Metropolis

Rating:
Summary: watch it
Review: Tima is so cute.

The animation of this film is different. I wan't to say that it is strange, but what isn't strange? It is just unusual and that is what makes it interesting. The characters look rounded like toys and even move a bit like toys. The storyline is very relevant to the times, yet the visuals suggest the future and the music is very old (20s or 30s?) I find that an interesting combination of present, past, and future in one animated film. Tima is sort of follows the blonde hair blue-eyed AI paradigm that Speilberg used.

Rating:
Summary: Totally Excellent
Review: A beautifull show, briiliant and needs to be seen at least 5 times. A milestone in animation and awesome visual experience.
Bizarre and amazing all at once. Fascism and industrial opulence at thier worst in a fantastic dicotomy.

Rating:
Summary: Loved It
Review: Great movie. The animation in this film is different than the Japanese animation I am used to (Tenchi Muyo, Urusei Yatsura, Ghost in the Shell). I loved the 3D effects. This movie is similar to Battle Angel.

Rating:
Summary: The most visually rich animated film I have seen (to date)
Review: Every time I found myself thinking about a flaw in the narrative of "Metropolis," the stunning visuals of this anime just blow me away and I find heresies regarding the over importance of plot and character filling my brain. You would not be surprised to know that "Metropolis" is based on a 1949 manga by the late Osamu Tezuka, which was clearly inspired by Fritz Lang's 1926 classic silent film. However, given what I have seen of the original manga a lot of the credit for this film goes to both director Tarô Rin ("Astro Boy" and "X-The Movie") and written by the anime legend Katsuhiro Otomo (writer of "Roujin-Z" and director of "Akira") and they get a lot of credit, both for improving upon the original manga and strengthening the ties to the Lang film.

Once again we are seeing the story of a city with a clear division of labor between the humans and their humanoid robots. Beneath the sprawling city of Metropolis's towering art deco spires there other Zones that might as well be different worlds. The heart of the story is the romance between young Ken-ichi and Tima, the humanoid robot created by the movie's mad scientist in the image of the dead daughter of the power hungry Duke Red. Towering over Metropolis is the great Ziggurat and deep within it there is a throne that is meant for Tima, whose destiny is merge the power of the city's great computers with the imagination of the human brain to create a force to take over the city and transform humanity. Standing in the way of this plot are several people, most notably Rock, the adopted son of Duke Red (and a character not in the original manga) who is incensed by the idea that his "father" would put a "robot" in charge of the Ziggurat. Meanwhile, the film's score pumps up the action with the sound of swinging Twenties-style jazz.

This is a dazzling example of animation, combining 3-D computer graphics with traditional 2-D animation in a film that is so visually rich you find yourself rewatching sequences just to check out another quadrant of the screen to see what details have been crammed into it (the only other film where I consciously did this was "Star Wars"). The DVD edition has a bonus disc, pocket-DVD size, that has a couple of brief sequences from the film in which we see how 8 and 5 layers are combined to great effect. There are also several opportunities to hear Tarô Rin and Katsuhiro Otomo explain how they worked their magic, both in terms of the visual delights and the transformation of the original. This is just a beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, transplendent, film. The animation is so great then even when Ray Charles suddenly starts singing "I Can't Stop Loving You" at the film's climax, it makes perfect sense and you just enjoy the moment.

Yes, the story is not as good as the animation, but given the quality of the animation, it would be hard to rise to that level. Just watch the film. You can pick either the literal translation of the Japanese or the American rewrite for the subtitles, or you can just cop out and do the English soundgrack, but keep your eyes glued on the screen and enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: It is kinda pretty
Review: This was a nice movie...but it didn't have much of a ending
However, it is worth watching once... :)

Rating:
Summary: Who Am I?
Review: In a vibrant colorful world of fantastical people and imagry, the profound thought of life and identity is set. Metroplis is both an allogory for religious and social standings. But it is a touching tale with characters who are gentle and sympathetic and will move you to a smile and maybe a few tears. Recommended for anime fans and movie fans, Metropolis is a city not easily forgotten.

If you like this, also check out Jin-roh, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Cowboy Bebop

Rating:
Summary: Stylish Anime
Review: "Metropolis" is a gorgeously rendered futuristic world where robots and humans mingle, usually not without friction. When a Japanese detective and his nephew Kenichi arrive in Metropolis to seek out an underworld figure, they find themselves confused by all that surrounds them. To assist them, they are loaned a robot guide dressed in a trench coat who has access to the underground zones carved out beneath the city. Almost at once, a fire at an abandoned factory in Zone 1 attracts their attention. Kenichi rescues a naive nymph-like girl from the blaze, only to plunge through the collapsing building with her into another zone. Unbeknownst to them both, Tima is a robot charged with human feelings, a super-being created by the despot Duke Red and the scientist Kenichi and his uncle are tracking. When the Duke's jealous and ruthless adopted son Rock discovers that Tima lives, he dedicates himself to her destruction. Add a conspiracy, political machinations, the breakdown of technology, and a populace fraught with prejudice - and you have the complex film that is "Metropolis." As confusing as the plot can get, the film never falters toward its powerful conclusion.

