The Golden Globe Nominations have been announced, and Ghibli Freaks will be paying special attention to the Animation and Foreign Film categories. Sadly, Ponyo did not receive any nominations.
The movies nominated for Best Animated Feature Film include Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog, and Up.
While I would have been thrilled to see Miyazaki's Ponyo given a nod, it most likely would have to be in the Foreign Language category, and not the Animation Feature. American movies take center stage in this venue, and this year has been excellent for the animation medium. There's just a lot of competition this time around.
I have to say I'm happy to see Coraline and Fantastic Mr. Fox given nominations. I wouldn't expect either to win (Pixar will wrap up the award once again), but it's very good news to see these more independent-minded (and inventive) films acknowledged. I would like to see more films like those. I'd like to see the medium expand and grow, and not merely rehash or mimic what Pixar has done.
I know it's a silly old cliche, but sometimes, it really is good enough just to be nominated. The artists behind these films should feel proud. And they should feel inspired to create more intelligent, original movies. The animation medium is dependent on fresh ideas, not formula. Let's hope some good comes from this.
The big question, for me, is what this suggest for the Oscar nominations. The Golden Globes are often viewed as an early indicator of where the Motion Picture Academy will go. That's probably truer for the major acting categories, and less so for the "minor" categories, but this does suggest where
Obviously, I think Ponyo deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Animation Feature. Heck, I think it deserves a nod for Best Picture, and I've harped on that enough. But it is quite possible that Hollywood will decide that Hayao Miyazaki has already been recognized for his achievements when he won the Oscar for Spirited Away. The Golden Globe nominations suggest this. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
2009-12-16
Hayao Miyazaki's Thoughts on Pixar's Up
A dedicated reader passed along this Youtube link, a segment from Japanese television showing Hayao Miyazaki welcoming Pete Doctor and Pixar and discussing their latest movie, Up. The video clip includes subtitles of Miyazaki's comments, but only in Japanese. I'm sure this will make it easier for someone to translate it into English.
If someone could help out with that, it would be greatly appreciated. You could either send me an email so I could post it here, or you could just use the comments.
Back From Vacation
Hello, everybody! I'm back from a two-week stint of battling the flu, and spending time with the future wife down in Bogota. I just got back home earlier tonight, and I've been digging through overdue emails and resolving to get back to work on the Ghibli Blog.
News was pretty slow the last few months, but it appears that things are picking up again. This can only be a good thing. My deep thanks and gratitude to the community of Ghibli Freaks, every one of you who have opinions to share, questions to ask, and story tips to pass along. This site wouldn't be possible without you.
News was pretty slow the last few months, but it appears that things are picking up again. This can only be a good thing. My deep thanks and gratitude to the community of Ghibli Freaks, every one of you who have opinions to share, questions to ask, and story tips to pass along. This site wouldn't be possible without you.
2009-12-02
TV Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
(Update: This video has since been removed from Youtube. Sorry.)
I see that A Charlie Brown Christmas is playing on the teevee this week, so I had to show it here on the blog. It's much easier this way. You won't have to feel frustrated with network-imposed cuts and too many commercials. And watching online has a certain anti-establishment feel, which Charles Shultz' holiday classic shares.
I always say this is my favorite American animation of all, and I mean that sincerely. I love the art style. I love the way the Peanuts characters are brought to life on the screen. I love those jazzy off-color backgrounds for the closeups. Most of all, I love the story, so simple and sincere. It's a story about childhood and the need to preserve their innocence from the cynicism of the adult world. It's joyous for the sake of being joyous. Moments come and go for no greater purpose than to depict daily life. I'm thinking especially of the terrific opening on the lake.
In this regard, A Charlie Brown Christmas is the American Totoro. For all the praise given to Hayao Miyazaki, I can't name a single animation produced in this country that strives to capture Totoro's lifelike pastoral feel. Sparky Shultz and Bill Melendez were the only ones to ever pull it off.
And I am still amazed that this cartoon was even allowed on the air. A prime-time cartoon show that decries and openly mocks commercialism? Don't they know last week was Black Friday, the most important day of the year? I got a lot invested in this ride! Shut up! Look at my furrowed brows of worry...this has to be real.
Ahem. Don't know how I thought up Bill Hicks just there. Maybe A Charlie Brown Christmas, as the saying goes, comes from a more innocent time. Maybe the television medium was still new enough for more experimental content. Maybe mass media has too much money attached to it in the 21st Century. I wonder, as I munch on my Dolly Madisons, could Charlie Brown be made today, the same as it was in 1964? What challenges would today's animators face? Could the internet make a difference as an alternative outlet, away from the conglomerates who own the networks? I'm really curious to know that, and I'd like to hear what the animation community as to say.
