2023
Mars Express
Mars Express follows an overly tenacious detective who is out to nab a robot hacker, that is jail breaking robots so they’re no longer constrained by cyber-law.
Through her investigation she ends up finding more questions than answers, leading her down a wild goose chase, where she gets caught up in an unraveling conspiracy - that will change the world as she knows it.
This is a bold and daring sci-fi thriller, that will capture any utopian idea you have of the future, and smash it into oblivion.
The opening scene is like a vice grip that way it grabs your attention, immediately sparking your curiosity into a relentless pursuit for answers.
I love how it doesn’t shrink in the face of its ambitious storytelling, but continues to take on even bigger ideas that will leave you questioning the answers you’ve received, and linger on the mystery of what was left behind.
This felt like a mix between Westworld, and I, Robot (this will definitely be made into a live action series or movie)- where the consciousness of the robot is the initial worry, but how it’s managed by humans is the real problem.
Ecosystems change when new elements arrive, so it begs the question - can we live harmoniously alongside our machine counterparts?
Mars Express confidently tackles that question and the future, with the gravitas of a Satoshi Kon film, taking its place as the must-see, sci-fi movie of 2023.
Enjoy!
8.7/10
Runtime: 1hr31mins
Where: Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Mars Express Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Animation #Animated #Art #Space #Movie #MovieReview #French #France #AnnecyFilmFestival #MarsExpress #AnnecyFestival
Art College 1994 🖼
Art College 1994 follows best friends Xiajun and Rabbit, two students attending the Chinese Southern Academy of Arts who are trying to create a memorable, everlasting art piece but amidst all of that they have to figure out whether their pursuit for the arts is even reasonable - especially when post-graduation life awaits them, and love enters the fray.
For anyone who has ever pursued something artistic, continues to express themselves in a creative medium, with conviction but a lack of acknowledgement - this story was tailor made for you.
It’s a story that follows artists in their younger days trying to make sense of what art is, who then begin to understand its anything anyone thinks it is, or wants it to be - while philosophizing those points into a void canvas of eternal creative dread.
I think the pacing may not be for everyone but I felt it fit perfectly for the time in one’s life where every decision feels monumental, forcing you to make the most of a moment in time that you feel is about to setup the rest of your life.
This was at its best when we got to watch the philosophical banter between friends make sense of the world around them, like how academics isn’t able to keep up with the wave of changes in art, and the passion for your creation outweighing it’s public perception.
As I continue to write about visual stories, I’ve begun to really admire those who are willing to be courageous enough to place their work in front of the world be judged because you learn through this that the beauty of the creation is always left in the eye of the beholder, and never in the creator.
It goes on to discuss how artists look for inspiration to create art, while the general public look for inspiration in art - and how tough it is to be original, to be unique, and toughest of all - to be first.
This is a slow burn that is fueled by 90s angst, about artistic integrity and freedom, and one’s drive to create something that will stand the test of time - while being a humbling reminder that though you may process life through your imagination, the real world waits - and life goes on.
Enjoy!
7.1/10 🎥 🍿
Runtime: 1hr59mins
Where: Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Art College 1994 (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#MovieReview #Movie #Animation #Animated #MementoInternational #AnnecyFilmFestival #ArtCollege1994
Carne de Dios ️⛪️ Flesh of God
Carne de Dios follows a Spanish priest who has fallen ill somewhere along the mountainside of Mexico, where he must seek the aid of an indigenous shaman who will try an ancient ritual to nurse the evangelizer - back to full health.
This story set during colonial times showcases the fractured relationship between the preaching newcomers and the tortured natives - who must navigate a new world where their traditions are no longer respected, that’s until one’s life is on the line.
There’s this demonization of the other that’s evident throughout the story, but when the demonization is coming from a servant of god who has invaded someone else’s homeland, it begins to raise some complex questions on the misguided reasoning of how some perceive good and evil.
Carne de Dios ends up becoming an unhinged trip into the psyche of a god fearing sinner, exploring their spirituality, perverse relationship with sexuality, and the judgement they receive for their past transgressions.
