Reviews by Lexi

''It's all so familiar yet I know I've never been here before. I feel so at home.''

When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.

Christian Bale: Howl

Hauru no ugoku shiro(2004), known to us as Howl's Moving Castle was greeted with numerous reviews not equaling those that Spirited Away received, which is understandable yet undeserving. Miyazaki tells his tale outside the parameters of Western storyline structure. Taking liberties with every aspect, telling it how he wants it to be told, and at first it is a little strange because of the failure recognitive of classic plot points we are so used to seeing; critics have marked it as below par Miyazaki on account of this. I find this ridiculous, and so does Miyazaki. In an interview Miyazaki said "The fact that you would expect a story to be told a certain way is ridiculous." I quite agree Mr. Miyazaki.



The film is among his best, abundant in rich imagination and delightful characters set in a world of fantastical sights and sounds, Where everyone has a fly-machine(Miyazaki is an aviation fanatic), where wizards walk among the common folk.
The film was not released in the United Kingdom until 23 September 2005, yet Director Hayao Miyazaki personally travelled to England in the summer of 2004 to give a private showing of the film to Diana Wynne Jones, a very respectful act. Dianne Wynne Jones, the writer of the book Howls Moving Castle; upon which this film is based combines the essence of the story Jones wrote with the style and art of Miyazaki.

The premise and plot; Young Sophie Hatter is cursed by the Witch of the Waste, and turns into an old hag. Ashamed of how she looks, she flees into the hills where a moving castle roams the hills. This castle known to belong to the young and handsome wizard Howl; whom has a bad reputation. Within the castle, Sophie befriends the fire demon Calcifer who promises to help her become young again. One catch, she must help Calcifer to be free of Howl, and Calcifer cannot tell her how. However, Sophie agrees to stay and try and find out about the contract threw other ways. Still, Howl can see that Sophie is under a spell (like Calcifer can) and falls in love with her for who she is and not what she looks like. Sophie manages to bring life to the moving castle, and help Howl to face his former tutor, Madam Sulimen.

Howl's Moving Castle is riddled with classic Miyazaki: strong women characters, open landscapes, flying machines that are so fantastical you don't care whether the make sense or not, and the horridness of war. These add strength to the love story of Howl and Sofi. Miyazaki uses his wonderful power to take classic, almost mythological and fantasy laden story of Dianne Wynne Jones we all know, and archetypal characters and make them a vision of his own making. He does this with a host of wonderful characters. More strange creatures play prominent role here then any other Miyazaki film.
The film even sometimes surpasses Spirited Away in sheer scope and majesty. There is Calcifer, the wonderfully comic fire demon, on Turniphead; the Scarecrow that leads Sofi to Howl's magical moving castle. The castle itself is one reason to see the film. Miyazaki succeeds in giving the castle life and personality. It lumbers along on its thin chicken-like legs, every atom of it's being pushing, pulling, pumping and gyrating in perfect synchronization.

What is truly mesmerizing about Howl's Moving Castle is how it reaches the imagination and fantasy that Spirited Away had; while with the subtlety and moral splicing of Princess Mononoke while standing on its own in perfectly unique way. There have been complaints of lack of proper character development, but like the point before this is no ordinary story. The characters are thrust into a world they do not know, and there they must adapt, and live outside what they have known all their lives. It is not a story of who they were, but what they have become, or what they must become in order to meet their existences purpose. It does not dwell on the past, and gets into the thick of the story; not pausing for flashback explanations we have come to know. It is like nothing I have ever seen before.

To summarize the whole experience : the American voice casting is brilliant, possibly the best assemble ever on a Miyazaki film, which is saying quite alot. Billy Crystal, Christian Bale(Upon seeing Miyazaki'sSpirited Away, Christian Bale immediately agreed to play any role in this film), Lauren Bacall, Jean Simmons and others provide perfect voice overs. Please, if you enjoy Miyazaki and you have not seen this yet, I recommend you do as soon as possible for you will of course fall in love with it. To summarize
Hayao Miyazaki's achievement with making a visionary film from a book should be summed up by the writer. A fitting way to end my review and sum up the film would be to quote Diana Wynne Jones thoughts on the film, "It's fantastic. No, I have no input - I write books, not films. Yes it will be different from the book; in fact it's likely to be very different, but that's as it should be. It will still be a fantastic film." Take her word for it and mine; It IS a fantastic film.

''You who swallowed a falling star, o' heartless man, your heart shall soon be mine. That can't be good for the table.''

''A girl just fell from the sky.''

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.

James Van Der Beek: Pazu

Hayao Miyazaki cream of the animation world with his deliciously successfully epics; maker and writer of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, establishing a reputation of international recognition. But, long before he made epics with environmental messages and films with magical resonance and significance, he made this; Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta(1986), better known as Castle in the Sky.