In any case, enjoy Charlie Brown. This is one of the hallowed holiday traditions, like egg nog and Nat King Cole records and snow days. Enjoy.
I see that A Charlie Brown Christmas is playing on the teevee this week, so I had to show it here on the blog. It's much easier this way. You won't have to feel frustrated with network-imposed cuts and too many commercials. And watching online has a certain anti-establishment feel, which Charles Shultz' holiday classic shares.
I always say this is my favorite American animation of all, and I mean that sincerely. I love the art style. I love the way the Peanuts characters are brought to life on the screen. I love those jazzy off-color backgrounds for the closeups. Most of all, I love the story, so simple and sincere. It's a story about childhood and the need to preserve their innocence from the cynicism of the adult world. It's joyous for the sake of being joyous. Moments come and go for no greater purpose than to depict daily life. I'm thinking especially of the terrific opening on the lake.
In this regard, A Charlie Brown Christmas is the American Totoro. For all the praise given to Hayao Miyazaki, I can't name a single animation produced in this country that strives to capture Totoro's lifelike pastoral feel. Sparky Shultz and Bill Melendez were the only ones to ever pull it off.
And I am still amazed that this cartoon was even allowed on the air. A prime-time cartoon show that decries and openly mocks commercialism? Don't they know last week was Black Friday, the most important day of the year? I got a lot invested in this ride! Shut up! Look at my furrowed brows of worry...this has to be real.
Ahem. Don't know how I thought up Bill Hicks just there. Maybe A Charlie Brown Christmas, as the saying goes, comes from a more innocent time. Maybe the television medium was still new enough for more experimental content. Maybe mass media has too much money attached to it in the 21st Century. I wonder, as I munch on my Dolly Madisons, could Charlie Brown be made today, the same as it was in 1964? What challenges would today's animators face? Could the internet make a difference as an alternative outlet, away from the conglomerates who own the networks? I'm really curious to know that, and I'd like to hear what the animation community as to say.
In any case, enjoy Charlie Brown. This is one of the hallowed holiday traditions, like egg nog and Nat King Cole records and snow days. Enjoy.
2009-11-29
Wii Music - Chariots of Fire
There's no real reason why I'm posting this on the Ghibli Blog. I just wanted to show off all my cool songs from Wii Music. If you're the creative type at all, then Wii Music is the best thing that ever happened to you.
This is my favorite song so far, although I have a few others that are fab. The amount of freedom given to you in this music game is just staggering. It was roundly beaten senseless by critics for its looks, but don't let that distract you. Wii Music is revolutionary. Enjoy!
Australian Ponyo Blu-Ray Cancelled
The following message comes from Madman in Australia:
One common theory why the North American Ponyo BD was delayed was to give an exclusive window to Japan. Region-free players and discs make the home markets more vulnerable to imports than ever, and when you consider the high retail prices for Blr-Rays, this makes sense. If this is so, I would expect to see Ponyo in Australia about the same time as the Americans.
In any event, this is a very hard blow for fans. Whatever the reasons, everyone had their heart set on Ponyo for Christmas. That's a real shame. Somebody in the corporate food chain seriously FUBAR'd.
Please note that due to circumstances beyond our control the PONYO BLU-RAY scheduled for December 29th is canceled. Furthermore, the PONYO DVD is now a single-disc DVD product and remains scheduled for release December 29th. We thank you for your ongoing custom and apologise for any inconvenience these changes cause.
One common theory why the North American Ponyo BD was delayed was to give an exclusive window to Japan. Region-free players and discs make the home markets more vulnerable to imports than ever, and when you consider the high retail prices for Blr-Rays, this makes sense. If this is so, I would expect to see Ponyo in Australia about the same time as the Americans.
In any event, this is a very hard blow for fans. Whatever the reasons, everyone had their heart set on Ponyo for Christmas. That's a real shame. Somebody in the corporate food chain seriously FUBAR'd.
2009-11-26
The Hidden Dimension
I saw this final paragraph from Roger Ebert's review of Fantastic Mr. Fox, and I thought it perfectly aligned with my thoughts on Hayao Miyazaki's films like Ponyo. This is a paragraph that should be framed and hung in the wall of writers and storytellers everywhere:
The Hidden Dimension. I think that's a key factor in great storytelling. It's kind of like Super Mario Brothers, with coin boxes buried in the walls and hidden pipes just off the screen. Not everything needs to be shown or explained away. The mystery itself is sufficient. I think this was a point of contention for many Western viewers where Ponyo was concerned, but I think it's a great movie because of it.
