Kari-gurashi no Arietti (The Secret World of Arrietty)

Life proceeds as it always has within a naturalistic microcosm, a loving family nestled tucked away, eagerly searching for vivid adventure.

The adults exercise sincere caution when engaged in thrilling pursuits, age and impertinent patterns having cultivated guarded prudence.

But the world is new for their sprightly offspring who freely seek characteristic difference, and there's so much activity beyond the gates that they can't spend every day inside.

Potentially inhospitable giants reside alone unaware nevertheless, until one of their observant children happens to notice Arrietty (Mirai Shida).

Desires for friendship and nascent networking encourage them to get to know one another, but old school astute and fatalistic reckoning has classified their interactions strictly anathema.

Harrowingly so, for soon Shô's (Ryûnosuke Kamiki) caretaker is aware of the little people, and sets out with pernicious particularity as if their home's been invaded by pests.

Father (Will Arnett as Pod) is aware that they've been detected and has a plan to swiftly escape, but not before dire search and rescue is trepidatiously necessitated.

Unfortunately, the interrelations thus proceed upon austere lines. 

But aren't the affects so much more disconcerting?

When environments cast contemporaneous loci?

Or perhaps there's some harmonies at least resulting from a harmless family that's forced to move, more so than those which would have also resulted from the relocation of deer or wildebeests (thus the harmful impacts of having to relocate any person or animal are maximized)? 

Isn't it an honourable feature of global sociocultural relations, that those possessing enormous wealth use some of it to help care for their fellow citizens?

Perhaps by keeping the factory open while providing a decent wage, so people can squabble about abstract phenomena as opposed to requisite needs.

Heartfelt thanks in turn reciprocated at times for the sustainable way of life, notwithstanding essential arguments which inevitably develop through social interaction.

Perhaps it's just that episode of Heartbeat that I saw so many years ago that keeps such an innocent idea alive, but when it works don't you have more prosperous communities with less crime and more exciting pastimes?

A tragic loss as Arrietty's family is forced to abandon their heartfelt home, and find somewhere else to creatively envision august romance and practical tools.

Ghibli's coveted sense of honest wonder endearingly guides peaceful thoughts throughout.

Communal comfort cozy quarters. 

Interspecial import.

Incumbent fair play.  

Mimi wo sumaseba (Whisper of the Heart)

Inquisitive fascination drives a young student to actively read (Yoko Honna as Shizuku Tsukishima), her love of fiction borderline exhaustive as she eagerly embraces diverse narratives.

While vigorously engaged one day with the investigative art of literary exploration, she happens to notice upon the cards in her texts that someone else is reading the very same books!

Who could this mysterious kindred spirit be and do they have many things in common?, these questions worth at least an intermediary degree of alert practical heuristic sleuthing.

She finds herself on the métro curiously travelling to the library one afternoon, when she notices a grouchy cat onerously lounging with their fellow passengers. 

The cat reaches his or her trusty stop and abruptly departs with agile obfuscation, Shizuku still following him or her upon their route, until they reach an otherworldly destination.

The antique shop incontrovertibly proves to be a thought provoking creative catalyst. 

Whose revelations interfere with Shizuku's school work. 

After she's encouraged to write her first novel.

A peaceful celebration of the reflexive life patiently resides within Ghibli's Mimi wo sumaseba (Whisper of the Heart), routine developments ecstatically yielding to sudden opportune enigmatic spells.

Enchanting elevations of wondrous observations cleverly crafted through innocent insights, blend with sincere and caring tutelage to foster lively enthused animation.

Of course dispiriting misgivings honestly arise throughout the engagement, to provide a prudent indeterminate perplexity which must be challenged with genuine daring.

As artistic expression seeks cheerful endearment romance awkwardly bewilders simultaneously, love's flourishing wild uncertainties evoking earnest productive confusion.

Through which the narrative emanates cherished lucidity as it casually and freely progresses, the tragic clock the emergent blimp violin construction impromptu jammin'.

Not often one encounters cinema generously presented with so much levity.

Concrete complications questioned concordance. 

Mesmerized on the thoughtful horizon. 

DragonHeart

The legendary influence of brave King Arthur still honourably remembered throughout the land, a formidable knight (Dennis Quaid as Sir Bowen) rationally instructs a young prince (David Thewlis/Lee Oakes as King/Prince Einon) in the art of cultural governance.

But his teachings are rebelliously ignored as the arrogant Prince comes of age, even after he promised a dragon he would rule wisely, in exchange for the gift of reanimation.

Thus, he becomes cruel and wicked and the people live in disquieting fear, hoping to generally avoid his lavish caprice as they seek sustenance, friendship, and shelter.

The knight falls upon hard times and spends his days pursuing dragons, whom he blames for corrupting his pupil with zealous malevolent menacing magic.

