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Metropolis

Metropolis

List Price: $24.95
Your Price: $22.46
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Refined motif
Review: The film does an excellent job of presenting itself as a period piece with its selection of Jazzy music like St James Infirmiary, the art deco city scapes... even the characters are drawn to the style of the period. But it's an anachronistic period piece, and one that not only unfolds it's quick, but even-tempo plot with consistantly high production values, but manages to place most of its emphasis on a social and political message.

Though it owes most of the depth of its message to the original Metropolis, I would say it's next closest kin is Brazil rather than Blade Runner.

I would concede to previous criticisms posted here that there are flaws, but I would argue that they are small compared to the overall film. The characters are a little hollow, and the plot can be confusing, but it's not because the plot is bad or the characters are too archtypical, but because no time was given to the introduction of new characters. I think the characters were well developed (even the trashcan robot who befriends the runaways shows feelings), but in every case that the viewer is dropped into a new scene or character with no context and forced to swim, he ends up getting swept downstream to the next scene.

And I wanted to add my two cents on the debate about the decision to score the destruction of the world to "I Can't Stop Loving You". I think the Amazon[.com] reviewer mistook it for funny in the way that an English translation of a Japanese movie's title becomes funny when someone does a bad job. I don't think that's the case here at all. The pairing was deliberate, and it was shocking, and it worked brilliantly. This DVD deserves a soundtrack.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Metropolis, a work of art
Review: well, looking at the differing reviews one doesn't know what to think...
unless you go out and get the movie, in which case you'll be blown away.
let me adress some of the main "problem" issues:
1-the popeye style art of the characters is a little off puting at the begining, but likle all other things in this great anime-one gets used to it.
2-the "vague" plut is nowhere near vague. people who thought so were probably expecting something more obvious-without the subtle intricacies (misspelled, i know) there is a great plot here if you bother looking for it.
3-so,e people bash the music-which I think is realy one of the highlights of the movie - just listen to the part where Duke Red is going to the lab to see his daughter in the making.

now onto the greatness of this anime...

1 the backgrounds: I was blown away. unlike normal movies, anime puts effort into the backgrounds it creates leaving you with a picture of a "real" world.
2 charactres: a set of well developed characters like this bunch , makes the movie 10 times better than it would normaly be. you can tell what kind of decition the character is going to makeby the middle of the end- well alomst every character.
3 unlike normal anime, this one isn't charged with unecessary violence...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very nice visuals and jazzy music.
Review: I'm not very familiar with Tezuka's works, and have only read his "Astroboy" manga. But believe me, this movie made me think very highly of him. (Even though he is deceased) ^_^

First of all, this movie has a blend of stunning CGI effects and fluid animation, with a smooth frame rate. The character designs were odd and cartoony, and some would think they wouldn't fit in with the massive 3D enviornment. I thought they fit just fine. This movie sent a powerful message to me, and I was completely astounded. I have never seen a CGI movie done this well. The real thing that turned me on about this movie, was the jazzy, cool music. It fit with the movie perfectly, and has some very nice oldies in there, too. However, when they played "I can't stop Loving you" at the end, I found it a bit far-fetched. But after renting the DVD and watching it several more times, I got over it. Overall, this is a highly reccomended movie. I loved it. I hope you do, too.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A lovely film
Review: Upon first watching, Metropolis can be a little baffleing. Despite the somewhat confusing to the casual viewer plotline, you get sucked into the images that are created on the screen. And eventually, everything starts to fall into place, thus creating a rich, beautifully animated story. After a second watching, you find yourself drawn into tima's search for herself, and you catch yourself asking the same questions.

A wonderful film that is fit for nearly all ages.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Remarkable for its depth.
Review: The story is familiar, almost all sci-fi fans have seen the silent Metropolis but this anime realization takes on a depth that relates to its Japanese origins. The character most realized in terms of anime style is the female robot which is also deeply attached to a small radio. Both the radio and the robot echo the reframe, "who am I." The point is that this story can be taken on numerous levels and requires a thoughtful watching. Anyone looking for the simple slash and jump of much vintage anime is apt to be disappointed although some of the visuals are quite beautiful.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: It doesn't get any better....
Review: From the moment this movie starts, the viewer can expect to be in for a whollop of bad entertainment. The colors are stodgy and the characters look like they are on growth hormones with their beady eyes and hyper-long arms. But that is not even the worst part of it...
Honest to God, between stiff acting, a grating soundtrack, and a lack of plot, this picture should be credited to Al Gore instead of Tezuka. The team have done him a great disservice. Ultimately, this picture is about as exciting as a flat roller coaster.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Like The Matrix, it gets better (and more competent)
Review: SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

A few months ago I saw Metropolis in New York City. I was blown away by the visuals and the music but the story just wasn't competent enough. As soon as it came out, I bought the DVD and watched the movie twice.

Although last time I reviewed I gave it a B+ this time I would give it an A-. The story is actually much more competent if you watch it two or three times. The only plot point that isn't fully understandable is the one about the sunspots and radiation.

The ending is excellent. A city being destroyed to Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You" is one of the most amazing sequences ever put onto film.

The main movie itself is also very good with a Jazz score and great action sequences with great sets and animation.

Anime fans will be very satisfied with this film.

DON'T WATCH THE DUBBED VERSION WHATEVER YOU DO!

Rated PG-13 for animated violence, blood, images of destruction, and brief profanity. Suggested for ages 12 and up.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Boring
Review: I love animated films and I was looking forward to it when it was released, after some searching over here I got it, sat down and was never more bored.
First off, the cityscapes are superb, but the "Popeye" type characters looked very out of place against the scenery. Not only were they very Pokemon colored they had very limited facial expressions and I could not get the feeling that the translation crew had left out loads !
The ending would probably have been very moving if I had developed any feeling for any of the characters in the film. The personal character development is non existent and basically the film dragged out for me, and as I said , while the end of the film was pretty good I pretty much felt no sentiments for the characters, robotic or otherwise. Its a shame really as this had potential to be an excellent flick.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Worth Watching, but not typical
Review: The artwork is brillant and awe-inspiring, the music is whimsical and vibrant, and the question posed by the film is one that humanity genuinely faces.
Overall the movie is a marvelous experience, but you need to detach yourself from certain expectations. For example, the design of the characters does not match the gravity of their setting, likewise you might find the music a bit anachronistic.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One-sided beauty
Review: It is typical of the storytelling in this film that the first three lines you hear tells all the basics of the what the story is about. Exposition at its worst.

It is also typical of the film that we hear these lines over the most beautiful computer-created cityscapes ever created. Stunning, magnificent, complex.

All I can say is that when films (both Eastern and Western) one day get stories that can compete with how good we can make the films look these days... well, it'll be a new world.


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