Porco Rosso 紅の豚

 Released Year: 1992

Directed by 宫崎駿 Hayao Miyazaki

Voiced by:

森山周一郎 Shuichiro Moriyama as 波魯克 Porco Rosso

岡村明美 Akemi Okamura as 菲兒 Fio Piccolo
加藤登紀子 Tokiko Kato as 吉娜 Madame Gina
大塚明夫 Donald Curtis as 卡地士 Akio Ōtsuka

 Story:

The film, set in the Adriatic Sea in the interwar period, begins with the titular character Porco Rosso, a veteran WWI fighter ace and freelance bounty hunter, responding to an alert over an attack on a ferry liner by airborne pirates. Having successfully defeated the pirates, the so-called Mamma Aiuto gang, Porco retires to the Hotel Adriano, which is run by his long-time friend Gina.

At the restaurant of the hotel, which is frequented by pilots all over the Adriatic, the heads of the pirate gangs are introduced to Curtis, an arrogant and ambitious American ace who has a contract to assist them. Within time Curtis falls in love with Gina but is frustrated to see that she has affections over Porco. After successfully executing a pirating mission Curtis tracks down Porco, who is flying to Milan to have his plane improved, and shoots him down, claiming to have killed him. Porco actually survives, but all but the fuselage of his plane has been destroyed. Porco continues his mission to Milan, much to the irritation of Gina (in Italy he is a wanted criminal for deserting the air force).

Porco arrives discreetly in Milan to meet Piccolo, his mechanic. He is surprised to find that Piccolo's sons have emigrated to find work elsewhere, and much of the engineering is done by his granddaughter Fio. Porco is initially skeptical of Fio's abilities as a mechanic, but after seeing her dedication in the project to repair his plane he accepts her as a competent engineer, and begins to recognize her as a genius. With no males to assist in the project, Piccolo calls up an all-female team to repair the plane. When Porco's plane is finished, he is unexpectedly joined by Fio on his flight home, with the justification that if the secret police (who have been discreetly observing them) arrest the team, they can say that Porco forced them to help and took Fio as a hostage. Porco reluctantly agrees, and the two hurriedly leave Milan. Stopping off to refuel on the way, Porco discovers that the new Fascist government are beginning to hire seaplane pirates for their own use, thus putting him out of business.

Upon returning home, Porco and Fio are ambushed by the pirates, who threaten to kill Porco and destroy his plane. Fio successfully talks them out of it, but Curtis appears and challenges Porco to a final duel. Fio impulsively makes a deal with him declaring that if Porco wins, Curtis must pay off his debts owed the Piccolo's company, and if Curtis wins, he may marry her. Porco is irritated at Fio for making such a deal, but he forgives her and shows confidence in winning.

That night, at Fio's request Porco tells a story recalling an event in WWI, when he was still a human, where his entire squadron apart from himself was shot down in a dogfight with Austro-Hungarian aircraft. He recalls blacking out and awakening to find himself in complete stillness, with a white band hovering in the distant sky. Enemy aircraft fly past towards the band but ignore him. He sees his friend Berlini, Gina's then-husband, and calls him back but is ignored. Porco soon sees that the band is in fact thousands of planes flying together. Porco blacks out again and recovers skimming above the sea. When he awakes he discovers that he has been turned into a pig, believing this to be a divine punishment for fleeing the fight.

The next day, the duel is arranged and a large crowd gathers on an island to observe. With the attendants betting heavily on the outcome, the contest begins. After an indecisive dogfight between Porco and Curtis, which soon dissolves into a bare fist boxing match, Gina appears to stop the fight and to warn the crowd that the Italian air force has been alerted and are on their way. Porco barely manages to win the fight upon her arrival, and hands Fio over to her, requesting Gina to look after her. With the crowd gone, Porco and Curtis agree to delay the air force together. Meanwhile, Fio becomes president of Piccolo, which is now an aircraft manufacturer, Curtis becomes a famous actor, the pirates continue to attend the Hotel Adriano, and it is suggested that Porco proposes to Gina.

