'Tales From Earthsea' Is Really Not Much of a Story at All

"There was a time when humans and dragons were one."

Release Date: (Japan) July 29, 2006; (USA) August 13, 2010

Starring (English Voice Actors): Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Matt Levin, Cheech Marin, Blaire Restaneo, Marishka Hargitay

Director: Goro Miyazaki

Writer: Ursula K. Le Guin (Novels); Goro Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa (Screenplay)

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violent images.

Trailer

Official Movie Website

No, this is not Hayao Miyazaki's work, this is his son's. Hayao wanted to work with the film, but could not due to 'Howl's Moving Castle,' so he passed the job onto his son, Goro.

Honestly, I wish Hayao just waited until 'Howl's' was done and then took on 'Tales From Earthsea.' To be blunt, this was not my favorite Studio Ghibli film.

'Tales From Earthsea' is a 2006 Japanese animated film loosely based on Ursula K. Le Guin's 'Earthsea' series.

Honestly, I still do not understand the significance of several events in the film. I don't understand them so much, I'm not comfortable providing my own summary as I usually do for you. It's not that I don't know what was going on. I could understand the dialogue and all...

It's just the significance of certain things were hardly explained. For example, in the beginning, the audience learns that it is apparently unusual for two dragons to fight...okay, I got that much... now why? They never get around to explaining a lot of things, like why and how Arren, the protagonist, had his light and dark sides split from each other into separate beings.

The film seems to assume that one has read the books, but even then, 'Earthsea' is not even close to the books, according to Le Guin.

One thing I do find interesting is that the film's main antagonist, Lord Cob (Willem Dafoe) was actually a witch named Kumo in the Japanese version instead of a wizard in the English. Suddenly the malicious witch turns into a creepy man for the USA dub.

Oh, all right USA, I guess Michael Jackson  is much creepier.

One thing I do love about this film though, is 'Therru's Song.' It is a very beautiful piece and even though I did not like the film, I found myself downloading the song and listening to it when I went to bed the same night.

The music is definitely beautiful, there is no doubt about that. Kudos to Tamiya Terashima for that!

I did not find any problems with the English voice acting. I love Timothy Dalton's voice; it has a nice speaking quality and Willem Dafoe always has a creepy-ass voice that's perfect for villains.

Despite the wonderful music, beautiful animation, and tolerable voice acting, 'Tales from Earthsea' failed to tell a story that could have been another masterpiece from Studio Ghibli. The film was very bland in the fantasy genre. Nothing too special about it.

Rent worthy? Eh....I really would not waste your time if I were you.

DVD/Blu-Ray worthy? Definitely not. Not a film for my shelves.

Keep on watchin'

The Little Critic

'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'- A Film For The Senses

'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer' is a 2006 film and is based on a novel of the same name. It is actually a German film, but the spoken language is English.

It is Rated R for disturbing imagery, violence, sexuality, and nudity so it's not for the kiddies. I state this in case you didn't catch the obvious "MURDERER" part of the title.

'Perfume' follows the sad, yet disturbing life of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw).

He is orphaned from birth and looks like any other pitiful soul living in the foul stench of eighteenth-century Paris.

What is inhuman about Grenouille is his ability to smell. He can smell anything and everything in the world, living or inanimate.


Eventually, he becomes interested in the art of perfumery and learns that he can preserve scents.

His passion for the art of scent becomes malicious as he sets out to make himself known for the world's perfect perfume.

I have never read the book, but I want to now. The way the movie is set up is like you are reading a book. There's a narrator to describe Grenouille's feelings or thoughts since that particular character does not speak much.

I know this is a movie not everyone will like though, but I thought the concept and originality of the story was intriguing and different.

This movie is highly sensual and if you have any young siblings, I give a warning so you don't pop in the DVD while you're babysitting a bunch of innocent-minded children.

I can't say it's SEXUAL though, except for like two parts. Majority of the nudity comes at the worst possible moments. It's like that dream people have when they're naked and out in public...only in the movie, they DIE instead of becoming embarassed.
Each adorable kitten represents a moment of nudity and violence in 'Perfume'

The actors did a good job. Dustin Hoffman ('Meet The Fockers,' 'The Graduate') and Alan Rickman (Snape in the 'Harry Potter' films) are the most notable ones in the film. Rachel Hurd-Wood, who played Wendy in 2003's 'Peter Pan' is also here.

Ben Whishaw plays a convincing freak; I mean that in a good way.

Too bad there is no "Smell-O-Vision" technology yet because this is one of those movies that could have featured that and put it to good, disgusting use.

I liked the movie personally, but the story may or may not be too weird for some people. I thought it was original and I want to read the book now since I have heard the novel is better.


4.5/5


Rent worthy? Yeah, if you like thrillers/horror films. This is hardly a horror film, but a movie about a murderer should be horrific, no?

DVD/Blu-ray worthy? Yeah, I own it already. It's no 'Silence of the Lambs,' but it's good enough.

Random Tidbit:

You know the song "Scentless Apprentice" by Nirvana? It was inspired bythe novel that 'Perfume' is based on. So even Kurt Cobain liked this story, I guess.

Keep on watchin'

The Little Critic

'Penelope' Is Definately Not Hogwash

'Penelope' is a 2006 modern fairy tale film set in London. Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci) is just like any other aristocratic young woman.

Her mother, Jessica Wilhern (Catherine O'Hara) is just like any other aristocratic mother who wants to see their daughter get married to the perfect aristocratic man and have aristocratic kids together and be aristocrats forever.

Rich or not, it seems Penelope cannot seem to snag a man who is willing to stay with her (Honey, we all have that problem). However, the cause of that problem is extremely different for most women.

Penelope's positively petrifying pig nose scares away any suitor who sees her.

You see, one of her aristocratic Wilhern ancestors could not keep his pig in its blanket and made a servant girl, pregnant. When he told of his plans to marry the servant girl, his parents scoffed at him and told him that he cannot do that for she did not come from the same class.

Ancestor Wilhern listened to his parents and married a more suitable girl. The servant girl, in turn, killed herself.

The servant's mother, a witch, decided to put a curse on the Wilhern clan and vowed that the first daughter to be born in their family will live with the nose of a pig and stay that way until a person with a rich background comes to accept her for how she is.

Men: Wear condoms, just in case some chick's mom happens to be a vengeful witch

The Wilhern family was lucky for a few generations because every pregnancy resulted in a boy, until poor Penelope came along.

Penelope has always longed to interact with the rest of society, but her mother refuses and has kept her daughter in the house for most of Penelope's life.

Like any forced shut-in, Penelope sheer determination eventually finds a way to open society's doors and experience it on her own. Want to know how? Go watch the movie.

This movie is not well-known as it did not get enough publicity and advertisements. It SHOULD'VE though.

'Penelope' is so cute and funny. Catherine O'Hara is HILARIOUS and so is Simon Woods, who plays selfish, spoiled Edward Vanderman, another aristocrat.

Everyone did great and the casting was perfect. The story is a mix between 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'Beauty and the Beast' but the film can still be called its own story.

One of my favorites already. This is not a movie to watch only when pigs fly. Watch it now.

4.5/5

Rent worthy? I loved it a lot and I hope there is some consideration on renting this. It is available on Netflix and Blockbuster probably carries it.

DVD/Blu-ray worthy? I have it and if you liked it as much as I did, you will probably buy it too.

Keep on watchin'

The Little Critic