Graphically, this world is almost too much to bear with its intense detail and color. The jazz soundtrack is a brilliantly stylish, lending a retro feel to the movie despite its futuristic setting and plot. Viewers will find themselves in a wholly imagined, distinctive realm that will astound them with its originality. With the possible exception of Tima, a frail, adorable creation dressed in oversize clothes, the characters are cartoonish. At first this bothered me, because their animation seems so out of place with the rest, but then I realized the contrast poignantly shows how out of place humans are in such a city.

Above all, "Metropolis" is an art film, with its vision more significant than its plot. Anime fans and art film lovers will find much to appreciate in this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Metropolis the great
Review: Being a huge fan of Japanimation, Anime, whatever you wish to call it, an aunt of mine sent me this DVD as a birthday present. I am so glad she did.

Metropolis has a complex, yet simple, storyline, BRILLIENT animation, especially with the computerized backgrounds, wonderful, wonderful characters that you remember for hours (Rock stood out in my mine, although Atlas left quite the impression), and a finale that is expected yet unexpected in the same way.

In summary: Rent this movie! You will not forget it, and even the English dub is up to par with the Japanese version! The last two scenes made me have to rewind, and then re watch, them again and again (Call me sappy, but I still tear up a little when "I Can't Stop Loving You" starts to play)... This is a truly spectacular movie, that deserves FAR more then then five stars.

Rating:
Summary: Great animation and story...but the music?
Review: "Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis (English Dubbed Version)"
Directed by: Rintaro
Written by: Marc Handler and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Based on the graphic comic book novel by: Osamu Tezuka
Inspired by the silent film "Metropolis" directed by: Fritz Lang; written by: Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou; and based on the novel by: Thea von Harbou
Featuring the voice talents of: Jamieson Price, Rebecca Forstadt, Barbara Goodson, Dave Mallow, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Michael Reisz, Brianne Siddall and Scott Weinger.
Runtime: 106 mins.
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and images of destruction.

First off, don't start sending me hate mail because the dubbed version of the film did not credit any of the dubbing actors or crew. There. Now, for the story.
Duke Red (Price) and his team of scientists have finished contruction of the Ziggurat and a week-long celbration has begun.
Private detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew, Kenichi (Siddall), have just arrived in Metropolis in search of organ smuggler Dr. Laughton, and are enjoying the festivities. That is, until, Duke Red's violent adopted son and leader of the Marduke Party, Rock (Reisz) busts some caps in a robot antagonist who should have been in Zone-1. All the while, Duke Red has been having dealings with Laughton by asking him to build a robtic human named Tima (Forstadt), who is designed after his own, but dead, birthdaughter. Rock, however, HATES robots, and kills Laughton and then blows up his laboratory in hopes of killing Tima. During the explosion, though, Tima is awakend in stead of destroyed, and finds herself trapped in the burning building. Ban and Kenichi arrive with their new robotic assistant Pero (Mallow), and manage to get inside going different ways. Kenichi finds Tima and tries to get her out, but then fall through a loose girder and into the sewers of Zone-3. What happens next is events that I cannot tell you about if you ever hope to get through the movie without knowing every thing that's going to happen.
Animated by a studio known as Mad House, this a very visually stunning film. The cartoony character designs and the ultra-realistic background designs contrast with each other now and again, but if you enjoy the film enough, you won't even care.
Now the trailer for this film gives a very bad example of what it's supposed to be like. The trailer makes it look like an action film. It isn't. It's a sci-fi drama that is not presented in the way of "Star Trek". This is not the film for adrenaline- pumping action movie junkies. But, although the story gets slow in some spots, it still stays engrossinging throughout. Now, before you go and plunk down 30 bucks, make sure you rent it first. This is a film that must be seen by everybody, but only pay the price for keeping it with you for eterinty if you've really enjoyed it. In short, don't do what I did. (even though I am very happy that I have it with me forever now!). Oh, and the music score stinks.

Grant E. McGee

Rating:
Summary: Could have been better
Review: I'm not really certain myself what all the rage about Japanimation is all about; to be certain, there are some great films, (Vampire Hunter D. and Akira come to mind), but the genre has a batting average close to Hollywood's. In general, the animated sets are fantastic, but the look of the characters in most of these is deeply reminescent of puppeteering ala late '60's British 'Thunderbirds'.
The sets in this film are awesome, giving it a fantastic look that is trudged upon by boring looking characters, staid lines, and stilted action scenes. Designed as an homage to the silent film, 'Metropolis', it falls far short of this classic.
The storyline; the villian of the story has built a 'Ziggeraut' (sic) or Tower of Babel that holds enormous power. He then designs a robot in the visage of his young daughter to control the machine. His adopted son goes to destroy the robot and its creator, but the robot gets away and befriends a young boy who falls in love with the 'girl' who is a robot but he is unaware.
The look of the sets makes you wish they would just show those, and let go of the sub-par storytelling. If you haven't seen it and are curious about this film, you should find a copy and watch it before throwing your money out for a purchase. I almost did, but in retrospect, am glad I saw it first. A fun viewing, but not worth paying for if you haven't seen it.