The storyline is simple; a boy becomes friend with a girl whom has fallen from the sky, but landed safely thanks to a magic medallion she possesses. They soon end up being chased by pirates and agents trying to claim her mystical medallion, as this is artifact gains access to a floating castle known as Laputa; This castle coincidently(or indeed destiny) is the boys dream location of visiting. So, with his passion in mind, the boy and girl eventually team up with the pirates, set off to find this castle, although they have been followed by the agents who intend to steal its rare treasury.
With such a story that is never straightforward, there is more than just a fantastic script that makes this an all-time favourite animated film. Why? Indeed many will raise this question. For starters, there are action-packed sequences; like the chase sequence through the mines, executed with great suspense as well as being entertaining to the audience. Also great comedic moments; such as the men flexing their muscles before they start a chaotic fight in the street. Trust me, with the character designs for these guys, and the character animation done well to exploit their expressions; it is only just one example of Miyazaki's masterpiece's charm and sophistication. Development of the main characters is executed flawlessly; we view a relationship between the boy and the girl throughout this film. This is something you do not see that much in animated cinema; as such western animated projects spoil this progression tragically.

Dubbed in 1999, Laputa unfairly did not receive a home video release until four years later due to Spirited Away winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Film. During that time, it would be shown at the occasional film festival, selling out with little conversation about it. Despite limited success, Disney's official explanation for the delay was that Studio Ghibli wanted to avoid reverse-importation of the film in Japan and lose respective sales. However, by 2003, Laputa had long made its money back in dvd sales in Japan; fueling fire to the long-held fan speculation that the company purchased the Ghibli library for the purpose of sabotaging its potential success in the U.S.
Also interesting to know that the weaponry and mechanical settings in Laputa is a mixture of British and German designs. Miyazaki is a fan of German weaponry (he has manga works like The Return of Hans and Otto Carius - both about WWII German tank crews), so soldier's uniform, medals, and grenades(Stielhandgranate, the famous "potato masher" in WWII) are modeled after German design, not to mention the gigantic battle zeppelin "Goliath." However, since the town of Slag Ravine was modeled after a mining town in Wales, British-styled civilian clothing and British weapons such as Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk. III rifle (soldiers) and Webley top-break revolver (Muska and his agents) appeared frequently in the film.
The robots too in the film are inspired by another source; the ones being featured in the Fleischer version of Superman.

So, for those whom think Hayao Miyazaki is just another celebrated animation director for the current climate of animated cinema in recent years, they better stop and retrace their thoughts again. This is because he has long been successfully establishing his trademarks; such as the focus on children and his indulgent passion for flight, brilliantly pursued before he made his truly deserved impact on the international table. Castle in the Sky shows Miyazaki at his best once again, which is a standard he has been developing ever since, entertaining and fascinating millions worldwide along the way.

''Take root in the ground, live in harmony with the wind, plant your seeds in the Winter, and rejoice with the birds in the coming of Spring.''

''You cannot change fate. However, you can rise to meet it, if you so choose.''

On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest and Tataraba, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.

Yôji Matsuda: Ashitaka

Mononoke Hime(1997)Princess Mononoke is quite simply not just a Japanese animation; It is however a phenomenon. During it's box office run in Japan 1997 it didn't only become the highest grossing Japanese film of the year, but the highest grossing Japanese film...ever to be released.
Mononoke Hime takes place in 15th century Japan and opens with a warrior named Ashitaka in fierce battle with a Tatari Gama (a huge boar with worms covering it's body). Ashitaka kills the demon and successfully defends his village from it, but in the battle he is touched by the gigantic monster on his arm; leaving a dark scar as a reminder. The village doctor tells Ashitaka that it is a curse and is slowly killing him. Convinced that there must be a cure, Ashitaka leaves the village never to return....Thus begins the epic story of Mononoke Hime.



So what makes this film so amazing? First of all, the obvious: the writer/director and animator: Hayao Miyazaki. Known for revolutionizing the animation world with his non-conventional children's films (Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away), this is his most mature film, and I don't just mean in terms of content. Yes, this film is violent, deep and not for the squeamish but it's beside the point. The story is dark and deeply personal. Miyazaki had stated that after all his more family-friendly films were out, this was the film he felt he just had to make. There is an air of deep seriousness that comes with this film that is hard to miss.
Please remember this, most of all: Miyazaki's films are not strictly Anime.
Miyazaki is completely different in style, animation, texture and story. The one thing that angers more than anything are the people whom hurl abuse at this project because they do not like Anime. A reminder to everyone who hasn't seen this film is to take this into account.

