Makoto Shinkai English Fan Forum and Site

zitch · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:03 am Post subject: Ponyo

Anybody see this? I saw it opening day on Friday, and found it quite good. Classic Miyazaki animation style; visuals were gorgeous. Unfortunately, you'd have to turn off logic centers when it comes to the story; fortunately, Miyazaki stayed away from his "preachy save the environment" style in this one (though he almost threatened to go that way early).

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

Hey Zitch,

I saw a copy of this online a while back. I've been tempted to see it in the theaters here. I liked the movie, but it really was more kid focused than some of his others (yes they were for kids, but this one is really for kids).

Was the theater full? How was it received?

Laz
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zitch · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject:

It was actually surprisingly about half full. Almost all adults between 20-40, most likely anime/art films/Miyazaki fans. It was the latest showing (starting at around 9 PM), so I don't know if there were kids or what the attendance was in earlier showings.

Yeah, it is a "kid's movie", but I think his visual style in Ponyo has been one of the best I've seen from Miyazaki since Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. Especially the rendition of water. It's not at all realistic, but how the water moves and becomes menacing is a major part of the whole movie. The fantastic and surrealistic way it is animated really drives a counter-point in the often realistic-style water is portrayed in other anime (including Shinkai, though water isn't Shinkai's strength, to me, his strength is light).

The dub work was also quite good, but but that's cause it had some big names from Disney/Pixar working on the script and voice work (Yeah, there's much (bad) things to say about Disney's not so recent past, but Lassetter from Pixar is one of the best directors in occidental animation in the past couple decades, IMO, and he directed the English dub for this movie). There really wasn't much of a weak spot in the dub that stuck out to me.

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

I saw that they had some decent names doing the Dub. The version I saw was filmed in a theater ... I realized it when a person stood up in front of the camera and walked past. I'll definitely check it out here. It's playing close to my house. Yaa for me Smile

Laz
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You're a woman, I'm a calf ... you're a window, I'm a knife ... we come together making chance into starlight ... - Jeff Buckley

ここにいるよ. - Voices of a Distant Star

IsUa · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:35 pm Post subject:

This film, somehow make me remember Totoro (Tonari no Totoro).

And I saw the same copy (that Laz saw)... the person walking...hehehe, now it's coming to Portugal, so i'm going to see with my son.

and i really like Ponyo, another great film from Miyazaki Smile

EDIT: Hehehehe, forgot to put this awesome photo (Totoro related)

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Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

That car is awesome!!!!! Great Picture Smile

Let us know what the theater crowd was like when you see the movie.

Laz
_________________
You're a woman, I'm a calf ... you're a window, I'm a knife ... we come together making chance into starlight ... - Jeff Buckley

ここにいるよ. - Voices of a Distant Star

IsUa · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:31 am Post subject:

Sure Laz... Smile

But here (in Portugal), the only anime films that are (or were) in movie theater are Miyazaki films (I can´t remember any other)... Crying or Very sad

non anime, for kids... all Pixar, Disney... and more.
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Ikaruga · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:42 am Post subject:

We don't get much anime in theatres here either IsUa, the last one I saw was The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, but there may have been others I just missed. Definitely going to catch Ponyo though.

Awesome bus, I'd hit the roof if I saw that coming in my rear-vision mirror.
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Ikaruga · Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:16 am Post subject:

So I heard Disney used two of their child "stars" to record a new theme song for this movie.... I'm annoyed, especially after hearing it.
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Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

ha ha ha .. I heard that on a podcast and it was horrendously bad. Laughably bad. Just plan bad.

Laz

_________________
You're a woman, I'm a calf ... you're a window, I'm a knife ... we come together making chance into starlight ... - Jeff Buckley

ここにいるよ. - Voices of a Distant Star