  L² Scored: 9.5/10

L² Comment:

Another one of my favorite Hayao's movie again :) The idea of the curse to turn a person into a pig is funny, and he can be accepted in the human world at that period is more weird... but well, this is an animation anyway, of course its not logic... The storyline is good, love it very very much~ :)

Porn Poko 百變狸貓 平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ

 Released Year: 1994

Directed by 高畑勳 Takahata Isao

Voiced by: 

野野村真 Norihei Miki 正吉 Seizaemon
石田百合子 Makoto Nonomura as 小清 Shoukichi
小林盛夫Gonta as 鶴龜和尚 Shigeru Izumiya
清川虹子 Nijiko Kiyokawa as 火球婆婆 Fireball Oroku

 Story:

The story begins in late 1960s Japan. A group of tanuki is threatened by a gigantic suburban development project called New Tama, in the Tama Hills on the outskirts of Tokyo. The development is cutting into their forest habitat and dividing their land. The story resumes in early 1990s Japan, during the early years of the Heisei era. With limited living space and food decreasing every year, the tanuki begin fighting among themselves for the diminishing resources, but at the urging of the matriarch Oroku ("Old Fireball"), they decide to unify to stop the development.

Several tanuki lead the resistance, including the aggressive chief Gonta, the old guru Seizaemon, the wise-woman Oroku, and the young and resourceful Shoukichi. Using their illusion skills (which they must re-learn after having forgotten them), they stage a number of diversions including industrial sabotage. These attacks injure and even kill people, frightening construction workers into quitting, but more workers immediately replace them. In desperation, the tanuki send out messengers to seek help from various legendary elders from other regions.

After several years, one of the messengers returns bringing a trio of elders from the distant island of Shikoku, where development is not a problem and the tanuki are still worshipped. In an effort at re-establishing respect for the supernatural, the group stages a massive "ghost parade" to make the humans think the town is haunted. The strain of the massive illusion kills one of the elders, and the effort seems wasted when the owner of a nearby theme park takes credit for the parade, claiming it was a publicity stunt.

With this setback, the unity of the tanuki finally fails and they break up into smaller groups, each following a different strategy. One group led by Gonta takes the route of eco-terrorism, holding off workers until they are wiped out in a pitched battle with the police. Another group desperately attempts to gain media attention through television appearances to plead their case against the habitat's destruction. One of the elders becomes senile and starts a Buddhist dancing cult among the tanuki who are unable to transform, eventually sailing away with them in a ship that takes them to their deaths, while the other elder investigates joining the human world as the last of the transforming kitsune (foxes) have already done.

When all else fails, in a last act of defiance, the remaining tanuki stage a grand illusion, temporarily transforming the urbanized land back into its pristine state to remind everyone of what has been lost. Finally, their strength exhausted, the tanuki most trained in illusion follow the example of the kitsune: They blend into human society one by one, abandoning those who cannot transform. While the media appeal comes too late to stop the construction, the public responds sympathetically to the tanuki, pushing the developers to set aside some areas as parks. However, the parks are too small to accommodate all the non-transforming tanuki. Some try to survive there, dodging traffic to rummage through human scraps for food, while others disperse farther out to the countryside to compete with the tanuki who are already there.

In a touching coda, one day, Shoukichi, who also joined the human world, is coming home from work when he sees a non-transformed tanuki leaping into a gap in a wall. Shoukichi crawls into the gap and follows the path, which leads to a grassy clearing where some of his former companions are gathering. He joyfully transforms back into a tanuki to join them. In an emotional final scene, Shoukichi's friend, Ponkichi addresses the viewer, asking humans to be more considerate of tanuki and other animals less endowed with transformation skills, and not to destroy their living space; as the view pulls out and away, their surroundings are revealed as a golf course within a suburban sprawl.

 L² Scored: 9/10

L² Comment:

One of the Hayao's production that i like, it hit the first place in Japan blockbuster in the year of 1994. Love the flexible of those poko to transform themselves into anything they want. Of course i'm not sure poko can transform, but i definitely know fox can. In the older day of China & Japan, Fox is believe to be a devil creature who can transform into any form. But of course if Fox is the main character in here, it might be too simple and not special enough like the poko.