Miyazaki's paints a world like no one has ever seen, and always beautiful and fascinating. What really brings his films to life is the resonating music. Half of what makes his films so beautiful is the score of Joe Hisaishi; perhaps one of the most gifted musicians in films around. His music is intriguing, mysterious and impossible to ignore. With films like this, I get to thinking his music was made for Miyazaki, and Miyazaki's films were made for Hisaishi. They balance each other perfectly and mirror each other in harmonic art.
Visually it's got so much going on to practically experience the abstractions that Hayao Miyazaki folds up into the rest of the story. The story itself trails along with the best of epic fantasy, with this crucial, earth-shattering quest that works on that level of action-adventure; as well as the mythological side of things. Some have stated that it is a piece of complex ideology in structure and storytelling; bordering on confusing and puzzling bewilderment. I would disagree, although I can see what they mean; You have to pay closer attention. On a more profound level, if one could call it such, it's really not hard to follow.

The protagonist of the film, is the type of tragic hero, though with one clear sight amid the chaos in his mind - peace. He is cursed by a sort of worm resembling jelly demon that runs amock in the darker recesses of the world. He searches for something to rid him of his scars while on the human side at some points (mostly dominated by the women impressed- or against- his skills); and with those of the wolves on the other side. The title character is part of the latter, though also human, bringing a little more of the underlying symbolism with a character. Then there are also the boars ready to destroy the humans; even tat the expense of their lives. Amid the battles that rage on, leading to the significance of a certain Deer God as the centerpiece of the balance of the forests and civilizations; not too much is made explicit. At the same time, the side taken by the cursed hero is even questioned by one character; with that part connected among the others, the story elevates what could have been a kind of smothering over-symbolic representation into what is necessary and spectacular about the whole story. Quite simply, another masterpiece of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli; that echoes a sensational message about our treatment of animals and the Environment.

''In ancient times, the land lay covered in forests, where, from ages long past, dwelt the spirits of the gods. Back then, man and beast lived in harmony, but as time went by, most of the great forests were destroyed.''

''I bet you're Totoro.''

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wonderous forest spirits who live nearby.

Noriko Hidaka: Satsuki

Tonari no Totoro(My Neighbour Totorro)(1988) is probably the film that introduced many western audiences to the work of esteemed Japanese animator/director Hayao Miyazaki and his celebrated production house Studio Ghibli.



The decision to re-release all of the Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli productions as a collection of re-mastered DVD editions, including everything from his Lupin III instalment The Castle of Cagliostro to the more recent epic fantasy adventure, Howl's Moving Castle(2004) is a blessing.
Similarly to almost everything that Miyazaki has been involved with before; the piece offers us a series of intricate story lines, breathtaking visuals, memorable characters and a general approach to bold, imaginative, unique and utterly compelling family entertainment that will almost certainly appeal to anyone, at any age. My Neighbour Totoro remains, perhaps, the definitive Studio Ghibli production; Miyazaki here perfecting the visual style that would subsequently become his signature move, as well as developing variations of thematic devices that would be further explored in later projects Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso and of course Spirited Away.

The story takes place in the rural Japan of the 1950's, where two young girls and their father move into an old house near the forest in an attempt to distract the girls from the absence of their mother; whom is recovering from tuberculosis in a nearby convalescence home. Whilst exploring the forest, the two girls discover a family of forest spirits, the biggest of which they christened Totoro(a mispronunciation of tororu, the Japanese word for troll); whom allows the two girls to partake in their nightly adventures. With the film, Miyazaki and his team create a depiction of the perfect summer and the power of imagination, as they use the two children to act as a representation for the audience. Mei, the younger of the two sisters, comes to represent the youngsters within the audience, as she approaches the Totoro characters with wide eyes and enthusiasm and generally accepts each of their adventures to be a continuation of her imagined child-like sense of fabrication. Satsuki, the older of the two girls, straddles the line between childhood and pre-teen adolescence. Her character is often more cynical and level-headed than her younger sister, and therefore she is the perfect representation for an adult audience who may need to put aside their own sense of scepticism when approaching a film that is so shameless magical.

The story is fantastical, with Miyazaki allowing the action to unfold gently; bringing the girls (and us the audience) into the world of Totoro slowly.
The introductions of the soot spirits and the mythical king of the forest doesn't seem too unestablished when placed into a tale that evokes such plausible and believable depictions of reality(as with all the films of Studio Ghibli; Totoro has a keen obsessive attention to detail; with the texture of the locations and the use of light and shadow drawing you further and further into this world). The atmosphere throughout is perfect, whilst the characters (both in design and portrayal) are exquisite, with the two young girls setting the template for Miyazaki's aforementioned later films, Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away, whilst the design of the mythical Totoro would become an important piece of iconography within Japanese animation (he's the chief mascot, as the Studio Ghibli logo, and is available in a range of plush-toy figurines).