He's incorrect, however, it wasn't the dragon's heart which inspired his tyranny, he was just none too fond of brotherhood and was rather upset when the villagers killed his father.

One dragon outwits noble Bowen and convinces him to embrace bold trickery, to put on a show where he pretends to save a village from the dragon's wrath, and then pockets the coveted reward money.

While engaged in these fraudulent shenanigans a spirited damsel calls out their ruse (Dina Meyer as Kara), a damsel who's just escaped from the King, and is encouraging audacious insurrection. 

They're rather embarrassed and ashamed yet she also reminds them of Arthur's code, after which they forge a loyal alliance earnestly determined to challenge the King.

The King believes himself to be safe and capable of outmaneuvering a band of rebels.

But they're much more organized than he thinks.

Passionate conflict irascibly ensues. 

It's not as intense as it sounds in fact it's quite lighthearted and foolhardy throughout, as Bowen and the last of the dragons creatively argue and discuss history.

Indeed, the lighthearted nature of DragonHeart made me think the comedic potential of dragons has yet to be convincingly explored, a foul-mouthed cheeky ironic lazy dragon perhaps to emerge in the 21st century.

Rather than aiding a distraught hero as he or she engages in epic discord, or simply guarding treasure and punishing those hoping to steal it, he or she could find work in a disingenuous small village, and wholeheartedly take part in wisecracking thereafter.

Perhaps something out of the ordinary would emerge by the film's playful abashed final moments.

Or it would just embrace jaded mischief throughout.

For a solid hour and forty-five minutes. 

*With Pete Postlethwaite (Gilbert) and Jason Isaacs (Felton).

First Knight

Back to Camelot, prosperous legendary city of age old daring and just reasonability, led by the whimsically enlightened boisterous King Arthur, who fell in love with kind Guinevere, and befriended one Sir Lancelot. 

This time round insurrection plagues the land as a rogue knight seeks absolute power, his minions bellicosely spreading discontent, as everyday peeps simply try to get by.

He believes Arthur and his knights are too tolerant since they've wisely embraced fair play, and prefer to see people peacefully cohabitating to baleful pernicious destructive autocracy.

Arthur's brotherhood freely expresses ideas round the table in open discussion, and although he has the final say, he's open to counsel and fresh perspectives. 

But his convictions are sternly tested after he earnestly rewards young Lancelot, for risking his life to save noble Guinevere, who had fallen into the rogue knight's clutches. 

Lancelot wants Guinevere to leave with him and build a new life far away together, and she can't deny her feelings, after he's boldly come to her rescue.

Arthur catches them together and sees a look upon Guinevere's face which his prowess has never inspired, the genuine gaze of devout passion, it drives him to bitter madness. 

He charges them with treason and lavishly decrees to hold their trial in the public eye, and hundreds gather to keenly watch the unexpected unprecedented spectacle.

But the trial bears the familiar stench of unsympathetic destitute absolutism, for he could have been more understanding had he embraced sublime forgiveness.

His descent into absolutism paves the way for the rogue knight's return.

And he cleverly almost takes Camelot.

Before Arthur makes the ultimate sacrifice. 

Lancelot still avenges him and might does not assert tyrannical rights, the lighthearted unassuming romantic emerging at the forefront of the ethical imbroglio. 

Thus age gives way to perspicacious youth and a new day dawns for the compassionate kingdom, but how the knights regrouped in the aftermath unfortunately remains unknown.

At least further data isn't provided within Jerry Zucker's amorous First Knight.

Perhaps love and romance in fact endured.

Not such a bad thing when they govern at play. 

Medicine Man

Laidback far off in the jungle, ensconced within an Amazonian tribe, a doctor searches for the cure for cancer (Sean Connery as Dr. Robert Campbell), as encroaching industry rapidly assails.

He's been on his own scientifically speaking for the past 3 productive years, when a research assistant comes querulously calling, hoping for an update on his progress (Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Rae Crane). 

She's unaccustomed to field research but she's a gamer and athletically makes do, initial quarrels gradually mutating into spry collegial conversations.

It helps that Campbell's well-versed in freespirited adventurous exploration, and can expertly guide her through the forest at a variety of elevations.

But his last research assistant was also female and he cantankerously drove her away, unable to let himself be forgiven, for introducing a viral element.

Fortunately, he's found the cure, there's just one pesky problem, he can't synchronously reproduce it, and neither can diligent Crane.

It's a dedicated romantic tale confrontationally composed through agile wonder, promoting biodiverse necessities and the essential need for wildlife preservation.

There's a thoughtful acclimatizing scene where Crane observes Campbell interacting with his tribe, not with the intent of spoiling his fun, but rather out of respect for his cohesive integration.

While Campbell's work is extremely important and his potential discovery of paramount depth, his Indigenous hosts suffer for his research, one tribe lost, another forced to relocate.

