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DARLING in the FRANXX (2018)
Find Your Partner. Save Humanity. Love Forever.
A group of children lives in a controlled environment called Mistilteinn. Their needs are taken care of, and their purpose in life is to dual-pilot mecha known as Franxx. A mysterious scientist shrouds this particular group of children from some of the stricter requirements other Franxx pilots are expected to follow. Hiro, a young pilot who began his life's training with incredible potential, has fallen from grace in recent years. Unable to successfully pilot with a partner, it seems his days as a Franxx candidate are coming to an end.
Without warning, Hiro meets a ruthless Franxx pilot known only as Zero Two, who infamously devours the life force of every Franxx pilot she flies with in only three missions. She asks if Hiro wants to be her "darling", and then an unexpected Klaxosaur attack on the moving plantation that Mistilteinn resides in pushes Hiro and Zero Two together to pilot her mecha Strelitzia (also the name of the "Bird of Paradise" flower). After successfully piloting together, Hiro comes to rely on Zero Two, because without her, his life (to be a Franxx pilot) has no purpose. Similarly, Zero Two comes to rely on Hiro, because he is the only one who sees her as human, even though she carries Klaxosaur DNA inside her. This co-dependence is illustrated by repeated references to a mythical bird called the Jian, which only has one wing, and is only able to fly when it pairs with another Jian with a wing on the other side of its body. It is from this foundation that Hiro and Zero Two build a relationship, and the future of humanity blossoms as a result.
I went into this show enjoying the great mecha battles, the squad's interplay, and the vast amounts of innuendo. I came to the end feeling happy, bittersweet, and reflective. Darling In The Franxx is an ambitious anime that tells a complete story of humanity's fall into a dystopian duality between adults and children, the subversion of humanity's future by a mysterious organization known only as "APE" which is headed by the all-powerful "Papa", and how this squad of Franxx pilots changes the direction of humanity. It also finds time to linger on the relationships between Franxx pilots, and particularly to focus on Hiro and Zero Two's budding romance, the reason why Hiro can only pilot with her, and the demons in Zero Two's past.
This series is densely packed, and it has a huge heart. All of the characters see growth throughout the series, and two of the pairs see dramatic shifts as the story develops. Darling In The Franxx explores many aspects of humanity, of relationships, and even delves into big existential and philosophical questions, directly and indirectly. Hiro and Zero Two have one of the best relationship arcs ever put on screen, and it feels entirely genuine.
I recommend this heartfelt story about humanity on a collision course with destiny, all hanging by the thread of small, tender relationships. Some may find the last three episodes to be accelerated and bittersweet, yet it really sticks the landing by defying expectations (in a good way) and illustrating how love can reach across space and time.
I hesitated to give this series a 10/10, which I have only ever done for Steins;Gate (another anime that really stuck its landing), because it is not quite perfect. Yet, with the entire series taken into account, its positive aspects and (strangely enough) realistic portrayal of relationships and humanity take it over the top for me.
So go in for the battles, the mystery, and the humor. Stay for the relationships and unfolding story. Root for Hiro, Zero Two, and humanity, all the way to the end.
Shiki (2010)
Interesting, but flawed (minor spoilers)
I enjoyed this as a slow burn thinker, and as a meditation on human nature and our natural dismissal of the extraordinary, however I cannot empathize with the Shiki. The central argument made in support of the Shiki is that they're just hungry, and eating to live is supposedly not a sin. However, due to the fact that their food source is not human meat, but human blood, their food source is entirely renewable. Even with this supposedly insatiable hunger, we do see civilized moments at a dinner table of Shiki drinking human blood out of wine glasses, so they don't absolutely need to drink blood straight from a human. Even if that was a requirement, they could easily just drink 1-3 times from the same human, then move on to another one while allowing their previous dinner to recover. This approach obviously makes sense and is humane.
I categorically reject the insipid argument that the Shiki killing humans is the same as humans killing animals for food. Shiki don't eat meat, unlike humans. It's entirely different. The show even specifically illustrates exactly how the Shiki can avoid immorality, and yet tries to justify genocide as a matter of hunger anyway. How utterly irrational and ghastly.
The Shiki precipitated their own demise through an abundance of recklessness and lack of care in their selection of humans to attempt to bring into the Shiki fold. Had they shown even a modicum of restraint, I'd be more sympathetic to their slaughter, and yet they began the carnage by refusing to seek more peaceful options for expanding their numbers slowly over time. When you have an eternal life, you can afford to play the long game, and the Shiki did not understand that fundamental reality.