The majority of Miyazaki's work explore deeper themes lurking beneath the surface of the story... Here, it is the idea of childhood and imagination being worn down by the creeping approach of adolescence. It has also been seen as a metaphorical study; with the relationship between the girls and Totoro being an imagined one in order to take their minds off the temporary loss of their mother relating to their concerns over her health. Whether or not you choose to interpret the story on such a level is entirely a personal venture, with the film working just fine as a lovely piece of family entertainment, with a warm and ultimately uplifting story being elevated by that gorgeous design/animation, the larger than life characters, and the story.

Tonari no Totoro is an exceptional film... one that has the power to entrance children and adults alike; with its evocative story, memorable characters and study of life and imagination. If you've never seen a Hayao Miyazaki film before, then this is a great place to start, and is really an essential piece of art alongside Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle.
Only qualms would be the ending of it all but only because we wanted more; another masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki.

''To-to-ro? You're Totoro!.''

''You see George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to just throw it away?''

An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed.

James Stewart: George Bailey

Truly one of the finest films ever made. It's message still resonates as if 1946 was yesterday. It's central themes of love, appreciation, loyalty, and sacrifice are valuable reminders any time of year; This isn't just a Christmas film! This is a complex story about life itself and the importance of giving!
Like many other Christmas-themed stories, this one reminds us to pause for a moment and take in our surroundings.



It is unfortunate that such films are expected to be only celebrated once a year, but that particular trait also adds a certain degree of rarity to its charm and appeal. The characters are well-developed and whether loved or hated; each plays a vital role in the film; as in George Bailey's life.
Director Frank Capra has simply put a masterpiece onto celluloid here; and that is quite a feat for a holiday niche film. Never dull, always heartwarming, funny, and true, It's a Wonderful Life is truly one of cinema's shining achievements.
If you have a chance, watch both the Colour and Black & White Versions. Alot of work has gone into restoring and preserving the film; equally adding colour shows how perfect this film truly is.

Sure there is the whole cliché of seeing the world as though you have never existed; the waking up to show how important life is to so many. It's a rendition of Dickens yet spun in a way that makes it original. The entire film could have run with the gimmick and created a complete story from it; as numerous reinterpretations have done. Instead the filmmakers have started us at the end, a tragedy has occurred and a man's faith in life is taking a diminishing blow. Prayers have been sent above and the Gods have decided to send down an angel to help our hero out of his predicament. Well this angel knows nothing about George Bailey; so for the first three quarters of the movie we go along for the ride to catch up on the life of this great man, just as our angel Clarence does the same. We are shown the life of a man who has given the whole of his being for those around him. With not a selfish bone in his physical frame, George continues to sacrifice his happiness for the joy to see his friends jubilant. Through his good deeds, he eventually wakes up to the treasures of life that have been in front of him the whole time and really takes a small town from the Depression to a bonding, successful society. It is almost a strain to consider he could be in so much trouble that he would be contemplating suicide, but once again we see his caring nature come through in that trying, desperate moment. When the story finally catches up to itself we learn that the predicament he is in is actually one of another that he has taken responsibility for in order to see if he can't solve the town's problems again.

James Stewart is a revelation here. The self-deprecating nature is prevalent at all times, and the intellect his character retains balances nicely with his humour and good nature. Stewart is George Bailey, as the role fully encompasses his being. Every nuance of emotion is etched to his face as he goes from wide-eyed explorer to smitten lover, responsible adult, compassionate son and brother, loving husband and father, beaten failure, and finally redeemed hero and friend to all men and women he has ever come across. Of course what hero can exist without a nemesis of equal power whose immense strength comes from evil? Here we have the loathed Mr. Potter played brilliantly by Lionel Barrymore. I don't think anyone who has ever seen this film can have any real compassion for this man who is truly a scrooge to all. People are numbers and figures to him, which need to be conquered and claimed as his own. Barrymore is despicably slimy and true to his character at all times. There must also be mention of the beautiful Donna Reed as our protagonist's love interest. Her striking beauty and self-assuredness shows why George Bailey could be so taken by her, always getting distracted away from his dreams of leaving Bedford Falls. The sexual tension between Reed and Stewart throughout begins humourously at a dance and after when drenched with water and culminates in a serious and real moment as the love takes over during a phone conversation with an old friend. The relationship is believable from start to finish; portrayed even by the young actors who played their roles as children.