I have watched this movie for a few times, and i still love it a lot :)

The Tantana 密宗威龍

 

 Released Year: 1991

Directed by 孟海 Meng Hai

Casted by:

钱嘉乐 Chin Kar Lok as 灵童 Ling

孟海 Meng Hai as 灵海 Hai

午 马 Wuma as 密日 Miri
林正英 Lam Zheng Ying as 密月 MiYue

洪金宝 Sammo Hung as 迦纳  Gana

 Story:

In Tibet's secret culture, 2 rivals reborn into Ling & Ni. Ni killed all his rivals' gang and wanted to kill Ling too, Miri & MiYue went for help with Hai, they send Ling to Gana to learn more. In the end, Ling learned all the tricks and finally won Ni.

L² Scored: 3.5/10

L² Comment:

This is quite a boring movie actually, there was no main actress in this film, which might not be the main problem as this is regarding the Tibet's culture, but some feminine may stir up the excitement maybe?

Love In A Puff 志明與春嬌

 Released Year: 2010

Directed by 彭浩翔 Pang Ho Cheung

Casted by:

 楊千嬅 Miriam Yeung as 余春嬌 Cherie
余文樂 Shawn Yue as 張志明 Jimmy

黃德斌 Kenny Wong as 家豪 Hoe

 Story:

Since 2007, the Hong Kong government banned smoking in all indoor areas, causing smokers from neighboring buildings to gather for cigarette breaks during office hours at trash bins with ashtrays near their work premises. The regulars started sharing small talks and dirty jokes like friends at a hot pot dinner and this community became known as the "Hot Pot Pack".

Jimmy is an advertising executive who befriended Cherie, a cosmetic sales girl, at a "Hot Pot Pack" shortly after Jimmy broke up with his girlfriend who cheated on him. Cherie's flirting with Jimmy during their cigarette breaks, through text messages and excursions at night eventually led to Cherie's break up with her lived-in boyfriend. This sudden change in their relationship, including a failed one night stand at a love motel, caused them to confront the change in their relationship and consider whether they are viewing each other as love interests or just a companion during lonely nights.

L² Scored: 8.5/10

L² Comment:

A very hit romantic movie in 2010, which helps Miriam Yeung to be nominated as Best Actress in HK academy awards. The whole film is simple and love how the speedy love build up among the Hongkies in such a modern life. I can't wait to see the second movie, who has it?

Ponyo 崖上的波妞 崖の上のポニョ

 Released Year: 2008

Directed by 宫崎駿 Hayao Miyazaki

Voiced by:

奈良柚莉愛 Yuria Nara as 波妞 Ponyo
土井洋輝 Hiroki Doi as 宗介 Sōsuke
山口智子 Tomoko Yamaguchi as 理莎 Lisa
所喬治 George Tokoro as 藤本 Fujimoto

 Story:

Brunhilde is a fish-girl who lives with her father Fujimoto, a once-human wizard who now lives underwater, and her numerous smaller sisters. One day, while she and her siblings are on an outing with their father in his four-flippered submarine, Brunhilde is driven by a desire to see even more of the world and floats away on the back of a jellyfish. After an encounter with a fishing trawler (which is being used to clean up the trash-strewn bottom of the harbour), she ends up stuck in a bottle. She drifts to the shore of a small fishing town and is found and rescued by a small boy named Sōsuke. He cuts his finger in the process, but Brunhilde licks his wound when he picks her up, and the wound heals almost instantly. After taking a great liking to her, Sōsuke renames her Ponyo and promises to protect her forever. Meanwhile, a distraught Fujimoto is searching frantically for his daughter. Because of his own bad memories of the human world, he believes that Sōsuke has kidnapped her, and he calls his wave spirits to recover her. After the wave spirits take Ponyo away, Sōsuke is heartbroken and goes home with his mother, Lisa, who tries to cheer him up, to no avail.

Ponyo and Fujimoto have a confrontation, during which Ponyo refuses to let her father call her by her birthname, "Brunhilde". She declares her name to be Ponyo and voices her desire to become human, because she has started to fall in love with Sōsuke. Suddenly she starts to grow legs and turn into a human, a power granted to her by the human blood she ingested when she licked Sōsuke's finger. Her father turns her back with difficulty and goes to summon Ponyo's mother, Granmamare. Meanwhile, Ponyo, with the help of her sisters, breaks away from her father and uses his magic to make herself fully human. The huge amount of magic that she inadvertently releases into the ocean causes an imbalance in the world, resulting in a huge tsunami. Running pell-mell over the waves of the storm, Ponyo goes back to visit Sōsuke, who is amazed but overjoyed to see her. Lisa is equally amazed, but takes Ponyo's transformation in stride. Lisa, Sōsuke, and Ponyo wait out the storm at Sōsuke's house, where Ponyo learns of some of the things in the human world. Worried about the residents of the nursing home where she works, Lisa leaves to check up on them, promising Sōsuke that she will return as soon as possible.

