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Showing posts with the label Movies (Animation)

Inside Out 2 (2024) - What Makes You Whole...

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★★★☆☆   ‘Inside Out 2’ may not look as much exhilarating and inspiring as its predecessor when it first came out as such a creative ‘mind game’ had obviously never been seen before, but still it’s a decent piece of animation, simple plotted and well delivered as a pep talk to move you to, not tears probably, but to a point where you may want to reconsider what it really means to embrace who you are! The film follows that little girl’s journey of growing up as now she’s getting ready to move on to secondary studies. So this time, aside from those original emotion characters like Joy, Anger, Sadness and stuff, more emotions are involved as she’s no longer an innocent, simple minded girl, and Anxiety is the main guy in charge here! Anxiety is an emotion genetically designed to protect and get us prepared for what may harm us, but if you take it to extreme and worry too much, it’ll turn into something called depression and destroy you instead. Every emotion of ours works like that. ...

鬼滅之刃劇場版無限列車篇 - 不要被悲傷吞噬!

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  ★★★☆☆ 〈鬼滅〉是先有漫畫,後有動畫。但它爆紅,是因為動畫,不是漫畫!動畫因為有震撼的音效和華麗的特效加持,往往能遮蓋漫畫在故事劇情上的短板,客觀來說,〈鬼滅〉就是這麼一回事!如果你沒看漫畫,直接看動畫,或者你會覺得它都算精彩。但如果你先看了漫畫,或者你不會再有興趣去看動畫,因為〈鬼滅〉漫畫,無論是畫功、畫風、人物設定、還是說故事的技巧,都談不上有甚麼獨特深刻之處。不是說它差,但出色就絕對稱不上。我是先看了〈鬼滅〉第一季電視動畫,繼而忍不住心急去看漫畫,想知接著的劇情,豈不知越看越不起勁,真是虎頭蛇尾,不過最後都「捱」完!「十二鬼月」和「九大柱」之中,最有印象的、故事交代得算好的,就只有「上弦叁猗窩座」和「炎柱杏壽郎」,也就是這次劇場版無限列車篇的主角。 雖說他們是這次劇場版的主角,但如果想看到他們正面交鋒,還要等到最後三十分鐘!兩雄對戰的過程震撼嗎?不算!熱血嗎?一般!結局催淚嗎?有點失望!可能那些「震撼」、「熱血」和「感動」,在第一季電視動畫都已見識過,所以造成這種落差!前面提過,整部漫畫筆墨最多的,要數「上弦叁」和「炎柱」,但就算如此,在這個劇場版中,「炎柱」的背景故事也只是透過在他夢境和回憶裡,他和家人的幾句說話匆匆了事,導致最後催淚不成,反而讓我覺得有點造作!但印象中,漫畫好像不是這樣交代的,難道是我的錯覺?不過事實是,影片花了四分三的時間在下弦壹那隻「茄哩啡」和各人的夢境上,特別是炭治郎的夢境。可能是為了照顧沒有看過電視動畫的觀眾,為他們幫補劇情,但試問粉絲有誰沒看過電視動畫?想多了解「炎柱」過往的朋友,我想要等第二季電視動畫了。總的來說,影片只有一樣東西是真的令人讚嘆的,就是激昂的配樂。如何激昂,自己去感受吧! 雖然〈鬼滅〉的故事講真是沒什麼深度,但在這個被「武肺」折磨、被極權壓迫的時候,或者大家-包括我-都特別需要〈鬼滅〉這類簡單直接、勵志鼓舞的日式熱血和正能量,給我們繼續堅持下去的慰籍與希望!剛開始的〈進擊的巨人〉也屬於這類,但之後就變得越來越不倫不類!看完〈巨人〉第二季動畫我已意興闌珊、徹底放棄。但現階段我還是十分期待〈鬼滅〉第二季動畫,雖然我知它最後很大可能也會步〈巨人〉後尘,越後越爛、無疾而終!〈無限列車篇〉在日本的累積票房超越了原本第一位的〈 千與千尋 〉,但兩者根本不能相提並論。一部是各方面都堪稱完美的宮崎駿巔峰動...

Raya And The Last Dragon (2021) - Trust Issue!

