change languages all the time. Makes the movie feels more real.
The last scene might cause diferente reactions, but my opinion is that it had to be that way.
Otousan no tabako (2007)
The little girl is amazing
I enjoyed very much this short film. It's plot is not that complicated: a little girl who buys cigarrettes for her ill father. The actress who plays the girl is very convincing, in my opinion. Besides, it is interesting to think that maybe Japan is one of the only places in the world where the story could happen exactaly this way - due to details like cigarrette vending machines and children walking by their own on streets. However, I think more information about the father should be given. Specially, why does he change his mind? Is it just because he was having a hard time caughing? Not convincing enough, in my opinion. Not having this information makes the ending a bit abrupt and confusing.
Embers (2006)
Confusing
This short film is about a woman who is waiting for her husband to come back from the war. He does come back, but something is wrong with him - he is not the same as he used to be, and the actress performs very well the feelings of disappointment, sadness and despair a woman in such a situation must feel.
The scenes are a bit confusing, since we are seeing whatever the woman sees - and she keeps on having this hallucinations envolving her husband's appearance and personality, but this contributes to what I think may be one of this film's aim: to show us what war can bring to a person, to a couple's life.
This message is well transmitted, by the end we catch ourselves thinking of how terrible are the war consequences - to those who faught and to their families.
Lifted (2006)
Sasuga Pixar
Animation is my weakness. To me, it is easier to get envolved with the story when real people do not take part in it (acting). The story is simple; a young alien comes to Earth to take his "abduction exam", as if it was a "driver license exam", and things don't go very well during the exam. As many other PIXAR SHORT FILMS, the purpose of Lifted is to make the audience laugh. Well, I laughed.. And the nicest thing is that even though you can figure what is going to happen next during the whole time, you end up laughing. I may be terribly wrong, but my impression is that one of the reasons for such thing is the usage of sounds; every sound just fits perfectly with each scene.
The Crush (2010)
Cute
I really enjoyed this short movie, and I think the main reason why I liked it was the actor who plays the little boy. I liked him, because he had that face of someone who could actually be cold and a psycho - especially due to the complete change on his face whenever he looked at his "crush". The way the film leads our feelings during the short lenght of it also pleased me. I ended up feeling exactaly what the diretor and the screenwriter wanted the audience to feel. I'm pretty sure. The end is, in my opinion, very good, cause the tension created throughout the film ends in the perfect way.
Whacked (1998)
What is his aim?
The only good point of this short film is its format. The beginning is actually the end, that is, the result of the story the movie tells: a man who works in a golf club as the STAFF who collects the thrown balls from the ground. It is clear that the man doesn't like his own job, so it seems to me that what he ends up doing is a kind of revenge. Against the universe, who put him in such a bad position at work. And that is why I did not enjoy the storyline. There is none. Maybe 5 minutes were not enough to explain WHY he did that knowing he would hurt people. The character's mind is not well presented to the public and his intentions are not clear, which makes him a poorely developed character - one of the things I do not appreciate the most when it comes to stories.
J'attendrai le suivant... (2002)
Predictable, but not so much
This 4 minute short film about this 4 minutes in the life of a woman who enters a train in a normal day has all its potential in its last 30 seconds. I'm not sure if it can be called a plot twist, but it is for sure supposed to be a big, unexpected surprise for those who are watching. During the film I came to imagine that would happen, and then I found myself hoping I was wrong - but I wasn't. For having interfered on my feelings towards the main character and what could possibly happen to her, I consider this a good short film. The end, although not having surprised me, made me sad for the character.
Three Days in Kamakura (2012)
Good idea for a film, not so good acting
Briefly, "Three Days in Kamakura" tells the story of a couple who have been thinking - and trying - to get pregnant, but not succeeding. When one of the husband's students' mom disappears one day, the boy ends up staying in the couple's house, and the feeling of "Family" arises naturally. This plot had what it needed to become a nice short filme: the story line is interesting and it makes us consider things about life, Family and love that can Always relate to one feeling or another we've been having ourselves. However, I did not enjoy seeing Three Days in Kamakura on screen, since I do not think the actors did their job nicely. THe boy was okay, however both the man and the woman did not put as much emotion as it was demanded. Last but not least, in my opinion there was a lack of music (soundtrack) during the whole film.
Fish Out of Water (2005)
Not funny
This short movie about a guy who rows every day to work in order to escape the rush hour
is a good idea that could end up being very funny, but it didn't turn out this way. The humor is in
the fact that people start to take advantage of his small boat, including themselves in the
commuting. How the main character gets out of this uncomfortable situation is, I believe,
supposed to be the climax of the comedy, but it didn't make me laugh. I can feel potential in
the screenplay, but perhaps the actors weren't able to transmit all they should have. I also
have a tendency of not liking silent films very much, unless it's animation; in my opinion,
short dialogues could maybe add something to it. One thing I liked a lot was the title;
although the film has to do with water, the "fish" is the main character, living in a world where
having a row to work is not normal - and he chooses to do it even so.
Father and Daughter (2000)
Simple and touching.
I never thought a short film with no dialogue, few colors and only 10 minutes length could get to people's hearts the way "Father and Daughter" does. It tells a girl's devotion to her father during her whole lifetime, from childhood to her elder days. No matter how many years pass by, she keeps on returning to the place where they said goodbye, hoping he'll be there, back to her. Besides the changing of her height, the other subtle hints the director gives us on the time passing are very natural. Nothing seems forced, and the art of the drawing is in the correct amount - if it had more details, it would lose its simple beauty; the same goes for the music that accompanies the story. In my opinion, the soundtrack is the most important part of a film, having the capacity to empower it and ruin it, and talking about "Father and Daughter" I have to say it was just right as a whole. The end is also extremely touching and when the film stops rolling we just feel our hearts fulfilled.