Granmamare arrives at Fujimoto's submarine. On her way there, Sōsuke's father sees and recognizes her as the Goddess of Mercy. Fujimoto notices the moon appears to be falling out of its orbit and satellites are falling like shooting stars, symptoms of the dangerous imbalance of nature that now exists. Granmamare declares that if Sōsuke can pass a test, Ponyo can live as a human and the world order will be restored. A still-worried Fujimoto reminds her that if Sōsuke fails the test, Ponyo will turn into sea foam.

Sōsuke and Ponyo wake up to find that most of the land around the house has been covered by the ocean. Since it is impossible for Lisa to come home, the two children decide to find her. With the help of Ponyo's magic, they make Sōsuke's toy boat life-size and set out across the ocean.

Over the course of their journey, they see prehistoric fish swimming beneath them, and encounter several other evacuees in boats. After landing and finding Lisa's empty car, Ponyo and Sōsuke head into a tunnel. There Ponyo loses her human form and reverts into a fish from using too much of her magical power to help Sōsuke and others along the way. Meanwhile, Lisa and the residents of the nursing home are below the surface, but have been temporarily given the power to breathe underwater. Sōsuke and Ponyo encounter Fujimoto, but Sōsuke doesn't trust him and attempts to flee. However, Fujimoto captures them and takes them down to the protected nursing home. Sōsuke is reunited with Lisa and meets Granmamare, with whom Lisa has just had a long private conversation. Granmamare asks Sōsuke if he can love Ponyo whether she is a fish or human. Sōsuke replies that he "loves all the Ponyos." Granmamare then tells her daughter that if she chooses to become human once and for all, she will have to give up her magical powers. Ponyo agrees to this, so Granmamare encases her in a bubble and gives her to Sōsuke, and tells him that kissing the bubble will complete Ponyo's transformation. The balance of nature is then restored, and the previously stranded ships head back to port, including Sōsuke's father's. Ponyo jumps high in the air and kisses Sōsuke, transforming back into a human.

  L² Scored: 10/10

L² Comment:

I never know this is one of Hayao's production until i watch this. This is so nice, i love it, the fantasy the magic... its so cool & Ponyo's mother is like a huge mermaid in the ocean~ :) The special feeling/relationship between Ponyo & Sosuke attracts me a lot... its not really love, but Ponyo changed her whole life to be with Sosuke, that's something which i'm looking forward to.... will i ever have this kind of feeling?

Tales from Earthsea 地海傳說 ゲド戦記

 Released Year: 2006

Directed by 宮崎吾朗 Goro Miyazaki

Voiced by:

 岡田准一 Junichi Okada as 亞刃 Prince Arren
菅原文太 Bunta Sugawara as 雀鷹 Sparrowhawk
手嶌葵 Aoi Teshima as 瑟魯 Therru

風吹純 Jun Fubuki as 恬娜 Tenar

田中裕子 Yūko Tanaka as 蜘蛛 Cob

 Story:

A war galley is caught in a storm at sea. The ship's weatherworker is distressed to realize he has lost the power to control the wind and waves, but is more so when he sees two dragons fighting above the clouds, one of which is killed by the other.

The King of Enlad, already troubled by tales of drought and pestilence in the land, receives news both of the strange omen at sea and of the disappearance of his son, Prince Arren. The King's wizard, Root, tells the tale of how dragons and men were once "one", until people who cherished freedom became dragons, and men chose possessions, and of his fears of how the land's plight is because of the weakening of the "balance". The King has little time to ponder on this before he is killed in a dark corridor by a young boy, who is revealed to be his son Arren. The young prince steals his father's sword and flees the palace.