These tragedies take place even though he takes every resolute precaution, so many lives lost through effects unforeseen, even when proceeding with the best intentions.

Don't confuse this with the horrifying legacy of Canada's residential school system, Campbell has respect for the Natives and has no desire whatsoever to assimilate them.

I don't think the people who ran those schools ever considered taking painstaking precautions, otherwise we wouldn't have found so many grass graves (new ones every week), imagine one child died at school in our time, due to mismanagement, the outrage would last a generation. 

And we've found four mass graves so far, it's clear something they were doing at these schools wasn't working. And they didn't try to change their methods. Most likely hoped that God would intervene.

I ask you, is medical science not what people have been praying for since the beginning of time?

Why didn't these schools have trusted medical resources?

I doubt children died at comparable rates in similar rural circumstances. 

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

After the calamitous passing of a stalwart raccoon brother, Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) despondently retires, taking up residence far off in an isolated Tibetan monastery, he settles inconsolable, while ruffling many a feather.

But his services are required in remote Nibia in the not so distant future, at the request of the concerned consul Vincent Cadby (Simon Callow), the monks grant him swift departure, bewildered go-between Fulton Greenwall (Ian McNeice) rather confused by his behaviour.

His assignment is to locate a sacred white bat known as Shikaka of the Wachati tribe, who is being offered as their Princess's dowry, as she prepares to wed a Wachootoo Prince.

The Wachootoo are none too amused by the unexplained disappearance, and threaten war to air their grievances, the Wachati much less prone to violence.

Ace has no leads no clues yet still proceeds with bold determination, vigorously applying his uncanny methods with pejorative pressure and erratic schism.

Enter the playful unpredictable with exuberant athletic jocose alarm.

Can't believe I never saw this in my youth.

Even if some films get better with age.

If you're looking for improvised mad unruly rowdy raunchy conglomerates, randomly exerting recalcitrant remonstrance, through unabashed gaseous discerning repartee, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls offers reckless cheek unclouded unbound, services required, services rendered, with grand eccentric revelry.

The ways in which he ignores so much of what people say and transforms every encounter into an obnoxious farce, efficaciously deconstructs fussiness with counterintuitive constructive chaos.

If you love animals it's a must see, especially for the joyous concluding moments, wherein which trophy hunting is resoundingly beat down, by ecstatic health and wellness.

It's also hilarious, I laughed out loud several times, that doesn't happen often anymore, it felt amazing, it's just so much fun to watch serious people try to work with him, as he jettisons rarefied irreverence. 

But it does go too far I'm afraid, I was surprised to see it suddenly make light, of the ways in which European diseases and viruses killed so many Indigenous peoples, that joke should have been left out.

Ace goes off-roading through the jungle too, destroying a lot of delicate flora along the way, it just seemed odd for someone who cares about wildlife so much to destructively smother it with a huge machine.

These moments don't ruin the film but they were somewhat shocking and inconsiderate nonetheless.

Ventura's rebelliousness knows no bounds.

But at times exceeds even outrageous incredulity. 

The Sleepover

A day proceeds according to routine habitual chill random expectations 😜, imaginary impulses confidently broadcast, friends consulted, schoolwork resumed.

For a sister the evening's provocative inasmuch as a wild party awaits (Sadie Stanley as Clancy Finch), her brother looking forward to a wholesome sleepover camped out in his old school backyard (Maxwell Simkins as Kevin). 

But earlier in the day, he was caught on video, randomly gesticulating with animate poise, his mother critiquing the mean-spirited cinematographer, who posted the private moment to YouTube.

Par for the course, although potentially harmful to his budding young developing self-esteem, he isn't phased, content and casual, back at it self-aware renditions.

Yet calamity strikes through shocking revelation later on in the laidback night, for his mom was also featured in the cantankerous clip (Malin Åkerman as Margot), which was viewed by curious millions.

Including the old gang of thieves she once led in an alternative life, before relocating to witness protection, they attempt to make larcenous headway.

Assertive coercion reluctant submission an awkward reunion impacting immediacy, her newfound cherished bourgeois family life haunting imposed begrudged nostalgia. 

Her husband's been kidnapped too and is unaccustomed to reckless crime (Ken Marino as Ron). 

He enjoys running his bakery.

Ordering pizza, PTA meetings.

High stakes shenanigans jocosely materialize inordinately spastically ensue, as requisite improbability seeks fortuitous fortune, by any spirited means necessary.

The mood is lightheartedly salient insofar as it lacks ostentatious pretensions, preferring to harness lackadaisical endearment as it crafts ill-conceived adventure.

Youthful trials are mischievously mixed with sober mature yet resigned matriculation, the resultant intergenerational mayhem concocting playful atemporal innocence.

The application of logic seems ill-suited to this specific endeavour, since applications of reasonability would instantly stultify its joie de vivre. 