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  ★★★☆☆ Trust, as you know, is hard to earn and keep. It takes quite a lot of time and effort to build it bit by bit, but it can be all gone in a flash! And there's no way to regain it intact because once it's broken, there's always going to be some doubt involved. Yet the world as you know it that seems to be running without a problem is, as a matter of fact, built on trust. Without it, things like relationships, love, families, commitments, religions, agreements, deals and stuff, are all going to fall apart. So yeah, trust issue really is a big deal in human world. 'Raya And The Last Dragon', the latest animated feature from Disney, is a film about that if you're still wondering! As you might've figured, things by Disney tend to be too good or ideal to be real, which is different from those by Pixar that tend to be cruel and telling the truth. Set in a fantasy world of Kumandra, 'RATLD' is made to 'educate', that it's not that the wor...

Soul (2020) - Live It!

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  ★★★☆☆ Pixar has given me a lot of good memories, warmth and encouragement ever since ' Toy Story ' series, though its mother company Disney has been such a hypocrite apparently praising morality and humanity over interests and benefits in films they make on one hand, while on the other, just doing the opposite! Pixar's ' Inside Out ' and 'Finding Nemo' are the most incredible to me. 'Soul', their latest effort, is not really about music or Jazz so you don't have to worry that it may turn you off if you're not into stuff like that. It's in fact about the things you crave for, your dreams, goals, targets, ambitions, resolutions and so on and so forth, and how you should look at them. Yet I don't think it's going to turn you on so much either, because the journey itself doesn't seem that exhilarating and imaginative after all, compared with what they've already done before. Still it's a decent treat to kick off 2021 b...

天氣之子 (2020) - 如斯的浪漫?

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★★☆☆☆ 最欣賞的新海誠作品,始終是他的處女作〈 星之聲 〉,和算是他最後一部短篇〈 言葉之庭 〉,特別是後者,個人認為是他迄今最好的作品,雖然全片只有短短的 45 分鐘。之後他創作的長篇〈 你的名字 〉和最新這部〈天氣之子〉,感覺篇幅越長,節奏就越拖,故事也略嫌薄弱乏味,只是靠細膩華麗的畫面支撐,其實看多了也不過如此。有人說新海誠是「新宮崎駿」,但論作品的想像力、題材的多樣和深度,我覺得新海誠還未能和大師宮崎駿相提並論。 和〈你的名字〉一樣,〈天氣之子〉的主題依然是死去活來的愛情!背景是雨下個不停的東京,一個女孩因緣際合之下變成能夠改變天氣的天氣之子,能讓日光短暫出現。但改變天氣是有代價的,女孩會慢慢變透明,最終要犧牲自己,才能換取真正的天晴!男孩不想失去女孩,硬把她從天庭拉回來,結果雨下得變本加厲,整個日本幾乎被淹沒,完!故事非常簡單,但卻拖個一個半小時多,其實縮成〈言葉之庭〉那樣的短篇,也不是不可,可能效果會更好也不一定。中間交代男女主角的背景和相識過程,感覺零碎牽強,印象並不深刻,導致最後應該有的高潮,變得平平淡淡,沒什麼感染力!這次依然請來樂隊 Radwimps 負責音樂部份,幸好歌曲方面沒有令人失望。 討論男孩是否太過自私,我覺得毫無意義,因為人根本就是自私的動物,站在佛的角度,人之所為不停輪迴,都是因為無明,無明通俗地講就是自私--有我和我所的執著,所以由人產生的愛,必然也是自私的!口說的「愛你」,其實是「愛他自己」,執著愛和被愛的感覺,以及愛的對象!既然人不可能做到完全無私,那起碼在愛的時候,最好保持一定的理性,給對方一定的自由,別讓自己的自私無限擴大,最終吞噬自己和對方。如果有個人對你說,他可以為你犧牲任何東西包括他的性命,你不應該感到浪漫,你應該感到害怕才是! 戲中的男孩最終「綁架」了女孩,妄顧了他人的感受和利益,電影卻為他的行為浪漫化地打圓場,為了浪漫而浪漫,其實一點都不浪漫!感覺好比獨裁政權,綁架人民的利益,美其名說是為了國家和全人類,其實……大家都知是怎麼一回事吧。

Ne Zha (2019) - I Hope Not!

