Watchlist #42 - Song of the Sea (Film)

As I've said before in My Garden of Words Watch-List post (#41), I've only started scratching the surface of Anime movies. Names like Hayao Miyazaki & Makoto Shinkai have, for years, cultivated in captivating its audiences' with their storytelling, the hand-drawn animation, & the attention to detail behind it all. To say it's good is an understatement for I'd like to call these movies ~ an Art. I'll reiterate again that I don't dislike Pixar/Disney movies, but I just find Japanese animation to be refreshing, cleaner, and....unorthodox. Most Animated flicks nowadays are computer-animated, but, in this man's opinion, I prefer the hand-drawn style better. The ingenuity behind the artistry of the characters, setting, theme, & emotion is just so fascinating to see. Don't get me wrong again, computer-animated isn't bad by any means, but by MY Animation standards ~ It doesn't appeal to me as much as I thought it would. Since entering the world of Anime, I have a new perspective on Animation. I used to have a bias against the unorthodox, but now I look at it with an open heart & mind. I can criticize something and people may agree/disagree, but to me ~ I find Anime more appealing to the eye than North American cartoons. It's not the Animation by any means, but it need to pull me in. I want to fee invested from the get-go and I'm just not getting it today with North American cartoons. In the 90s and early 2000s, that's where it piqued, but now ~ I've been noticing a very generic formula: Random = Funny. Yes, by incorporating the unorthodox into storytelling & by sporadically perceiving that randomness + unorthodox equals funny, it doesn't always hit the right marks. For Anime, I feel as if the unorthodox nature behind each scene and frame works better because of the way Japan makes cartoons. North America can learn a thing or two from Anime storytelling. I know it seems that I'm criticizing/bashing on North American cartoons, but remember ~ I do not hate American & Japanese cartoons. I just prefer one style & direction over another is all. To agree/disagree is up to you. I will openly admit I'm a fan of Regular Show & the show is all over the place. Well, I can could go on and on and on on this issue, but since we're on the topic of cartoons, let's discuss on in particular that was directed by an Irishman titled: The Song of the Sea.

Watching this movie, I didn't know what to expect. The animation style isn't like anything I've ever seen and once the movie concluded, I was tear-eyed on how just much this movie fascinated me. The storytelling, the direction of where it went was so unpredictable that seeing something refreshingly new gives me a great insight on watching Anime films of all kinds I've begun exploring different directors, animation styles, & seeing the direction of where it went. Song of the Sea is the first Animated flick I've seen that wasn't American nor Japanese. It was refreshing to see this and have a different perspective. You cannot compare this with something else because, to me, it's downright impossible to even compare Song of the Sea to anything else but magnificently, beautifully, and lovingly a masterpiece in Animation cinema. The director, Tomm Moore, has done it again and this is only his SECOND film. The first was titled The Secret of Kells and I've heard many MANY good things on that one as well. With Song off the Sea, not only did I ind the story interesting, but the music was heavenly. I love music in film that can tell the story. Sometimes words aren't always needed, the music carries the action & emotion & progresses the story. I felt terrible for the father & by the end of the film, you can see the genuine evolution of siblings Ben & Saoirse turn from sour to sweet. I was in love with this film and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone a fan of storytelling, Animation, & just all around an adventurous, ambitious, and emotionally-gripping film. Sorry I glossed over the details on what the story's about, but I wouldn't to spoil anything. Tomm Moore's films are going places I tell you and as one of his audience members, it's a staple in Animated cinema.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Watch-list post. Look forward to Watch-list posts on Thursdays. Until then, you stay classy as always. WBCR, BF II post, & Throwback will be up tomorrow. Don't forget to check out the other Watch-list posts (in order):

1) Tenchi Muyo

2) Cowboy Bebop

3) Trigun

4) Dragonball Z

5) School Rumble 

6) Is This A Zombie?

7) Fairy Tail

8) Omamori Himari

9) FLCL

10) Gurren Lagann 

11) Shin-Chan 

12) Tenchi Muyo GXP

13) Tenchi Muyo In Tokyo

14) Power Puff Girls Z

15) Kirby!

16) Samurai Champloo 

17) Hanaukyo Maid Team 

18) True Tears 

19) Zombie Powder (Manga)

20) Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai 

21) Teen Titans
22) Yu-Gi-Oh
23) Rosario+Vampire
24) Death Note
25) Pokemon
26) Digimon
27) Big-O
28) X-Men (Anime Version)
29) D-Frag
30) Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
31) Akame Ga Kill
32) Invaders of the Rokujyōma!?
33) OniAi
34) Ben-To
35) Testament of a Sister New Devil
36) Minamoto-kun Monogatari (Manga)
37) My Love Story (Ore Monogatari!)
38) Space Dandy
39) Wanna be the strongest in the world
40) When Marnie Was There (Film ~ Studio Ghibli)
41) The Garden of Words (Film ~ Makoto Shinkai)
42) Song of the Sea (Film ~ Tomm Moore)