True there is a segmented population during Christmas time containing those whom watch A Christmas Story, those with a love for Christmas Vacation, and those championing It's a Wonderful Life among many others. I must say that I have been converted to Capra's classic film and would have no problem watching it not just every Christmas but every holiday, for the rest of my life. The story means alot of things to many people and has been remade countless times in many forms, (there are chunks of time here which show how even Back to the Future II is copying it's paradoxical story at one point). If you want a perfectly written and acted tale of the joy of giving and the strength of friendship to help show the true meaning of Christmas, look no further than this diamond that has endured for over 60 years.

Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.

''Why must fireflies die so young?''

A tragic film covering a young boy and his little sister's struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Tsutomu Tatsumi: Seita

Ayano Shiraishi: Setsuko

''September 21, 1945? that was the night I died''

With those words starts director Isao Takahata's most famous film, Grave of the Fireflies(Hotaru no haka, 1988). Quite differently to his long time friend and colleague legendary Hayao Miyazaki, Takahata prefers to leave fantasy elements in his films to a bare minimum. This is the way Takahata amazes viewers and audiences. If Miyazaki's fantastic visions from Spirited Away for example, make our jaws drop to floor with amazement, Takahata's close to reality stories touch us deeply by hitting our emotions. Grave of the Fireflies certainly does that masterly; being one of the few films that has managed to move me to tears.



The film, based on a novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, tells the story of a young boy named Seita, who with his little sister Setsuko, lives in the 1940's Japan, during the World War II. After losing their mother during a bombing, Seita does everything in his power to create an illusion for Setsuko that things are fine and there is nothing to worry about. The film has been often blamed of being too depressing and having a sad conclusion, but I think it's the opposite. Of course this certainly is not the kind of film to make you smile, but it is already revealed in the beginning that both brother and sister will die. So when we reach the end of the movie; with an image of them as spirits, sitting on a bench looking happy and healthy, with a modern day city around them, this is actually a happy ending after all the suffering they went through.

It's very hard to say exactly why this film should deserve full stars from me. It just does. It's full of little beautiful scenes that instantly have an effect on you, accompanied by Michio Mamiya's peaceful music. Maybe the fact that it can make me wonder why it is so good is the proof enough to make it a masterpiece. And that is what Grave of the Fireflies is; a masterpiece. One of the most amazing films from Studio Ghibli and Isao Takahata's most famous film. Ultimate proof that animations can be used for so much more; not being merely restricted to children's stories.
It is hard to watch Fireflies and feel positive at all; the death and loss is too much for a number of people to fathom. However upon my own reflection; the movie is one of the greatest studies into loss, love and tragedy ever, which will stay with you and compel you to take a second look at anime and indeed life. For Anime is not simply just kiddie cartoons; it is simply another art form of conveying and presenting a story via an alternative format.
Initially distributed with Tonari no Totoro(1988); because it was the only way that Miyazaki could have been able to make his Totoro. The reason being that the original film pitch for that film was rejected, so they pitched a double feature with Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies, and the project was eventually backed financially by the original writer of the book on which Grave is based. Often being overlooked as a film because whenever Totoro was screened first, people were left happy satisfied, then left; They did not wish to be saddened by Fireflies afterward.
Interestingly, in South Korea, the release of the movie at the time was postponed indefinitely because of the concern that the movie somewhat justified Japan's role in World War II. The truth for me is this: This story is about two siblings, the effects of war, the harshness of people and the grim reality of being homeless, sick and starving. It is not sympathetic to Japan during this period nor is it unabashed propaganda. This is storytelling; this is an innocent perspective of a boy and his sister.

Again, you realize immediately this isn't a fantasy piece like Spirited Away but one of reality; which ends up being just as genius and just as compelling to witness. Isao Takahata has crafted a tale that also has historical significance; in the sense it displays the sense of hopelessness and desperation in Japan at the time and especially near the end of the second World War. A nation that could not support itself; where the rich have always stayed rich and the poor became poorer; ending with a divide that bears similarities to Spielberg's epic film adaptation of the book Empire of the Sun. The reality of Hotaru no haka cannot be stressed enough; the struggle mesmerizingly significant. Propels Anime, lifting it to new dizzying heights of storytelling.

''Intelligence. Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.''

Through his rear window and the eye of his powerful camera he watched a great city tell on itself, expose its cheating ways...and Murder!

James Stewart: L. B. 'Jeff' Jefferies

Rear Window is Alfred Hitchcock's analytical approach of setting a story in a confined place. Rear Window is famous for it's technical approach and camera usage; it had a giant set, occupying the biggest studio on the lot, with and extra level excavated to provide a life-sized, four-story set. Hitchcock also uses many more cuts compared with previous projects, using the shot-reaction-shot technique with L.B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart) as he uses cameras and binoculars to observe the goings on outside the rear widow of his apartment.



