The "I Just Watched..." Thread

[YellerDog]

Star Trek was pretty great.

[foodadd]

Star Trek was very great.

[bbobb]

Star Trek was uber great.

[Diff-chan]

I doubt that

[YellerDog]

Doesn't matter.

[bbobb]

I have no idea since I haven't seen it, just wanted to keep the trend going.

[Fe 26]

omg this is amazing

http://www.collegehumor.com/post/703...-morty-fuckman

[EvilMog]

Star Trek Beyond. It was alright. Had a few feels moments and was more fun than the last one. Overall it just another ok movie in the Summer of Meh.

[Gondolin]

My wife and I got that Miyazaki box set recently. We started with Kiki's Delivery Service because she had never seen it. I loved this in 7th grade when it was one of about four anime tapes at the rental place near my dad's house. Now... not so much. Kiki is overbearingly earnest and the whole movie overflows with saccharine good intentions unchecked by the darkness or loneliness of most Ghibli movies. It took me until Kiki becomes a shoe-gazing mope to become invested (and this was almost certainly the reason I loved it when I did), but what little emotional complexity it has comes late in the film and is resolved neatly and immediately.

It was the first time I've ever felt too old to be watching a Miyazaki movie for myself.

Anyway, Castle in the Sky is next because that's the one I haven't seen!

Not trying to pick a fight here, but why does Kiki's being a mostly lighthearted film = a bad thing?

I've noticed that Studio Ghibli has resolved several of its movies in that same abrupt manner. It's always bothered me. And I agree that getting older is a bummer. The only emotional response that I've had from Ghibli's more recent offerings is from seeing the gorgeous hand-drawn art, which is always a treat. I haven't been able to connect with these films otherwise and I don't think it's because the writing is that much worse than the older stuff, I think I've just grown out of it.

[A Robot Bit Me]

It's not bad per se, but I like seeing complicated things worked out (or failing to be worked out) in movies be they emotionally, politically, or aesthetically complicated. I like when movies insist I think about them for a long time. There's nothing complicated about Kiki. All the Ghiblis are movies for kids, but Kiki is the only one that feels like a kids' movie.

Cow brought up Ponyo as a movie that resembles Kiki, and it is in a lot of ways, but Ponyo is loaded with conflict. It has all kinds of complicated relationships going on: Ponyo versus her dad, Ponyo versus her identity, man versus environment, environment versus man. There's much more in Ponyo to chew on emotionally and politically as much as the dub undermines the latter.

And Kiki plays it just as safe visually as it does emotionally. Try to think of as many shots from Ponyo or Totoro as you can. I can think of a lot. Now recall the Kiki shots that left an impression on you. Nothing from the time she gets a job through the end of the movie stuck with me.

Not a horrible movie. I just wouldn't recommend it before I would any other Ghibli.