Simkins delivers a performance that tumultuously holds things together, his intense emphatic enthusiasm as joyful as it is productively mischievous.

So important to embrace freeform unabashed inspired horseplay at times, as long as it isn't causing a ruckus, that results in grievous discernment.

It's great to see exuberant expression overflowing with novel unconcern.

Untamed and unrestrained.

Absurd creative momentum.

Shaft

Racism erupts with full-on blind distressing malevolence, as an African American steps outside, and is beaten to death by an irate brat.

Previously, the brat (Christian Bale as Walter Wade, Jr.) derisively employed stereotypical misconceptions in a distasteful attempt to brazenly humiliate him, but he responded with calm rebuttals which incisively turned the tide.

A witness to the murder exists but she fears for her health and safety, and swiftly disappears when approached with questions (Toni Collette as Diane Palmieri), detective John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) understanding yet unimpressed.

Wade is granted bail and departs for Switzerland shortly thereafter, where he remains for a scandalous two years before he returns and is taken back into custody.

He's granted bail again and makes it known that he's impenitent, yet the witness still exists, which makes him nervous if not frightened.

He enlists the aid of a local drug dealer (Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez) to discover her wayward whereabouts, but he isn't eager to help, without ample compensation. 

Shaft's on to them as well as members of his own department who are assisting their criminal endeavours, cleverly messin' up their plans, as they engage in grand malfeasance. 

But can he locate the witness in time, and even then, is she willing to testify?

High stakes practical ethical reckoning.

An honest cop, entrenched corruption.

Shaft (2000) delineates hardboiled boundaries with hyperreactive retributive dissonance, freeflowing justice materially manifested through lucid teamwork and reverent calm.

There's more to it than many a cop film as it boldly resuscitates dormant proclivities, by encouraging active prolonged dis/integration within a thoughtful volatile recalibration.

At first I though the subject matter was a bit too blunt, perhaps bordering on the sensational, but considering the shocking tragedies continuously emerging in the U.S, the narrative packs a realistic punch these days.

Is it not preferable to embrace less polarized divisive political optics, in order to cultivate a cultural aesthetic which isn't obsessed with race or creed?

As many others have humbly suggested, in response to different dilemmas over the centuries, isn't it more cost effective and less economically disorienting, to forge common ground upon which to pursue life?

I imagine the police would like to have less to do, or to apply themselves to less catastrophic scenarios.

Hope that's the case anyways.

Life's so valuable.

It's important to live it. 

*With Dan Hedaya (Jack Roselli), Busta Rhymes (Rasaan), Pat Hingle (Hon. Dennis Bradford), and Richard Roundtree (Uncle John Shaft). 

**Outstanding performance from Jeffrey Wright.

Over the Top

A father regrets having left his family behind and finally has the chance to make amends, travelling by rig to his son's private school, humbly prepared for probable conflict (Sylvester Stallone as Lincoln Hawk). 

He makes his living trucking on the wide open road, transporting vital goods from one feisty locale to the next, reputedly dependable indeed sure and steady, as he smoothly facilitates commerce across North America.

His son's (David Mendenhall as Michael) not impressed however for it's taken him years to pull things together, and his grandfather's (Robert Loggia) vilified him to the extreme, their voyage commences in heated dispute.

But Lincoln relaxes and goes with the flow aware their disagreements reflect his comeuppance, time passing acclimatization slowly etherealizing paternal reckoning. 

But gramps is madly infuriated and sets out to recover his lost grandchild, determined to see him grow up in the lynchpin of luxury far away from his cheque-to-cheque dad.

But paps excels at the art of arm wrestling, and can earn extra scratch on the side, accepting challenges at various truck stops as he journeys between destinations. 

Michael is taken away and Lincoln responds with tactile fury.

But it seems there's nothing he can do.

Put formidably pursue arm wrestling champion of the world.

The narrative uplifts the hands-on with practical hardboiled uncompromised life lessons, forgiveness sought and willing to be earned should familial recourse prove adaptable. 

It emphasizes responsibility in an honourable testament to tenacious capacity, celebrating confidence within bitter circumstances and integral boisterous reasonable wherewithal. 

Lavish absolutist pretensions encounter audacious freeform contradiction, but as they legalistically reassert themselves, flourishing innocence launches a second wave.

It's direct straightforward durable investigation presented with resolute luminous tact, inherent action spiritually reconciled with compassionate justice and an honest living.

You could argue that it suggests wealth crushes struggling ambition as that ambition earnestly seeks justified rights, leaving it with no alternative but to sell everything and gamble with the resultant proceeds.

But Lincoln's son was on his way back in stern refutation of his arrogant confines, and likely would have established a strong relationship with his father despite the law and his grandfather's wishes.

Perfect to sit back and relax while saluting Stallone's classic lack of pretension.

Not on par with Rocky or First Blood but still another entertaining take on daring will.