The main theme of Rear Window is privacy; how far those standards extend, and what individuals do when they think they are secure in the privacy of their own space. Jeffries, a magazine photographer trapped in his apartment with a broken leg, turns to the view out his window to while away the hours until his cast comes off. His only contact with the outside world arrives in the form of his nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter), and female friend Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly); a rich socialite who has a romantic interest with Jeffries.
Hitchcock played with audiences by having them play the role of voyeur along with Jeffries; he knew that human nature compels us to keep staring, even when polite society tells us to look away and mind our own business. By capturing our interest with a variety of characters and a portion of their lives; Miss Lonelyhearts, Miss Torso, etc. Hitchcock creates an interesting character study as well as his usual thriller routine. We are only allowed to see what Jeffries views, bits and pieces presented out of context, and we are left to make our own theories about what these segments entail in the overall lives of these characters.

The main focus of the story is Jeffries suspicion of Lars Thorwald, who occupies a second-story apartment across from Jeffries'. He notices Thorwald's strained relationship with his wife, then her sudden disappearance. A number of events that could be related follows. As he pries more and more into Thorvald's life, he gets closer and closer to the man himself; climaxing in Lisa's entry into Thorwald's home to search for clues, and the mano-a-mano confrontation between the Jeffries and Thorwald at the film's end.
The film is not a typical study of voyeurism, because of Hitchcock's choice of Stewart to play the photographer Jefferies. Stewart is the decent and normal everyman; not a twisted and perverse peeping tom. If the photographer was played by Robert Mitchum or William Holden; men who have played darker, more morally ambiguous characters in their career, maybe the film would have resulting in having a different meaning. With Jimmy Stewart however, we can be assured that Jefferies is studying his environment and not becoming gratified with what he's viewing. That being said, his viewing becomes close to an obsession when he believes a murder has occurred; but not quite to the unhealthy degree as the obsession he portrayed in another Hitchcock classic, Vertigo.
Obviously Rear Window is a classic, and it is still relevant to today. The lack of air conditioning during the film's heat wave forces people to leave their windows and blinds open; where as today they would most likely be out of view. The relevance is in the relationship between the 24/7 cable news, 'Americas Most Wanted', video and photo obsessed society of today, that voyeurism and the public's desire to provide breaking news is applicable. In this era; we are all like 'Jeff' Jefferies, and that is what makes Rear Window more than merely a quaint period drama.

By the movie's conclusion, resolution has been achieved for most of the characters in the film; the truth about Thorwald is revealed, Miss Torso's husband arrives back from war, the couple that sleeps outside is training a new puppy, Miss Lonelyhearts and the musician with the studio apartment have linked up romantically. Even pessimistic Jeffries; bound yet again in his apartment with two broken legs, has found resolution, finally accepting Lisa as an equal. As Rear Window closes, the shutters on the window are drawn; he doesn't need them anymore because Jeffries knows everyone including him, the neighbours and us the audience, has a happy ending.

''In the world of advertising, there's no such thing as a lie. There's only expedient exaggeration.''

A hapless New York advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

Cary Grant: Roger O. Thornhill

Alfred Hitchcock made North by Northwest at the height of his career and popularity, released 1959; his television show gave him the kind of exposure and face recognition usually reserved for only the biggest stars. Hitchcock always maintained that great films should also entertain, North by Northwest being presented here as our star witness to prove his assertion to be right on the money.



Cary Grant plays Roger O. Thornhill as the slick Madison Avenue advertising man who is mistaken to be George Kaplin, a spy hot on the trail of Phillip Vandamm, played masterfully by James Mason. All we really know about Thornhill is the statement he makes to Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) on the train from New York to Chicago that he has a mother, several bartenders and two ex-wives dependent upon his support. The "O" used to initial his middle name and his initials, equally have significance. These details are revealing and the scene is beautifully crafted; showing us the apparent emptiness of his life prior to this adventure. Ernst Lehman's script is loaded with these types of treasures throughout the story.
If you're really not into excellent dialogue and clever acting and prefer that the story accelerate at a fast pace, this also is the adventure for you, as it has two of the most memorable action sequences in film; Referring to the crop dusting sequence and the finale on top of Mount Rushmore. Those are enough to put North by Northwest near the top of anyones must see list.

Eve Kendall: Patience is a virtue.
Roger Thornhill: So is breathing.