The action now moves to the desert where Arren is pursued by wolves, and rescued by a wizard who turns out to be Sparrowhawk (Ged) the Archmage. Arren accompanies Sparrowhawk and travels to the city of Hort Town. Arren goes to explore the town alone, suddenly becoming scared as if something is following him. While running, Arren sees a young girl, Therru, fleeing from slavers from whom he saves her, although he also shocks her with his indifference to the life of any person, even his own.

Later in the evening Arren is captured by the slavers but loses his sword as the head slaver believes it to be worthless junk. Arren is rescued by Sparrowhawk from the slavers, and they travel to a farm where Therru is looked after by a woman, Tenar, whom Sparrowhawk has known.

The head slaver ("Hare") reports back into a castle to Lord Cob, and almost pays with his life for the loss, until he tells Cob that Sparrowhawk freed the slaves. Cob orders him to bring Sparrowhawk to the castle. At the farm, Sparrowhawk reveals that he is investigating the cause of the Balance being upset and leaves for Hort Town, where he discovers that the sword Arren had is in a merchant shop. Sparrowhawk is then confronted by Hare, but transforms his face to disguise himself. When the slavers leave, he buys the sword.

Arren, at the retreat, reveals to Therru, who gradually accepted him, that he killed his father and that he is scared of the unknown presence following him. Later he leaves in secret. Tenar is captured by the slavers as bait to lure Sparrowhawk into the castle and leaves Therru behind tied to a post as a messenger. Arren is again pursued by the unknown presence and runs away, falling into a lake and falling unconscious underwater. Cob, who sees this, saves him and brings him to the castle, where he manipulates him, saying Sparrowhawk wants to use Arren to discover the secret of eternal life. Cob blackmails Arren to reveal his "true name", Lebannen, to control him. Sparrowhawk, on the way back to the farm, encounters Therru, who freed herself, and gives her the sword, telling her to stay and give it to Arren if he returns. He goes to the castle to save Tenar but instead finds Arren, who tries to kill him, but fails. Sparrowhawk tells Arren that death is natural and that no one can live forever causing Arren to realize what he almost did, before being captured as his power is weakened within the stronghold of Cob's castle.

Therru sees a copy of Arren and follows him to the castle, where he reveals he is the light within Arren. He tells Therru his true name and says while he cannot go into the castle, he will be with her at all moments. Inside of the castle, Therru finds Arren, guilty and full of hopelessness, and brought hope back to him by saying his true name, breaking Cob's control over him. She also tells him her true name, Tehanu. Both go to rescue Sparrowhawk and Tenar from Cob who is about to throw them off a high tower. After fighting and scaring off Hare and the slave traders, the sword that Arren possesses unsheathes, revealing that this is due to its magical nature, and he cuts off Cob's hand, which flies away still holding his staff, rendering him unable to use magic. Cob turns into a grotesque old man, due to the loss of his magic. Cob, after reattaching his severed hand, captures Therru and flees to the highest tower on the castle, with Arren in hot pursuit. Cornered, Cob strangles Therru to death. However, she does not die as she has eternal life, and instead becomes a dragon, thus killing Cob and rescuing Arren from the collapsing tower that Cob destroyed to prevent Arren from advancing.

Therru and Arren land at a field where Therru reforms as a human. Arren tells Therru he will leave for home to repent for his crime, but will come back to see her sometime.

  L² Scored: 6.5/10

L² Comment:

This animation was directed by the eldest son of Miyazaki Hayao. Ummm... this kind of action/war animation seldom appear in the Hayao's series, this would be the first one i have ever seen. Overall the storyline is ok for me, nothing too special or extraordinary from the other animation. I love the magic part, its kinda cool, but of coz compare with his previous movie, this will not be on the top of the pack~

Hellboy

Released Year: 2004

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Casted by:

Ron Perlman as Hellboy
John Hurt as Trevor Bruttenholm
Selma Blair as Liz Sherman
Rupert Evans as John Thaddeus Myers. Del Toro
Karel Roden as Grigori Efimovich Rasputin
Jeffrey Tambor as Tom Manning
Doug Jones as Abe Sapien

 Story:

In 1944, the Nazis build a dimensional portal off the coast of Scotland. With the help of Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, they intend to free the Ogdru Jahad—monstrous entities imprisoned in another dimension—to aid them in defeating the Allies. Rasputin knows that this will be an apocalyptic event that he believes will create a paradise. He opens the portal with the aid of his disciples, Ilsa von Haupstein and Obersturmbannführer Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, member of the Thule Society and Adolf Hitler's top assassin. An Allied team is sent to destroy the portal, guided by young Trevor Bruttenholm, who is well-versed in the occult. The German team is killed and the portal is destroyed—in the process absorbing Rasputin—while Haupstein and Kroenen escape. The Allied team discovers an infant demon with a right hand of stone came through the portal; they dub it "Hellboy".