It's a chilling watch, with so many unfolding layers that perfectly capture the haunting, and disillusioned relationship some have with religion - trying to be almighty when they are no better than those they cast judgement on.
This is how I interpreted a story with few words, that does a tremendous job of showing rather than telling, in a mind melting, psychedelic trip - into the soul of a sinner.
Enjoy!
8.4/10 🍿 🎥
Runtime: 21mins
Where: #AnnecyFestival
Carne de Dios Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#ShortFilm #Animation #Animated #AnnecyFilmFestival #CarnedeDios #FleshofGod
11 ⚽️
11 is an animated short film that follows three football players through an abstract, yet literal paint by numbers dissection of what goes on in their minds - in the moments leading up to a penalty kick.
There’s a frequency you’re on when you’re playing sports, where you’re trying to connect a bunch of split second decisions with a multitude of moving parts, trying to make them come together for a common goal - and this does those moment justice.
As someone who enjoys going to museums and art exhibits, I’ll always be the first to admit that sometimes I have no idea what I’m looking at. Especially when it comes to abstract art, 99% of the time it looks like squiggles and blobs but while watching this, I finally understood the appeal of it.
It’s a very “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” watch because what I was in awe of, the weaving of one’s history, exchange of energy, and balance of power - will go over a lot of peoples heads if they’ve never been in that moment.
Not only did this show me soccer in a way I’ve never seen before, it made me understand that to the untrained eye some art can seem random, but to the right eye it will speak volumes.
This won’t be for everyone but it will work wonders for the imagination of those who’ve lived that experience, in a masterful abstract interpretation that poetically conveys how a player can either ride the wave of momentum - or drown deep in a crowds roar.
Enjoy!
9/10 🍿 🎥
Runtime: 6mins
Where: Annecy International Animation Film Festival
11 Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Soccer #Art #ShortFilm #Animation #Animated #MovieReview #Movie #AnnecyFilmFestival
Deep Sea 深海
Deep Sea is a story of a young girl named Shenxiu, who while trying to process her parents separation, ends up having to join her remarried father and his new family on a cruise.
On that cruise, she begins to hear the song her mother used to sing to her roaring against the waves - which ends up whisking her away into a mysterious underwater world - where she will set out on a journey beyond her wildest dreams.
This is one of those movies I wish I could watch again for the first time.
It’s a visual escapade that magically transports you into this whimsically crafted world, packed to the brim with colourfully rich detail - like a wet canvas, that just drips off the screen.
What Spirited Away is for a lot of people, this was for me.
It tragically captured the unintentional defence mechanisms children create to cope with neglect, or in this case - feeling abandoned.
At times it plays like a bout with depression, making you think you’ve shaken off the dark cloud hovering over you - just to end up facing the thrash of a wave, that pulls you back in.
Even with all that, it does a great job of contrasting its mature themes with a family friendly story, a story you’ll wish was never ending.
The main reason you’ll wish it never ends is because it introduces us to of one of the most loveable characters of the year in Chef Nanhe, who I promise you’ll miss as soon as the movies over.
I’ll admit this does drag a bit in the middle, but that also felt like it’s time to flex its incredible animation, and give the viewer the chance to admire the piece of art Deep Sea truly is.
This is one of the most vibrant, entrancing, spectacles you’ll see this year. It’s an experience to behold, with a story that is just as inspiring as its animation - both showcasing the true power of a child’s imagination.
Enjoy!
9/10
Runtime: 1hr52mins
Where: Tribeca Film Festival & Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Deep Sea Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Animation #3DAnimation #Anime #Cartoon #Movie #MovieReview #China #Chinese #AnnecyFilmFestival #TribecaFilmFestival #Tribeca2023 #AnnecyFestival
White Plastic Sky ☁️
White Plastic Sky is set in the “not to distant future” where in a a post-apocalyptic Budapest a man steps outside of the city biodome, to save his wife from making a life altering decision.