The humans committed atrocities at the end, yes. There is no question about that. In the same breath, I can't blame them nearly as much as the Shiki because the humans had spent months with their fellow villagers dying left and right, and their "dead" loved ones were often the perpetrators. That sort of betrayal doesn't sit well in the human psyche. We repeatedly see that nearly all of the Shiki felt no regret for their murders. Further, regret does not excuse murder.
Ultimately, I appreciate that the show's creators attempted to create philosophical musings for its viewers, however the argument is fundamentally flawed, and I think it's important to call it like it is. There wasn't just another way, there was an easy way to survive without committing genocide against humans. This method of survival was covered much more rationally in Blade II. I have no problem with the Shiki deciding to live, and even thriving. What I do have a problem with is the reckless abandonment of morality just because the Shiki are able to exercise power over humans in a predator-prey relationship. There are consequences for murder and genocide, and to think that their actions would not come back to bite them was incredibly naive of the Shiki.
For me, there is no grey area here. The humans defended themselves from a deadly, immoral, wasteful predator. I would defend myself also.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
A kid, a monkey, and a beetle walk onto a beach...
Kubo and the Two Strings is the movie of the year.
Subverting clichés, tropes, and expectations, I was completely blown away by the deftness, wit, and heart of it.
I walked in expecting a great film and walked away feeling emotionally wrung out. As the credits rolled I just sat in a daze considering what a great film I had seen.
Kubo is as close to perfection as any film can hope to be. Real characters, a world all its own, rules that don't need explanation but just are, humor and heart mixed together seamlessly, and making pieces of paper actually interesting and relevant...This film is an artistic achievement that can only be borne from love of a craft.
Kubo teaches us to value our time, to cherish and respect the memory of others, to appreciate a story, to innovate when necessary on the fly, and even to stand against family or those in authority if they have chosen an incorrect path.
Kubo teaches us the importance of perspective, how we can choose our own path ("No, that is your story."), and that we can choose to forgive. This movie is simultaneously uplifting and heart- wrenching.
What made all the difference for this film is that the magic came from shared and mutual love, a love we see running deep from the opening moments as a young boy prepares food lovingly for his mother.
I've seen some people using the word "preachy" to describe Kubo, but that is not what this film is. It is HEALTHY. It is REAL. It has HEART. It asks you to love what is here, right now, and also to love what has been, and to share it, and not forget it.
Kubo is a love letter to family, to remembrance, and to being true to the nature of a situation. The following quote was played for jokes in the trailer and film, but it really showcases the respect the film has for its audience: "I encourage you not to die." Kubo knows it's dealing with some heavy subject matter, and it doesn't let up on the peril throughout, and it doesn't ever hold back from tugging on our (two?) heart strings, yet it plays those strings with such a deftness you don't even realize you've been played until you feel a tear on your cheek.
Kubo and the Two Strings earns a resounding and unreserved 10/10. If you must blink, do it now, and run, don't walk, to see Kubo.
10,000 BC (2008)
10,000 Mistakes
I just got back from the midnight screening of 10,000 B.C. in my area and I can honestly say I have not been so completely let down by a movie in my life.
When I watched the trailers for this movie, I was led to believe that I would see something grand, a tale of struggle and bravery, maybe even a little bit of heroism. I was led to believe I would see man conquer the reigning beasts of a world dominated by nature.
All I got was a poorly executed mammoth hunt, a tabby cat for a saber tooth tiger, and a gaggle of overgrown Dodo + Ostrich hybrids.
That isn't even the worst of it. The dialogue was appalling, the story cliché, and the characters completely unbelievable, hollow, and ridiculous. The knowledge of that time would also not include cauterizing a wound, tending a fever with a cold compress, or anything of the sort. The only knowledge used in the movie which might have been present at the time was using the stars as guidance.
I give one point for half-decent CGI, and one point for costumes. The rest of the movie has nothing to offer, whether it's story, acting, humor, action, suspense...You will find none of that here. I am hoping that nobody in Hollywood dares to let the screenplay writer or anyone who approved the screenplay near anything with a budget like this ever again.
Please, if you have children and think that a cliché, CGI-driven film will be a good family activity, I beg you not to bring your children's IQs lower by allowing them to watch this ridiculously corny mishmashed slop. It is a completely washed up version of real entertainment. If you need a good family movie to watch that involves the stone age, dig out your copy of Ice Age instead of spending any money on this misguided creation.
This movie is 10,000 mistakes made in 10,000 different ways, and should never have been greenlighted.