Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Noein
Blue snow hearkens the arrival of of dimensional visitors from this beautifully drawn anime. We meet a group of 12-year-old children just as they are leaving for their summer holiday. They greet us with typical large round eyes and flowing wind blown hair.
As I've said many times, I can't do subtitles, so we watched the English version. Though the songs at the beginning and end of each episode are both in Japanese. They may be the same song, I don't have an ear keen enough to tell. They set a nice mood for the series.
The dimensional travelers wear long flowing cloaks and more than one let their hair flow over their eyes. It seems strange to me that Japanese obsess on Anglo features, but clearly show the culture of japan. I guess Caucasian people have more variety in hair and eye color.
Two of the kids live near each other and have been friends for a long time. It's clear the girl cares for the boy but they are a bit too young for "romantic" love. The boy wants to run away and tries to get the girl to go with him. The dimensional beings interfere with their plans. One of the beings believes the girl is what he calls a "Dragon Torque."
As the series progresses they talk about quantum physics and the theories on how alternative dimensions work, which is all accurate from my understanding of the topic. Don't worry, it's way more action and intrigue than it sounds.
Head on out to Coos Bay Library for this stunning film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0872308/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Now Voyager
Dowdy spinster daughter Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis) keeps to herself. Her mother rules over her and keeps her chubby and unattractive. All her siblings are older, but her sister-in-law wants to help. She brings a nice doctor in to interview her. He finds her charming and creative and invites her to his clinic to "treat" her. Really he just wants to teach her how to be an independent person with hopes and dreams of her own.
She's set to leave the sanitarium when her sister-in-law has the idea, with the doctors approval, of sending the now beautiful young lady on a sea voyage. While on the boat she meets a nice older man and they become very close. Unfortunately, he's married, so they part and she goes back to her mother.
Because Charlotte has changed, she reacts to her mother as an adult and acts as she wishes. She's charming and poised and has learned to make friends easily. Her mother threatens to cut her off, but she just smiles and tells her she will just have to find work.
I've never been so charmed by Davis before. She's usually so tough and strong in the characters she plays. She positively blossomed on screen. The plot goes on, but I wont spoil it for you. I liked how it went directions I didn't expect. Well worth the viewing.
Look for nice performances by Paul Henreid, Claude Rains and Gladys Cooper. North Bend Library has the only copy of this DVD.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