Sixty years later, FBI agent John Myers is transferred to the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) at the request of Bruttenholm and he meets the adult Hellboy and a psychic, amphibious humanoid named Abe Sapien. He learns that a third BPRD member, Liz Sherman, has recently checked into a mental hospital to protect others from her volatile pyrokinetic abilities. Despite regular visits and coaxing from Hellboy, she is determined not to return. Kroenen and Haupstein resurrect Rasputin in the mountains of Moldova. The three unleash a hellhound known as Sammael. Rasputin imbues Sammael with the power to reincarnate and split his essence, causing two of the creature's eggs to hatch and mature each time one dies. Rasputin visits Liz as she sleeps, activating her powers and almost destroying the hospital. Myers convinces her to return to the Bureau.

Sammael's ability to multiply becomes a problem, as Hellboy repeatedly kills it, creating dozens. Abe is injured while retrieving some of its eggs, and Kroenen critically wounds one of the FBI agents sent with Hellboy. Kroenen, whose mutilated body is run by mechanical parts, shuts himself down, pretending to be defeated. Kroenen's body is brought to the bureau. FBI Director Tom Manning is angered by Hellboy's recklessness. Myers takes Liz out for coffee and to talk. Hellboy, jealous, covertly follows them. Rasputin appears at the bureau, reanimating Kroenen before confronting Professor Bruttenholm. Rasputin offers him a vision of the future, showing Hellboy is the agent that will destroy the world. Rasputin tells Bruttenholm he will give him a quick death in return for the care he gave Hellboy. Bruttenholm is stabbed in the neck by Kroenen and dies clutching a rosary.

Manning takes over the B.P.R.D. and locates Rasputin's mausoleum in an old cemetery outside Moscow, Russia. A team led by Manning and Hellboy enter the mausoleum, but swiftly become separated. Hellboy and Manning find their way to Kroenen's lair and defeat him. Telling Manning to stay back, Hellboy reunites with Liz and Myers at Sammael's nest to defend them, but the creatures overwhelm him. Liz uses her pyrokinetic powers to incinerate the Sammaels and their eggs. Hellboy, Liz and Myers lose consciousness and are captured by Rasputin. To force Hellboy to release the Ogdru Jahad, Rasputin sucks Liz's soul out of her body, telling Hellboy that Liz will come back to life if he obeys. Hellboy awakens his true power as Anung un Rama, causing his horns to regrow. He nearly releases the Ogdru Jahad, but the injured Myers reminds him of who he is and that he has the right to choose his own path. Remembering his true self and what Bruttenholm brought him up to be, Hellboy breaks off his horns, returning to his former self and resealing the Ogdru Jahad. Hellboy stabs Rasputin with one of his broken horns.

Rasputin has been possessed by a creature from the Ogdru Jahad. The tentacled Behemoth bursts out of Rasputin's body and grows to immense size, killing Rasputin and Ilsa. Hellboy allows himself to be swallowed by the beast while detonating a belt of hand grenades. The explosion tears the Behemoth apart. Liz's vital signs are gone when Hellboy returns from the fight, but he whispers into her ear and her life is restored. When she asks how her soul was returned, Hellboy replies that he told the creatures from the other side the cost of taking her: "Hey, you on the other side. Let her go. Because for her I'll cross over, and then you'll be sorry." She and Hellboy kiss, and she surrounds them in flame as Myers stands and watches.

 L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

Love this Dark Horse Comic based movie, its kinda cool to see the red thingy hellboy walking around the streets without afraid of him. The best scene that i like is when Abe in the water trying to retrieve the Sammeal's eggs but was chase instead. That part is so exciting i hold my breathe everytime when i watch it.

Overall the whole movie is not bad, hope to watch the 2nd movie soon...