Grave of the Fireflies

Rating:
Summary: See This Film!
Review: Sometimes people just need their eyes opened to a different experience in order to have an understanding of the situation they're in. Days go by and I dont realize how lucky I'am. To live in a country and a time when eventhough things have seemed so crazy the last few months I feel realtivly safe. I feel like a better person for just watching this film. Most of all I've come to realize that it's not my faith in humanity that is lacking but my respect for it that doesn't always seem to be there at times. I'am different now...Thank you Seita and Setsuko

Rating:
Summary: Heart wrenching
Review: I watched Grave of the Fireflies a few years back and this is an unforgettable work of Anime. Classic! It's heartfelt and heart wrenching. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Puts you in your place.
Review: This film.. was beautiful. No words could describe what it's worth. I loved it, I'll be honest.. I wept, the same as everyone else who watched it. I followed along with the characters, sharing their small triumphs with an eager smile, sighing with their sufferings, and even wincing with their pains. I grew to love the characters in the short span of the movie. Everyone ( even the Grinch ) would love these characters because they are real... they are humans and easily acceptable as such. You'll weep when you watch it, I promise...

The story is richly told and the characters are developed lovingly... It has a romantic air to it that will break your heart in the end. It easily developes empathy with even the coldest heart... then it goes on to shatter it and leave you with some fragmented ideas of what life really is and how much control you have. It comes at a perfect time to put us all in our places and reveal the monster and terrorist that America was and is.

Buy it because it is easily worth twice what they ask.. If only to be a nice addition to a beginning anime collection.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: It's been a while since I watched this film last, so I'm surprised by the fact that I have tears in my eyes as my reading here brings graphic recollection of the film's sweetness and sadness. The unusual aspect of Grave of the Fireflies (for me), is that it has had such a lasting emotional impact. I can't over-emphasize the profound and beautiful way this film illustrates tragedy -- in such a way that I can become overwhelmed by it long after viewing it.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this film as a masterpiece--unequalled in my opinion for it's powerful emotional impact.

Rating:
Summary: This film reduced me to a pool of tears
Review: Ok, I'll admit it - I sobbed inconsolably for nearly an hour after this film ended and I'm definitely not the type to cry when I see a movie (or anything else for that matter). I have to agree 100% with all the other reviewers who wrote of how this film moved them. This film dealt with so many complex issues and feelings, yet the animation portrayed each situation in exactly the right way, and no "live- action" film could have done better at showing raw emotions. The story has been recapped by other reviewers , so I won't rehash whats already been said, but another poignant scene to me came at the end that vividly pointed out the difference in wartime experiences between the "common" Japanese citizens and the elite, who sent their families to mountain hideaways to escape the US bombs.
Regardless of how you feel about World War 2, this film will have you sympathize with the plight of these two young children and you'll be completely taken in by their story. Their grit, determination and desire to try to live as "normal" life as possible during those times is a testament of their will and makes the ending even more tragic. The scenes haunted me for days after I saw it, and has altered the way I see World War 2 and all war for that matter. This is such an important film that should be seen by everyone. We very rarely even give a second thought to the innocents involved in war and this film puts their experience in our hearts and minds.

Rating:
Summary: An examination of the human nature...
Review: Where Memento succeeded in stunning me totally and is my favourite movie, Grave of the Fireflies totally succeeded in making me feel depressed for three whole days and is a very close 2nd on my favourites list. Everyone I know who has seen this movie has been moved totally by this movie. From Roger Ebert himself to Casey Mines of Movie Review Planet, this movie has been deemed "seamless". Ebert gave it a 4/4, and Mines gave it a 10/10.

Why does this movie work? The plot is quite simple-and yet perfect. (or as close to perfect as possible.) I'll try to explain this. In its simplicity, it moves you. It does not have to go through plot twist after plot twist like Memento to stun you. No, rather it uses this simple plot and quietly, and with the utmost patience reduces you to tears. While it is simple just by itself, this plot can also be seen as a very complicated one. One could see it as an examination of human nature and the will to survive. In many precious moments, we see human instinct bared out for all to see. Something we usually find simple, suddenly becomes a whole lot more meaningful in the context of the movie. We can see from this example that a movie does not have to go to great lengths to be perfect.

Stunning and beautiful animation add to this movie. With golden-brown hues used throughout much of the movie, the cinematography enhances the experience by that much more. The animation actually enhances this movie. Like others have said, this movie could not have been done as well if it was not animated. The animation helps you capture those precious moments, and the expressions the characters use. The feelings show on their faces so well, love, anger, sadness, longing, pain...they are all there.

A very quiet movie. This silence that is consistent throughout the whole movie also makes this more an experience, and not just a movie. The silence gives it that gritty reality that many movies search for--and yet, it is this, an animated movie that succeeds in creating that atmosphere. This silence helps get rid of the characters facades and masks away so that what we see is the raw and true emotions in their eyes. And it moves slowly but surely. Like the boy and his sister struggling to survive, this movie slowly, bit by bit, strips away their dignity, until they are reduced to living like animals. And yet, they still manage to retain their sense of beauty and their struggle to survive. Even when things are bad, they can still see the beauty of life.They somehow are able to keep a tiny scrap of a tiny scrap of their original dignity, essence, and personality. They are together; that is all that matters, this keeps them alive everyday; this is their main struggle. Without one another, the will to survive would be gone.

And so, this is what this movie is about. Keeping that tiny scrap of dignity, no matter how bad things seem, and no matter if you know the odds are against you. The beauty of life and the sense that life is always worth living is what drove them to try and survive.

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Summary: T_T ...... Saddest Movie Ever
Review: Setsuko ....... oh my dear .......

This movie inspires grief. Nothing prepared me for this. Nothing. I showed it to my father (who, by the way, had to support his 6 younger siblings himself when he was young), and he could relate to Seita and he cried.

There is no way you could not have fallen in love with Setsuko (unless maybe you saw the dubbed version ..... T_T). She was animated beautifully, extremely child-like and innocent and cheerio-cheerio kind of girl. Which makes it all the more heartbreaking.

Sigh. Anyway. This is the greatest movie of all time.

Rating:
Summary: I hope you have a strong heart
Review: It isnft often that a film has the ability to transport itfs viewer back in time to place he or she has never seen; however, Grave of the Fireflyfs managed to do that and much much more. Through the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko a brief glimpse into the true horrors of war is revealed. Although the story has a very selective framework that leaves out what may be some important facts, (Seita had money, the aunt couldnft afford the keep them, and he WAS capable of working) the authors intent is still clearly realized. Although this is a film that will make you cry, it is also a film that will warm your heart. The scenes of love and tenderness between the two siblings are some of the most endearing in my experience. Takahata manages take the emotions of his viewers and twist and turn them throughout. I found myself trying to stifle a smile after the death of Setiafs mother. Overall this was an amazing film, with allusions and critiques that go even deeper than a simple gWar is badh theme.

Rating:
Summary: The making of a pacifist
Review: This really is one of the greatest films of all time (anime or otherwise) and any person who calls themselves human needs to see this film.

I can say very little about it that hasn't already been said countless times by other far wiser then myself, but I can say that this movie touched me in a way that does not happen much. I may not watch this film often, but I will treasure it forever.

Rating:
Summary: 4 not 5
Review: I know, I know, everyone loves this film. I really enjoed it except that it sort of ruined it for me that he had money to buy food! There had to be a way to get some. This is based on a true story, and the writer actually admitted he fed himself more than her. Much to his grief and guilt to this day.