Audience Member
This film was consistently interesting from beginning to end, to the extent that it's quite hard for me to not like it. It certainly has a lot of imagination in almost every department, although there's not really a lot of focus. Although there is a linear story, there's no exposition given to how events took place to begin with. All we know about the story is that, in the film, much of the world is controlled by a large corporation that is rich enough to rule the world from space, and that they're only enemy is a small pocket of resistance aided by a mysterious man in black. Honestly, it's not a bad narrative, and the film itself full of potential, but there begs to be an explanation. As for the characters, the acting on the English dub isn't great, but the characters themselves were always interesting, especially Darkside, the coldly impregnable man in black who fades in and out of the film's world. The only thing that could make him any better is if he had wings. The animation, though it's not as good as some of the other anime films out there, has a kind of unique flavour, perhaps as a result of the film's special blend of high-tech, low life, and a distinctly graceful darkness. However, it's the music that cements this film as an atmospheric triumph. Had the narrative been expanded a bit more, I'd say this could have been an underrated classic, but don't get me wrong, it's still quite a gem of a film as it is.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
(** 1/2): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img]
I liked the animation (reminded me of the great Vampire Hunter D) and I loved the world that is created. But, the story is so confusing that I can't quite recommend it. An interesting but truly flawed piece of work.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
[b][size=5]Deep End (1971)
[/size][/b][size=5][size=2]Directed by: Jerzy Skolimowski
[img]http://www.psychodelicates.com/P%20-%20Big%20John%20Moulder%20Brown%20in%20Deep%20End.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.polishculture.org.uk/jpgs/skol-6.jpg[/img]
[url="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066122/"][size=4]Here is the IMDB file on this movie. Because RT doesn't have it.[/size][/url]
I was in a Half-Priced Books years ago, I think I was about 17, one afternoon after I was out of class and had nothing to do, and was looking around at their film books.
I don't know what book, or why it cited this obscure british effort, but it did, and I've been a little obsessed with seeing it ever since.
It doesn't exist on DVD, I'm not sure if it exists on ligitimate VHS (I don't think it does), but its the ONLY movie I've ever asked Scarecrow Video for that they didn't have.
But, I FINALLY got a bootleg copy off of E-bay.
Anyhow, just in case you hadn't already noticed, this is NOT 'The Deep End' with Tilda Swinton (although that is a fine film), but a british psychosexual drama about a young boy who works in a London Bathhouse and becomes obsessed with his older, beautiful coworker Susan, who's a bit of a slut, and a total tease to him.
Anyhow, it's pretty much what I expected. It's not as quite as good as I hoped it would be, but its much better then I feared it could be as well. It's full of good, haunting imagery, and the characters are so bizzar and facinating that you are never board. They do a good job of setting up Susan (played by Jane Asher, who apparently is famous for the original version of 'Alfie' with Michael Cain). She's a total cock tease, and they handle that aspect of her better then most films do. Most films create that character by having her wear low cut shirts and say a few provocative things. Susan's much more complex, and a lot more interesting and real.
The bootleg isn't the worst quality I've seen, but it still pretty much looks like it was taped off TV or something. I hope Anchor Bay or Criterion or another DVD collection that specializes in stuff like this picks it up one of these days.
[i][size=4]8.0
[/size][/i][size=4][size=2]EDIT: Apparently, Jane Asher was once Paul McCartney's fiancee. Huh.
[/size][/size][i][size=4]
[/size][/i][size=4][size=2][b][size=5]Darkside Blues[/size][/b]
Directed by: Yoshimichi Furukawa
[img]http://movies.nnov.ru/Covers/Darkside%20Blues.jpg[/img]
I'm not much of an anime fan. I saw this because I picked up a VHS tape of it at one of those Wearhouse 'get whatever you can put in a box for 10' sales at a Half Priced Books sale (Half Priced Books seems to have a lot to do with this entry).
Anyhow, it's like most anime. I don't dislike it, and I can understand other people enjoying it more then me, but I just don't get why it's better then your typical saturday morning cartoon. Bleh. Call me uncultured I guess.
[size=4][i]5.0[/i][/size]
[/size][/size][/size][/size]
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Another movie I saw when I was younger so I didn't really get to appreciate it. I'd like to see this one again too
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Very pretty. I liked it, but was this a series, because I feel like I missed some plot?
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not a bad Anime film.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/02/23
Full Review
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