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★★★☆☆ What I don't know about Ne Zha is that this mythological kid is actually considered one of the Gods or say, Boddhisattvas, worshipping and protecting the Buddha-dharma! What I used to know about him in fiction is that he's born a good kid having to sacrifice his own life to save his parents and people related from being punished and executed by the God of Heaven after killing the Dragon King's son by accident. He's then pardoned and resurrected with help of the Buddha, and becomes a Boddhisattva in the end, but in the 2019 version of 'Ne Zha', he's born a badass striving to be recognized as a good soul but constantly denied and discriminated by the people. This brand new story is basically about a guy fighting against predestination, and his saying no to the suppression from high authorities. 'Ne Zha' is, in case you don't know, the second highest-grossing film of all time in China, surpassing 'The Wandering Earth' that is...

Toy Story 4 - Please No More!

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★★★☆☆ Toy Story series , being intentionally moral, optimistic and educational, has always been part of my good heartwarming memories. When I thought ' TS3 ' was a sad yet perfect wrap-up to the series, 9 years later, here comes 'TS4' out of the blue, which is, like the previous three, still fun and inspiring to watch but the ride starts to feel a lot familiar and a bit tedious nonetheless. There's no lack of tear-jerking moments like expected, but I don't think the series should go on and on repeating the successful formula from the first place by just adding some new characters voiced by some celebrities like this time Keanu Reeves. His voice impressive? Not really! His character crucial to the plot? Not at all! 'TS4' is overall watchable but of course not so fascinating and exhilarating as before because things in there seem to get inevitably routine and cliched as you know the story always goes like someone's lost or trapped, then the r...

Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018) - What A Friend!

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★★☆☆☆ ' Wreck It Ralph ' is a heart-warming, thought-provoking, surely exhilarating piece of animation that I appreciate quite much! But years later, 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' the highly anticipated sequel somehow feels like short of some climax that would make it as memorable and inspirational. Yea, the visualized Internet is cool and interesting to watch. The Disney Princesses treat is surprisingly fun! There're expected chases and sarcasm at times but overall it feels like nothing special! To me the most funny moment is ironically not in the film but after it ends and before the end credits roll, which, trust me, would really give you a good laugh. So just stay till the real end. This time it's not about good or bad. It looks like, as the title suggests, about the Internet but it doesn't get deep about it. The Internet thing is, as a matter of fact, just there as a backdrop. As it's getting to the end, you know it's about friendship th...

大世界 (2018) - 命運的奴隷

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★★☆☆☆ 一部 2D 國產動畫長片,說長不長,也就七十幾分鐘,就算剪成六十分鐘其實也無礙故事的表達。當中有很多靜止畫面,和一兩段令人摸不著頭腦的「無聊」過場,嚴肅得來帶點荒謬詼諧的對白,加上線條簡單粗暴至極的畫風,如此有風格的動畫,確實並非人人那杯茶!故事講述一袋錢引發的血案風波,交織幾個人物的命運,點出「你改變命運,還是命運改變你」的主題。 有人說這是塔倫天奴〈 Pulp Fiction 〉的動畫版,我覺得是名過其實。可能外國人喜歡,因為他們未曾見過這麼「有型」的中國動畫,而事實上中國又好似真是未曾出產過這麼「有型」的動畫。但如果你說〈大世界〉的背景很有中國特色,可能我有留意國情,也見慣不怪了;你說當中的對白很絕、很黑色、很幽默,我只是覺得無聊加無奈,而且真的很悶;你說敘事很巧妙,可能這類命運交集的劇本看多了,也覺得沒甚麼新奇。唯一欣賞其中的音樂和音效,在開頭的時候確實帶給我少許期望!若然你對黑色喜劇感冒,多年前的〈瘋狂的石頭〉你反而真的應該試試! 電影裡頭說,當一個人貪念起,他就已經失去了自由!這是真理,當大家忙於追求自由的時候,都沒有覺悟到「追求自由」本身也是一種「貪」!越想得到自由,你就是離自由越遠。人人都想控制自己的命運,但就是這種「想控制命運」的「貪」令人反過來被命運控制。真正改變命運的方法,其實就是覺悟並沒有所謂的命運你可以去控制或改變。是不是覺得好像在講廢話?沒錯,真理就是如此簡單,簡單到大家都覺得很廢,因此人人都去追求複雜,到頭來就成為命運的奴隷,包括我!

