Amos’ Animation Appraisal
by Amos Lamb
Studio Ghibli #10: Princess Mononoke (1997)
For many, the general consensus seems to be that Princess Mononoke is Miyazaki’s best film, this is a sentiment I see both online and in real-life but while I disagree I also find it easy to understand why people feel this way. For me Princess Mononoke is the culmination of all of Miyazaki’s previous works,Continue reading “Studio Ghibli #10: Princess Mononoke (1997)”
Studio Ghibli #9: Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Going into Whisper of the Heart I knew very little about the film aside from some mixed reviews from people I know, so I was more than surprised to find out that the film is a mostly grounded slice-of-life romance film and not the fantasy adventure I believed it to be from the poster. SoContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #9: Whisper of the Heart (1995)”
A Whisker Away (2020), It’s a Wonderful Cat Life
You don’t have to be a big fan of anime to have heard of Sailor Moon, a show that I caught glimpses of as a child but that had an undeniable influence on anime as a whole. So when I saw that Netflix’s new anime film, A Whisker Away, was co-directed by one of theContinue reading “A Whisker Away (2020), It’s a Wonderful Cat Life”
Studio Ghibli #8: Pom Poko (1994)
Three years after Only Yesterday, and six years after Grave of the Fireflies, Takahata took his signature experimental style in a new direction. Setting aside the grounded realism of his first Studio Ghibli film, and the nostalgia-tinted “realism” of his second, Takahata moved into the realm of fantasy and folklore with Pom Poko. Following theContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #8: Pom Poko (1994)”
Studio Ghibli #7: Ocean Waves (1993)
Ocean Waves has the honour of being the first Studio Ghibli film to be directed by someone other than Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, although I would argue the latter proved to be a big influence on the style and experimental aspect of this made-for-television film. At 72 minutes the film is also the shortest GhibliContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #7: Ocean Waves (1993)”
Studio Ghibli #6: Porco Rosso (1992)
In The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (which is a fantastic documentary about Studio Ghibli around the time of the production of The Wind Rises), Miyazaki described Porco Rosso as “foolish” because he said it was a foolish decision to make an adult film for children. Miyazaki is famously critical of his own and others’Continue reading “Studio Ghibli #6: Porco Rosso (1992)”
Akira (1988), Katsuhiro Otomo’s Magnum Opus
A cluttered and claustrophobic cityscape, cut in two by the near-empty motorway directly in the middle of the frame. These clusters of buildings, as seen from a birds eye view, feel uncomfortable, while the empty road feels uncanny. All you can hear is the swelling of wind, a very anxious noise, as the camera followsContinue reading “Akira (1988), Katsuhiro Otomo’s Magnum Opus”
Studio Ghibli #5: Only Yesterday (1991)
It’s crazy to me that in any other animation studio, Isao Takahata, given his filmography, would easily be considered one of the best directors of animation of all time, it’s just unfortunate that he worked in a studio alongside one of the few directors that could challenge him for that title (that being Miyazaki ofContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #5: Only Yesterday (1991)”
Studio Ghibli#4: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between.Continue reading “Studio Ghibli#4: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)”
Onward (2020), a Fantasy Film Rooted in the Mundane
I must admit that when the first trailer for Onward dropped, it was far away from my radar. In my opinion, apart from a few examples here and there, Pixar have recently been producing more misses than hits for me. I was slightly curious about Onward, as it is normally their original IP’s that endContinue reading “Onward (2020), a Fantasy Film Rooted in the Mundane”
Studio Ghibli #3 My Neighbour Totoro
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. Continue reading “Studio Ghibli #3 My Neighbour Totoro”
Studio Ghibli #2 Grave of the Fireflies
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. Continue reading “Studio Ghibli #2 Grave of the Fireflies”
Studio Ghibli #1 Castle in the Sky
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. FollowingContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #1 Castle in the Sky”
Studio Ghibli #0.5: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
While Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is not “technically” an official Studio Ghibli film, seeing as the company was founded off of the success of this feature: the film was directed and produced by two of the four co-founders of the company, Hayao Miyazaki & Isao Takahata respectively. Alongside this the film alsoContinue reading “Studio Ghibli #0.5: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind”
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), and the birth of American Animation
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. DespiteContinue reading “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), and the birth of American Animation”
Absurdity and the Freedom of the Medium
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. InContinue reading “Absurdity and the Freedom of the Medium”
Animation Isn’t Just For Kids, as Told by a Child’s Narrative
In this column, Amos Lamb will take you through the wonderful world of animation. Exploring what makes it such an appealing genre/medium for all ages, with the focus spanning from the mainstream animation studios like Disney & Studio Ghibli, to more obscure animation such as Japanese OVA’s, British claymation, Czechoslovakian stop-motion and everything in-between. ContentContinue reading “Animation Isn’t Just For Kids, as Told by a Child’s Narrative”
My name is Amos Lamb, I can’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t completely in love with film. I’m 21 years old, an avid consumer of all art, but specifically movies and literature. I’m blessed with a love of all genres & styles, so I’m open to a wide range of films as I won’t limit what I watch based on genre. Good or bad, mainstream or cult, foreign language or English, I’ll watch them all. My favourite film of all time is The Seventh Seal, and if it’s even remotely postmodern or surreal I’m all over it. At times I’m sure I come across as a pretentious cinephile, but I like to think I base my opinions on a mixture of my enjoyment and the quality of the film (as for me they intertwine). There’s no better feeling than being challenged, emotionally or mentally, by a film as they’re the ones that’ll stick with you forever.
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