Like the hero of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," also based on one of his books, the creatures of Dahl's valley seem to know more than they're letting on; perhaps even secrets we don't much want to know. Children, especially, will find things they don't understand, and things that scare them. Excellent. A good story for children should suggest a hidden dimension, and that dimension of course is the lifetime still ahead of them. Six is a little early for a movie to suggest to kids that the case is closed. Oh, what if the kids start crying about words they don't know? -- Mommy, Mommy! What's creme brulee?" Show them, for goodness sake. They'll thank you for it. Take my word on this.
The Hidden Dimension. I think that's a key factor in great storytelling. It's kind of like Super Mario Brothers, with coin boxes buried in the walls and hidden pipes just off the screen. Not everything needs to be shown or explained away. The mystery itself is sufficient. I think this was a point of contention for many Western viewers where Ponyo was concerned, but I think it's a great movie because of it.
Photos - The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro
Since I'm waiting for the family car to pick me up, I decided I should get off my duff and share some hi-res photos from Spirited Away. If you're looking for a great Thanksgiving movie to share with the family today, you can't do better than this one.
As always, click on the photos to see them in the full size. They're fairly large as they are hi-res, so please be patient if your internet connection is being a pain today.
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Hope your Turkey Day goes well and the relatives are manageable. This might be a good time to spring your Ghibli DVDs on those cousins and nephews.
2009-11-18
Short Program Note
A short program note for everyone: registration is now required for leaving comments. OpenID is available in addition to Blogger. Fortunately, all of our regulars are registered, so this shouldn't mean changes for anyone.
This is my latest salvo in the battle against spam-bots, and hopefully it will keep them out. They really are annoying...like termites who are travelling salesmen.
This is my latest salvo in the battle against spam-bots, and hopefully it will keep them out. They really are annoying...like termites who are travelling salesmen.
2009-11-09
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (Marco) Fansub Now Available!
Excellent news, everybody! 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, aka Marco, is now available for download. Yes, English subtitles are included! Just head down to the Download section and begin downloading.
The 1976 World Masterpiece Theater series is an anime masterpiece. The brainchild of Isao Takahata (director), Hayao Miyazaki (layout, continuity), and Yoichi Kotabe (character design), Marco is the second of three classic television series of the 1970s, both directed by Takahata-san - 1974's Heidi, Girl of the Alps; 1979's Anne of Green Gables.
This middle series is the most complex, and most emotional of the three. Heidi paired exuberant energy with high melodrama; Marco scuttles the niceties and goes straight for the heart. I think 3000 Leagues is the richer experience; the tragedy of Marco's suffering, and his endless search, becomes an archetype for man's search for meaning. It achieves an epic grandeur. At its heart, this is a deeply Jewish story. You almost expect God to appear at the end and deliver his speech from the Book of Job.
Once again, Neo1024 delivers the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. One request: could you break up the torrent into smaller downloads? 14GB is probably going to be too much for many people. Smaller file sizes would enable faster downloads and help make sharing easier.
Again, my deepest thanks.
2009-11-07
Night of the Living Spam-Bots
I've been getting hit with a lot of Spam-Bots in the comments for this blog recently. Thank goodness I am able to screen them out, but it's becoming a bit of a pain. Does this mean we're becoming more popular? I think we'd all agree that we would much rather have real visitors than zombies.
2009-11-03
For Your Consideration
If you visit Cartoon Brew this morning, you'll see Disney's banner ads at the top of the page. These are "For Your Consideration" ads for the upcoming Oscar awards season. Ponyo is pitched as a potential nominee for Best Animated Feature, while Pixar's Up is pitched for Best Animated Feature and Best Picture. Very interesting.
I can't say that I'm surprised that Up is getting the Best Picture push. It is the studio's big movie of the year. And the expansion to 10 Best Picture slots will make it easier than ever for Pixar to be given a place at the table. Up's first 20 minutes pushes a lot of buttons and won over all the major critics. And I'm sure a few folks still feel that Wall-E was unjustly snubbed.
However, I'm going to continue to insist that Ponyo is the animation movie that deserves a Best Picture nod. It's the far better film of the two, wiser, smarter, quieter. Hayao Miyazaki is arguably the world's greatest living film director (I'd gladly hand the title to Paku-san, if only he'd get back to work!), and Ponyo is the work of a master artist at the peak of his powers.