謝謝你,在世界角落中找到我 (2017) - 平淡中的感觸

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★★★☆☆ 曾經、我發誓不會踏足日本,因為日本人在二戰期間的侵略行徑實在令人髮指。後來、我漸漸覺得,戰爭中人的所作所為,其實根本沒有所謂的「對錯」,大家都只是在做自己認為「對」的事情,所以也不存在誰要跟誰道歉的必要。現在、我對日本人或日本這個國家已經沒有任何憎恨,因為我知道我要針對的不是「日本人」,而是任何自我膨脹到極點的「人」。這類人是戰爭的罪魁禍首,而戰爭真正的受害者是被這類人洗腦煽動的人,有些事他們不願意做都要去做,有些甚至根本就不知道自己在做甚麼,待到良心發現的時候,一切都為時已晚了! 如果期待哭天泣地、悲天憫人的悽慘畫面,〈謝〉絕對會令你失望。雖然它的背景是二戰,但它聚焦的是生活在日本吳市的一個叫鈴的女孩,她婚前婚後的生活點滴。正當外面的世界,喪失理性的人在歇斯底里地打個你死我活的時候,在這日本的一個小角落,我們卻看到與荒謬的戰爭完全不同的溫馨畫面,這裡有無私溫情,樂天積極,和平友愛,堅毅不屈,就算吃完今餐都不知有沒下餐,就算滿天飛的都是砲彈。一切顯得平淡輕鬆,高潮起伏沒有,煽情與血腥欠奉,所有關於戰爭的殘酷點到即止,就算核彈投下的一刻,也只是一下閃光,輕輕帶過。或者正是對戰爭恐怖一面的輕描淡寫,而對在恐怖陰霾籠罩下淳樸人性的細膩刻畫,這種對比反教人看得唏噓無奈,無奈在這個本來美好的世界,為何會產生一樣東西叫戰爭,更令人感慨的,是鈴最後決堤般的眼淚,因為她難以相信,在無數犧牲之後,日本竟然會戰敗! 鈴一開始心儀的對象並不是她後來的丈夫周作,但患難見真情,日久見人心,事實證明所謂的真愛,完全取決於你想不想、懂不懂去珍惜眼前人。在經歷過一連串戰爭的洗禮之後,不太會表達自己的鈴,最後對丈夫講出了一句淺白卻深情的說話:謝謝你,在世界角落中找到我。是啊!若無相欠,豈會相見,但無論到底誰欠誰多一點,找到的,應該珍惜;被找到的,應該感恩。有句話說的很對:我們每次的相遇,其實都是久別的重逢!以前這句話讓我感動,如今、我是亦不歡喜亦不悲了!

聲之形 (2016) - 我們不是一個人活在這世界上

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那是淡忘在記憶中的往事,通過這部影片,回憶像針頭一般一針一針地刺向心頭。 在看預告的時候,我只知道這是一個圍繞聽障的故事,但是在我觀看影片的時候,校園霸淩的展開令我猝不及防。〈聲之形〉是一部關於聽障、自殺、語言暴力以及校園霸淩的動畫電影。男主角將也對於突然轉學的又聽力障礙的硝子充滿了排斥,和周遭的同學做了許多過分甚至侮辱的事。後來導致硝子轉學,因為輿論,孩子王將也也從欺淩者淪為受欺淩者。後來,為了救贖自己,將也學習手語,並再次與硝子相遇… 雖然這部片子的邏輯比較混亂,各個爆點的原因也沒有很好的描述,以致於劇情發展的時候總有一種莫名其妙的感覺。但也許是故事本身已經足夠吸引人,所以兩個小時看下來,豁然開朗。〈聲之形〉更像是引你走出陰霾的天使,雖然曾經做了那樣可惡的事情,但是又有誰從來不曾自私過呢?盡己所能的彌補,最後——原諒自己。 和將也一樣,我小學時班裏也轉來一個聾啞女生。幸運的是,由於老師的極力煽動,大家對她熱情照顧。她生得一般,個子高,嘴也不小,卻很愛笑。我是極具同情心的人,交作業、點名我總是會敲敲她,她也會寫在紙上表達感謝。可是時間一長,因為喊她她也聽不見,說話啊…呃…像傻子,所以她免不了成為異類,她開始被孤立。有一次,我和她在校外相遇,她朝我微笑,但是因為朋友都在身邊,我害怕被起哄,沒有理會。回家後也會想她一定傷心透了。後來又一次見到,她又對我微笑,這一次我甚至將頭撇向一邊,加速離開。現在想起來,這個有聽力障礙的女孩需要多大的勇氣才能再次向一個不想理會她的人再一次微笑,也許當時的她真的只剩下我一個朋友吧。每每想起,我都很自責,也許我不經意的舉動,會給她留下多麼大的創傷。不過我很幸運,初中遇見她的時候,她已經學會打扮,臉上流露出自信的笑容,看得出隨著身邊人的成熟,她的真朋友越來越多。我沖他微笑,她發現了我,興奮地站起來朝我揮手。那種感覺難以名狀,只覺眼前的這個女孩實在美麗。 大多數電影都是一方自殺,另一方的救贖。而這部電影居然雙方都考慮了自殺,而且都失敗了。每一次提到自殺,我都會想起一個文豪——太宰治。他自殺三次未遂,還因為殉情連累了兩個女人。當他最後一次自殺時,他提筆在紙上寫下「生而為人,對不起」。寥寥七個字,震撼至極。看過他的《人間失格》之後,我總思考為什麼有的人會選擇自殺呢?通過〈聲之形〉,我好像明白:自殺的人極度...

