MIFF MOVIE REVIEW: PATEMA INVERTED



* * * *

Since  the world changing incident young Patema and her family had lived underground. But Patema dreams of the outside world and determined to uncover what is beyond the passages of the tunnels. One day she goes too far and finds herself falling into the sky. Saved by the young boy Age she discovers herself in the land of inverted gravity. The boy and the girl strike an incredible bond, even though their worlds cannot coexist together. Will the love conquer all? And will they be able to uncover the mystery of the catastrophe that had befallen the world?

PATEMA INVERTED could have been a perfect Ghibly movie. It has a great premise, wonderful characters and fast pacing script. Entering the outside world, Patema faces the realm of danger where nothing can hold her on the ground and the beautiful blue sky is the abyss that can swallow her any minute. Clever  camera angles and  inverted shots make you see the earth through Panema eyes and this is the greatest achievement of the movie.

With a few strokes of a brush director Yasuhiro Yashira creates a totalitarian world. The movie is not long enough to provide every detail, but it is believable and terrifying.

Apart from original idea the script still manages to deliver a few surprises on the way, showing just how much the star crossed lovers ready to sacrifice for each other.

The soundtrack from Michuru Oshima, who has done a lot of work for computer video games and was approached by the director because he liked her previous work, delivers short but memorable passages in a very traditional anime way. The titled song lacks the usual J-Pop pace however, but will appeal to those who likes epic songs the likes of Joe Hisaishi.

PATEMA INVERTED could be called an indie film, first promoted with online shorts, it gives us a compelling storytelling with only one writer at the hip - it shall make Hollywood feel envious. Yasuhiro Yashira seems like an artist with a great potential and a talent to succeed. I will be looking forward for what he does next.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KOREAN MOVIE REVIEW: MEMOIR OF A MURDERER

Image
8/10 Byung-su is an elderly veterinarian who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He has a caring daughter who does all she can to make his life easier, and a policemen friend whose name Byung-su forgets from time to time. He also goes to a poetry club (in order to keep his mind exercised) where a lonely widow makes advances at him. But there’s one thing that sets Byung-su apart from the other senior citizens of his little town – he is a serial killer.  When a new wave of killings begin Byung-su starts to suspect that a young man who is dating his daughter is the culprit. Trying to keep the remains of his memories together Byung-su writes extensive journals. But what if his memories are actually real? Losing his grip on reality he goes head to head with the new serial killer in order to protect the only life he cares about in the world – his daughter’s. Before Dexter came around Koreans had excelled in creating charismatic killers as protagonists of the f...
Read more

We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble (French Movie Review)

Image
10/10 Max has a sixtieth birthday coming up. The problem is he is broke, divorced and depressed. When a group of his best friends show up at his doorstep to help him celebrate, he reluctantly agrees to spend a few days with them, but won’t explain what’s going on in his personal life. When ones darkest moments come, will friendship conquer all? Seven years after the breakout success of the film Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs) comes the long anticipated sequel and it is worth the wait. The success of WE’LL END UP TOGETHER is not in its rather predictable plot, but the chemistry on screen, the characters that we recognise ourselves and our friends in, and the amazing warm atmosphere that makes one believe there’s no problem a good dinner with friends won’t sort out.  Written and directed by much loved French actor and director  Guillaume Canet this movie feels like a welcome return home to those who have seen the original and will also welcome new viewership - t...
Read more

MSFF: DEATH IN BUENOS AIRES (MUERTE EN BUENOS AIRES)

Image
3 1/2 /5 It's year 1980 and we are in Buenos Aires. The wealthy gay man is murdered  and inspector Chaves is on the case. In order to find the culprit he has to plunge into the world of gay nightclubs, drugs and sex. But what is it with the young and handsome officer Gomes, who was the first on the crime scene, and seems to place himself with ease as a mole into a gay community? Is he trying to catch the killer? Or hiding something? As suspicions arise, Chaves is haunted by the feelings he does not understand. Will the fatal attraction to a younger man help him to solve the case, or be his undoing? First time director Natalie Meta is "spot on" on the upbeat atmosphere of the 80s without too much expense. She cleverly uses the pop tunes, over-the-top clothes and many other ingredients to recreate the time. The murder mystery is secondary, and the movie is focused on the relationship between the two men, full of innuendoes and mistrust. The very simple cinema...
Read more