Pixar's Up, beloved at it is, remains a deeply uneven movie to me. The marriage sequence is brilliant, wonderful, and frankly, overshadows the rest of the picture. Most of the movie is just rehashing loud Star Wars chase scenes...like practically every other summer blockbuster these days. I could care less about the talking dogs and the endless action scenes and the impossibly old Kirk Douglas who's chasing some silly bird. I cared about the marriage. That first 20 minutes should have been the entire picture, and it could have been a masterpiece.
Of course, I wouldn't expect Disney to promote a foreign movie (Ghibli) over one of their own, so I can't blame them for giving the extra push to Pixar's latest. I'd do the same in their shoes. Instead, I believe it is the imperative of every one of us, Ghibli Freaks within and without the movie business, to promote Ponyo for a Best Picture nomination.
How much does a banner ad at Cartoon Brew cost? Why not pool some money together and buy a front page ad for Ponyo? For Your Consideration - Best Picture!
Let's see what we can do to make a difference. We won't know unless we try...right?
I can't say that I'm surprised that Up is getting the Best Picture push. It is the studio's big movie of the year. And the expansion to 10 Best Picture slots will make it easier than ever for Pixar to be given a place at the table. Up's first 20 minutes pushes a lot of buttons and won over all the major critics. And I'm sure a few folks still feel that Wall-E was unjustly snubbed.
However, I'm going to continue to insist that Ponyo is the animation movie that deserves a Best Picture nod. It's the far better film of the two, wiser, smarter, quieter. Hayao Miyazaki is arguably the world's greatest living film director (I'd gladly hand the title to Paku-san, if only he'd get back to work!), and Ponyo is the work of a master artist at the peak of his powers.
Pixar's Up, beloved at it is, remains a deeply uneven movie to me. The marriage sequence is brilliant, wonderful, and frankly, overshadows the rest of the picture. Most of the movie is just rehashing loud Star Wars chase scenes...like practically every other summer blockbuster these days. I could care less about the talking dogs and the endless action scenes and the impossibly old Kirk Douglas who's chasing some silly bird. I cared about the marriage. That first 20 minutes should have been the entire picture, and it could have been a masterpiece.
Of course, I wouldn't expect Disney to promote a foreign movie (Ghibli) over one of their own, so I can't blame them for giving the extra push to Pixar's latest. I'd do the same in their shoes. Instead, I believe it is the imperative of every one of us, Ghibli Freaks within and without the movie business, to promote Ponyo for a Best Picture nomination.
How much does a banner ad at Cartoon Brew cost? Why not pool some money together and buy a front page ad for Ponyo? For Your Consideration - Best Picture!
Let's see what we can do to make a difference. We won't know unless we try...right?
2009-10-30
The Blu-Ray Blog Gets the Scoop on Ponyo
I just wanted to give a shout-out to The Blu-Ray Blog, for breaking the latest scoop on Ponyo's US DVD and Blu-Ray releases. You can read their Ponyo post here. Great work, guys!
Hmm...looking closer at the DVD + plush package, I'm noticing that the DVD name-drops Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." Interesting. You always have to do this sort of thing with Americans, in order to get them to try something new. If it works, it works. I think the stuffed Ponyo will help sell the movie more than anything.
Hmm...looking closer at the DVD + plush package, I'm noticing that the DVD name-drops Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." Interesting. You always have to do this sort of thing with Americans, in order to get them to try something new. If it works, it works. I think the stuffed Ponyo will help sell the movie more than anything.
Ponyo DVD + Plush Gift Set Comng March 2010
Ponyo US producer Frank Marshall discussed the upcoming Ponyo DVD and Blu-Ray on his Twitter page. He confirms again that the release has been pushed back, from December 8 to next March. It's unfortunate, yes...but look at what we're getting!
The Ponyo DVD will be packaged with a plush Ponyo as a gift set. This really looks terrific, and marks the first time any Ghibli merchandise was made available in the US. Hayao Miyazaki has always been very strict on this matter, refusing to grant merchandising rights to Disney.
I have no idea if this means Ghibli and Disney have come to a new arrangement. I remember that My Neighbor Totoro is expected to be reissued on DVD soon...a stuffed Totoro or Cat Bus would be terrific. It would also sell like hotcakes, and be a great boon for Ghibli in the States. It's all about Merchandising! Merchandising! in the movie business.
Frank Marshall suggests that Blu-Ray Ponyo could be packaged with a plush if the DVD gift set proves successful. I'm sure we'll all be crossing our fingers.
The American Ponyo and BD will also include a "World of Ghibli" feature, which I'm guessing is one of those standard retrospectives on the studio. If the edited documentary on the Nausicaa DVD is any indication, then I'd expect Disney to blot out any mention of movies not being released on their label. But I would hope that all of Ghibli's films would be mentioned and respected.
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