esquared-1 Reviews

Tales from Earthsea (2006)

A very solid debut from a man standing in a gigantic fatherly shadow.

[8/10 · 22 May 2007]

Better than I expected, a fantastic debut from Goro Miyazaki (son of Hayao Miyazaki) and a worthy addition to Ghibli's consistently brilliant catalog. It follows the prince Arren, as he runs from his kingdom and encounters a wizard named Ged. From here, he is drawn into a classic good versus evil battle. Goro Miyazaki's film bares a lot of similarities to his father's films, but lacks some of the whimsical nature that makes Hayao's movies so distinct. Tales from Earthsea is a more subdued film than films such as Spirited Away and Porco Rosso, and doesn't really hit the emotional or imaginative heights that Hayao Miyazaki's films do. But this isn't always a bad thing - It's simply Goro's style, and this element makes his film a more traditional, perhaps more sensible narrative. Goro has taken a somewhat conservative route with this film - visually and audibly it's classic Ghibli, full of lush environments and excellent animation. In terms of narrative, it carries classic Ghibli (particularly Miyazaki) hallmarks - epic battles of good and evil, cathartic journeys, and the hospitality and grace of ordinary people - but it also has more of a traditional narrative. Good and evil are, unlike many his father's films, clearly defined, and the events of the film lack the extravagance (and imagination) of Hayao's films. It's a wise move - rather than try to re-invent the wheel, Goro has made a wonderfully solid and cohesive film.

To simply compare Goro Miyazaki (and his film) to his father is unfair and sells a great movie short - he has obviously inherited a tremendous flair for storytelling, and with Ghibli's animation team behind him, has created a fantastic debut film. There's another Miyazaki in town - and i can't wait to see where he goes next.

Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That! (2006)

A great concert ruined by a concept that simply doesn't work

[3/10 · 5 July 2006]

Bootlegging has a long tradition in music. The practice of bringing in anything from a tape recorder, to a camcorder, to a minidisc recorder, to a camera phone to capture the memories of a concert has been a big part of fan communities for as long as the technology has existed, and a truly well-recorded bootleg can intimately convey a stunning live performance, with all its glorious imperfections and emotions.

Adam Yauch aka MCA aka Nathaniel Hornblower attempts to tap into this, albeit on a much larger scale, with the concept of the film being that it is comprised of 50 hi-8 cameras handed out to audience members. The result is "Awesome; I F*ckin' Shot That!", a film that is billed as "an official bootleg", and is intended to be a genuine, intimate and fan-centric concert film.

Unfortunately, the film comprehensively misses the mark, with almost every aspect of the production amounting to a frustrating and ultimately unrewarding concert film. There are several factors in this - the first being the cameras themselves. With all of the cameras handed out being Hi-8 cameras, the quality of the footage is frustratingly low, not only being consistently inferior to a decent unofficial bootleg, but often bordering on unwatchable. Stage lighting often reduces the Beastie Boys to unfocused silhouettes, many of the shots (perhaps a majority) have stuttering frame-rates, and zoomed camera shots from the back of Madison Square Gardens make shots unbearably shaky, with the enthusiasm of the amateur cameramen making many shots unwatchable, rather than giving the sense of contagious and spontaneous excitement that Yauch strives to create. Adding to the strife is Yauch's editing. Some truly shocking camera shots, apparently the pick of the bunch, are used throughout the film, and the editing is so fast-paced that it is near-impossible to pay attention to any single shot at any time. There are occasional breaths of fresh air - several friends of the band were given DV cameras and prime positions close to the stage, giving clear and enjoyable shots, especially when compared to the rest of the material, but these shots are few and far between. In addition to this, Yauch adds effects to the film towards the latter half, used on occasional songs, with the effects used making the footage even more frustrating to watch - they are hardly impressive, often giving the images the appearance of a cheap photoshop filter, and long overstaying their welcome (typically, they are used for the entire duration of a song.)

All of these elements combine to create visuals that are quite simply, at best an epileptic's nightmare, and at worst utterly unwatchable. The film is not only a struggle to watch, but is also unrewarding, and even the greatest Beastie Boys fan will find this a frustrating film to watch. The film is somewhat redeemed by the other elements - the performance itself is dynamite, with the Beastie Boys in fine form, and playing a fantastic setlist that delivers hit after hit, from across their body of work. The sound mix is also very good, with thumping bass and a great live ambiance, although at times some of the lyrics are indistinguishable. The film also has occasional touches of humor, which make it much more enjoyable at times. But ultimately, the film is such a labor to watch that these merits really do not make it worthwhile. It is quite a shame that Yauch fails so drastically here, as the material given suggests a thoroughly captivating and enjoyable live music experience. But the ambitious scope of the film backfires on Yauch, and instead of an intimate and honest concert portrayal, it is a thoroughly detached experience, with the rapid-fire barrage of frustratingly poor camera shots making the film simply too difficult to be enjoyable.

A good bootleg captures the essence of a live show, with its ambiance and flaws often giving a captivating experience. Unfortunately, the massive venue and inexperience of the bootleggers themselves accentuate the problems with bootlegged shows, while the editing and post-production are the height of the problems found with fast-paced, MTV style concert films of today. "Awesome... I F*ckin' Shot That!" exists in a no-mans land between these conflicting forms, giving the merits of neither and the troubles of both, resulting in a frustrating and unfulfilling experience.