Respect are also due to Leo G. Carroll in one of his best character roles as The Professor, who's humble appearance belies the fact that he is the one who is responsible for manipulating much of the action behind the scenes. A young Martin Landau, as Leonard, Vandamm's right hand man, shows us in the few scenes what a versatile actor he was. The music by the great Bernard Herrmann is one of the classic pieces that made him famous; beginning from the clever opening title sequence to it's thrilling conclusion.
The film's intense pace takes the form of a dream, a person that loses control of his life and then transforms to the person he's mistaken for. Roger Thornhill, half by accident and half by his own will transforms to spy decoy George Kaplan.
The board of government spy directors, led by the Professor, represents the forces that control destiny. They control both Eve Kendall's and Thornhill's fate. And they choose to dispatch with Thornhill altogether since he doesn't fit the general scheme of things. Thornhill gets entangled in a Kafka-esquire nightmare. Kendall, the femme fatale, is a government spy herself trying to uncover Vandamm by working closely on his side and being his lover. A Freudian labyrinth.

If we view this movie in its historical context of 1959, we see that it was made in the middle of the Cold War, and much of the suspense is reliant upon the audience's reality of living with the knowledge that everything could end with the press of a button (I know this is too simplistic, but many people's perception at this point in history was just that). The Professor, Vandamm, Ms. Kendall, Leonard and others are Cold Soldiers, and it is Thornhill's misfortune to become swept up in it's intrigues; but our very great fortune to be able to get swept up with him and let Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, be our guide in one of his masterworks.

Roger Thornhill: I don't like the games you play, professor.
The Professor: War is hell, Mr. Thornhill, even when it's a cold one.

''There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.''

In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

Gustav Fröhlich: Freder
Brigitte Helm: Maria / The Robot

A handful of stories and films will always be known for proving themselves against the proverbial test of time; making their mark in the pantheon of the most influential, memorable and near flawless crafted films in existence. Upon viewing in a contemporary context; even over 80 years after its initial release in 1927, the recognition of Metropolis; director Fritz Lang's masterpiece; among such timeless examples Metropolis is without a doubt included. The catalyst for all ensuing science fiction films and tremendously influential; even outside of the genre it essentially pioneered, the sheer imagination and vision behind Metropolis prove its indisputable quality decades after its time.



A tremendously ambitious and controversial feat when first released, the political and thematic content riddling the film's impressively complex storyline are astounding; proving an early testament for the potential of big budget projects to resonate with strong thematic content as opposed to being simply entertaining. Taking notes and inspirations from Karl Marx (creator of Communist ideology; for those whom don't know), among other prominent schools of thought, politics, ideologies and philosophies. The revolutionary dystopian vision of a colony of workers rebelling against the alienated upper classes proves a daring and fiercely compelling vision relevant even to this day, without even pausing to realize this is a film made in Germany in the 1920s. Similarly, the film makes a particularly effective, futuristic science-fiction piece by proving frighteningly prophetic from grander themes of commodity culture to smaller touches; with ideas which would have seemed outlandish at the time such as video phones and machine men starting to become disconcerting realities. While parts of the original film are sadly lost or missing, as they are summed up by title cards in the same way dialogue was conveyed, the occasional lapse in pacing hardly distracts from the gripping and astonishingly powerful narrative.

Similarly, the film's dynamic visual style is equally comendable, and the entire film captivates with a hypnotic, entrancing beauty. The expressionist art influenced futuristic sets and buildings and surprisingly advanced visual effects never fail to captivate, and the frequent moody lighting is an aesthetic delight. Sequences such as the opening scene of columns of repressed workers trudging desolately to work to Freder's cinematically innovative hallucination of death striking the city, the mad inventor Rotwang's construction of the iconic Machine Man to the allegorical tale of the tower of Babel prove utterly unforgettable, with Lang conjuring up a dramatic intensity essentially unparalleled in its time. Such seamless quality both technically and thematically has scarcely been glimpsed to such a degree since, and the film's incredible influence becomes increasingly clear in other works after viewing it.

While the film is seldom praised for its acting, considering the expressionist conventions of over-exaggerated facial expressions and movement to express inner sentiments, the film comes as across as far less melodramatic than one might expect, though the distinctly different performance styles may prove unsettling or unintentionally comical to a contemporary audience. Gustav Fröhlich is a suitably engaging and charismatic lead as the young son of the city's founder who becomes increasingly disgusted with the harsh mistreatment of the working class denizens. As his distant father, Alfred Abel turns in a poignant performance as Frederson, founder of Metropolis, consumed by his own ambition to the point of losing touch with the world around him. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is unforgettable and enormously entertaining as twisted inventor Rotwang, setting the standard for countless mad scientist icons to follow. Similarly, Brigitte Helm is both luminous and horrifying in turn; portraying both the earnest figurehead for a working class resistance movement who attracts the attention of the impressionable Freder, and a demonic incarnation of herself portrayed by Rotwang's devious Machine Man.