Though the story is grounded in the desire to care for those you love, the intrigue of a world where humans are only allowed to live until the age of 50 will be the spark that cements your curiosity in the roots of the why of it all.
he way this world navigates the value of life will be a great conversation starter. It’s an interesting debate about the greater good versus the singular life, and how the nutrients that can be derived from humans may supersede the need to have a prolonged life that has diminishing returns. That creates more questions about the ethics behind managing overpopulation, and how much trust can be given to biotech oligarchies.
The tough part for me was that at times a lot of what was going on felt hollow. The world building is so ambitious and rich with information, that it begins to overshadow the human element of the story. It also takes a few minutes to get used to the uncanny valley that comes with the combination of rotoscope and CG animation, that ends up creating a unique sense of realism.
This world is either Mother natures attempt at sense of humour showing humans how fickle their lives really are, or her understandable revenge, as earth reaches a decaying point of no return.
As romantic and inspiring as it is to watch a man move mountains to save the love of this life from doing something irreversible, the world this couple resides in, how it functions, and what got it to this point - is what will keep you curious until the bitter end.
Enjoy!
7.1/10 🍿 🎥
Runtime: 1hr50mins
Where: Annecy International Animated Film Festival & Vancouver International Film Festival.
White Plastic Sky Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Animated #Animation #Budapest #Hungary #AnnecyFilmFestival #Annecy2023 #WhitePlasticSky
Elemental
Elemental follows the story of Ember Lumen, who has to manage her parents expectations of her taking over the family business with a budding romance she knows they will disapprove of, that will test the foundational rule they have all come to know - some elements just do not mix.
The last batch of Pixar movies have been underwhelming to say the least, so it was a nice surprise to watch what felt like a return to form for one of the most beloved animation studios.
This story of star crossed lovers provides a heartfelt take on one’s first love, and is able to capture the butterfly feeling of that connection, and all the little moments that make that love so precious. That somehow make the world you already knew, that much better.
I will say the characters do more for the story, than the story does for the characters, but the more intimate, lighthearted moments - will make up for the roundabout way it gets to its ending.
What I enjoyed the most was watching as each detail was unveiled of this fully realized and functioning world. The characters somehow made so much sense, and were crafted out of an idea I’ll admit I was very skeptical of - that I ended up wishing we had the chance to explore even more.
This hits on a lot of the same beats as Zootopia, but still unique unto itself - as an endearing story about coexisting with the world at large, understanding that getting to do what you want is a luxury, and turned what could’ve been a Shakespearean tragedy of a lovers peril, into a happily ever after.
Enjoy!
7.3/10
Runtime: 1hr46mins
Where: In Theatres June 16
Elemental Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Disney #Animation #Animated #LeahLewis #MamoudouAthie #CatherineOHara #Water #Fire #Movie #MovieReview #AnnecyFestival #Tribeca2023 #Pixar #Elemental
Tunnel to Summer, Exit to Goodbye ️ | 夏へのトンネル、さよならの出口
Tunnel to Summer, Exit to Goodbye follows two lonely strangers at a train station, who may have found a way to resurrect their remorse filled past - or at the very least, come to terms with it.
This is another addition to the time travelling/multiversal Anime of 2023.
In this we have a cave that holds a ripple in the fabric of time, that these two high school-ers try to understand through an exhausting process of trial and error.
The process is forgettable, but the heart of this film isn’t, as these two begin to find solace in each others company - opening up about the childhood trauma that’s driven them to where they are now.
I appreciated the sentiment of a story that showcases two people who are willing to break down their walls, make peace with their past, and find closure that will help them move forward into a brighter future - but there was something very familiar about this, that didn’t really move the needle for me in regards to claiming this as a worthwhile time travel, or slice of life story.
It was still serviceable enough because it’s able to hit on so many of the formulaic tropes of a teen angst story in anime, that I think will really hit the mark for those who seek out that subsection of the genre.
Enjoy!
6.8/10
Runtime: 1hr22mins
Where: Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Tunnel to Summer, Exit to Goodbye Review (2023) The Richmond Reviewer.
#Movie #MovieReview #TimeTravel #Anime #AnimeReview #Animation #Tokyo #Crunchyroll #Japan #アニメ #漫画 #日本 #AnnecyMifa #KaoruTono #AnzuHanashiro #AnnecyFilmFestival