Being With You Guys Was Just Too Much Fun

Hi all!

The awesome Wash Your Hands is back again! This time not with a self-introduction, but with movies. Since Penny can’t keep her paws off anything, she’ll be having a hand in this entry (only since Wash Your Hands cried about not knowing how to write this thing…literally 3 tears fell from each of her eyes…electronically). So if this post seems a bit bipolar at times, you’ll know why. Let’s not keep the readers waiting, and begin with our movie-night, which started with pizza prepared by our very own cook, Corn (YuMi). It was awesome as usual, everything that Corn has made up till now has been great, so be sure to check out the recipes from her (they can be found in our previous posts).

It was girl’s night with the anime! (Haha, it took me a while to understand this, cause I was sure we had one guy in our group for movie-night.) What would you do if you could go back in time? Would you pass everything exam? Would you cancel your date because the night before you were hit by a car? Would you not get hit by a car? We’ve all been told that we should not regret our actions. But there are just some things that warrant regret. And if you could change those things, would you?

We savor the moments, safe to recall
We hide in the memories, safe in the comfort of pain
Like tears they get lost in the rain
I’m comin’ down from your love, I was so high over you
Comin’ down from your love, and it hurt so much
Hurt so much, I know you’re gone

In real life, we can’t. But cartoons can do anything. That is what makes them great. Animation can bend real-life reality because cartoon reality is already bent and contorted to a point that we cannot recognize it; we simply accept it. (Oh it’s just a cartoon, of course that could happen.) And for that exact reason, cartoons are more “real” than “real-life.” Keanu (Whoa, someone’s on a first name basis  with Keanu, haha.) cannot dodge bullets like that. Christian Bale cannot get bit by a dog, get shot and fall a couple of stories down to the ground, only to get up, shake-it off and run into the (k)night. But a cartoon can.

The first movie (re)viewed tonight was the 2006 Japanese animated science fiction/(teen) romance film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. The movie revolves around Makoto Konno and her circle of friends, Kousuke and Chiaki. And how through her serendipitously found abilities of time-leaping she can change the events of her and her circle’s daily life, at times for the better or for the worse, but at the benefit of herself (in the beginning) then focusing on a more Hippocratic point of view and becoming more benevolent to those around her (nearing the end).

As with most modern Japanime, visuals make the movie; be it through comic relief or general elegance. Makoto’s first time-leap was distorted yet beautiful. The scenes within the time-realm are simple frames, but elegant. In regards to story and plot, the time-leaping concept is solid. There are also some comedic episodes. But in the end the anime is another romance story. A romance story that seemed rushed and rather filler material as opposed to necessary. Nonetheless, it is what it is. I shouldn’t complain, I own the DVD. Time waits for nobody.

Well, the rest of the group wasn’t complaining. We enjoyed the The Girl Who Leapt through Time. The idea of time-leaping was exciting, think about all the things you can actually do if you could travel through time. Not really sure what each of us would do if we could time travel, but idea of it is enticing. I’m guessing the rest of us didn’t mind the romance or we just don’t really care as no one mentioned anything. For me, the romance is a factor for character development. At first, Makoto was indecisive, but knew that she liked how things were, thus anything that disrupted herself and her group of friends, she made sure to go back and change, but when she finally figured out what she really wanted, she was able to accept change and run towards a future that she wanted.

Enough of my bantering, pee-break, tea-break, if it’s a break, we’ll take it. We got to enjoy Miss Cook’s banana cake during our break. Very banana-y, and goes really well her vanilla ice cream.

The next movie viewed was another Miyazaki classic Kiki’s Delivery Service  about a 13-year-old witch in training named Kiki and her exodus to live alone in the world as a part of her witchy-training. As with most Miyazaki leads, Kiki has to face the hardships of the world, experiencing setbacks and adolescence. She begins a delivery service…wouldn’t you if you could fly?

Again, love is in the air. Unwanted at first, Kiki eventually warms up to a local boy Tombo. An encounter with some of Tombo’s friends causes Kiki to lose her powers, only to be regained when fate provides a chance for Kiki to save Tombo from certain death. So, yes! Absolutely! Much like all of Miyazaki’s work, this film is about growing up, surpassing adolescence and doing it with a smile and acquaintences. Another bravo and applause due to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. If only Ponyo didn’t exist, every film would be a masterpiece of eye-grabbing sexiness.

Yes, if only Ponyo didn’t exist, that film lacks in many areas, but we’ll save that for some other time. The rest of the group enjoyed this movie, too. However, I have some personal bantering to do. I’ve been very resistant to watching this film for some unknown reason, so it’s actually my first time seeing it, and I did enjoy it somewhat. I understood the parts about overcoming obstacles and growing as a person, but the thing that confused me was why did she lose her magical powers? On the physical level, we can blame it on the rain and physical stress. She is only 13 and running a business on your own is hard. However, on the mental level, what happened?  Her motivation appears to stem from her desire to be away from home and train as a witch, so how did she lose that motivation?  She was all uppity helping that grandma cooking and cleaning one moment, and then after the interaction with the granddaughter, she  did a 180. What really happened  there? (Please excuse my lack of observation skills, not my strong point.) Was it because she felt like an outsider with no one in the big city? Was it because she didn’t feel appreciated for her efforts? Was she homesick? Or did she just really want to be a 13 year old with parents to take care of her, have friends (and a boyfriend), and party like a rockstar?