Visionary, innovative and desperately socially relevant, Lang's disturbing and captivating labour of love holds its own against the ages, proving nearly as staggeringly impressive an achievement in a current day context as its initial release over 80 years ago. Lavish and blindingly spectacular, dazzling set pieces and high production values, Metropolis rises above and stands testament to Fritz Lang's ambitious artistic visionary perceptions of how cinema could be used. Among classics such as 2001: A Space Oddysey, Blade Runner which came many years later; Fritz Lang's Metropolis is the true science fiction classic original. It also is another great insight into workings of our systems, society and why some work and some do not; in a classing system of extreme rich and poor. Fritz Lang's M; which followed in 1932, also dealt with some of the same issues concerning Metropolis. Stabs at the structure of society and the evils of the mob prove Unity is always above chaotic Hysteria.

''He killed Leonard...What did you lot do? Nothing!''

An elderly ex-serviceman and widower looks to avenge his best friend's murder by doling out his own form of justice.

Michael Caine: Harry Brown

Michael Caine...a legend and veteran of film, producing, theater and class acting... Essentially he is the Clint Eastwood of England; and this baby Harry Brown is his swan song version of Torino.
Caine's feats and talents cannot be measured merely by Oscar wins or money, but instead in how his East London accent and his honourable integrity convinces us in the flash of an eye that he has indeed been a quiet, foreboding presence. Harry Brown is a wonderful forum to demonstrate this unique skill.



Harry Brown is set on an London estate where the teenage locals run the place not so much with an iron fist but a large collection of guns and a really unreasonable attitude. In the opening minutes; we watch the senseless shooting of a young mother and two hoodies on a moped type bike, are the culprits; but karma soon comes back to them, thus they are slammed into a thousand bloody pieces by a white van which gives us a glimmer of hope because for once we witness a bit of justice; albeit an extreme case of karmic justice. Yes, indeed, this film plays to our prejudices and fears. So much so, that after the piece concluded I wished all estates similar to this one portrayed in the film didn't exist. These little bastards live and breathe, and take advantage of our laws and tolerance; thus shown the police are sometimes powerless to intervene because they are restricted to laws and physical evidence. In fact, Harry Brown shows us a system where an old aged pensioner is actually doing a better job than the police could ever dream of doing.

Harry is a retired Northern Ireland protecting marine; obviously giving him a unique set of skills and combat techniques. His killing instincts were indeed put to rest a long time ago, a decision made when he first met his wife; whom sadly passes away.
However, Harry is forced to kill after his mate Lennie is murdered by the local chief hoodie and his cronies. Cocky and abusive when in a police cell they know that the law in this country is powerless; but thankfully they are the cancer and Harry is the antidote; he is the reaper.
This is a powerful social stab on how the law of this land is run by politicians; how being tolerant has us terrified, petrified and literally tugging our balls off. The director may have placed the odd character here and there with a background of being sexually abused; he obviously wants us to stand up and don a baseball bat, crowbar, handgun etc and take to the streets vigilante mode; with furious anger for those who would poison and destroy his brothers.
Director Daniel Barber and Gary Young's screenplay is a potent mixture. Scenes depict a memorable albeit terrifying drug dealer as Harry tries to purchase a gun, it shows violence possibly in an over the top form. Whereas, Gran Torino didn't have to use any conflict or visual violence to get it's point across Harry Brown never shies away from using gore, blood and a realistic array of grisly violence.
Ironically the message does at times become slightly diluted; as to whether it sympathizes with the people it scrutinizes, criticizes the Police and the gaps in the Law, even a blow to the Irish as the main Hoodies uncle is shown to originate from Ireland which ironically is where Harry fought.

Cinematic wise, this film is as tense as any thriller out there; realistic as any dark alley or rough estate you may unfortunately come across in the UK. Take Harry and his unrealistic situation out of the equation and you are left with a documentary on tenement living. It is brutal, merciless and without remorse.
The real catch as always however, is one Sir Michael Caine, whom churns out yet another breath-takingly emotional performance as the pensioner who decides to take the law into his own hands. He provides the performance of a broken down man whose loneliness simply fuels his uncompromising violence against the criminals who plague his estate. While Emily Mortimer and Ben Drew also pull out strong performances from their closets. Mortimer plays Detective Frampton a rising up and coming woman in the Metropolitan Police force who chose to work on Brown's estate as she wishes to change it for the better without subverting the law, and Drew as Noel, a sadistic killer with no respect for those around him whom will happily inflict ruthless cruelty upon those who get in his way.
While Harry Brown is a competent picture, its formulaic narrative structure doesn't lessen it's impact. Despite some wonderfully shot and tense sequences during the last twenty minutes of the film, the ending of the film has been done before granted and simply regurgitates other inspirations; but it does it so well.
The violence was exhilarating, the performances from Caine and David Bradley sentimentally significant and the direction gritty and representative of today's modern muddled up society, which is there below the surface yet alot of us choose to ignore.