言葉之庭 (2013) - 不只是師生戀!

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隱約雷鳴,陰霾天空。但盼風雨來,能留你在此。一直以來,〈言葉之庭〉是我最喜歡的動畫作品,沒有之一。世界上有許多優秀的動畫大師,但我還是偏愛新海誠那散文詩一樣的內心獨白。中國人和日本人其實很相近,在情感方面我們有的更多的是內斂和含蓄。想起夏目簌石,說:日本人不會說我愛你,而是說月色真美啊。雖然是看電影,但是那種感情的內斂程度,卻又有文學感。也許這就是我偏愛他的原因吧。 〈言葉之庭〉講的其實是一個關於成長的愛情故事。 15 歲的孝雄是一個心裏年齡比真實年齡更加成熟的高中生,而 27 歲的雪野卻絲毫不比 15 歲的自己更加聰明。 15 歲的孝雄會爲了制鞋師的夢想努力前行,而 27 歲的雪野卻因爲輿論止步不前。正是這樣巧妙的設定才讓原本荒唐的戀情變得合理。雪野本質上是個懦弱的女性,始終邁不進地鐵、向前男友撒謊以及對孝雄示愛的逃避,但在與孝雄庭中相遇的日子裏,漸漸從他的身上找到了繼續前行的力量,也終於不再害怕輿論,勇敢地接受了孝雄的愛意。孝雄是一個成熟又浪漫的人,他的哥哥認爲母親與小自己一輪的男友交往不得體,但他卻誇母親還是那麽年輕,這也算是排除了與雪野相戀的一大心理障礙吧。後來,孝雄爲雪野親自製作了一雙女鞋。就像雪野說的,之前都是光著腳不敢前行,正是孝雄的這雙鞋才讓她更加有勇氣地走下去。 再說說這部動畫電影的迷人之處。 1. 散文式獨白 孝雄:小時候,天空分明觸手可及,於是喜歡上雨,因爲它帶來天空的味道。 雪野:所謂人類,多多少少都有些不正常。 孝雄:晴天裏,總覺得自己被關在孩子氣的世界裏,焦慮無比。 雪野:二十七歲的我,絲毫不比十五歲的我聰明,只有我,一直停留在原地。 孝雄 & 雪野:迄今爲止的人生裏,這一刻,或許是最幸福的。 2. 短歌的巧妙運用 雪野初見孝雄用雷神短歌來表達對孝雄期許: 隱約雷鳴,陰霾天空。 但盼風雨來, 能留你在此。 後來孝雄找到了這首短歌的答歌,來表示對雪野的承諾: 隱約雷鳴,陰霾天空。 即使天無雨, 我亦留此地。 3. 場景的選擇及情感推進 講一個愛情故事不難,但在一個空間及物件都有限的庭子裏講一個愛情故事就需要相當的功力。於是導演用大量的動作,對話,音樂,景別,天氣等手法進行變化。每一處細微的改變都能讓人感覺到情感的推進。 ...

你的名字 (2016) - 還是新海誠嗎?

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★★★☆☆ 新海誠的動畫,我無一錯過,有些過目難忘,如〈 星之聲 〉、〈 言葉之庭 〉,有些過目……未至於即忘、但也很快漸忘,包括這部他的最新、也是少見的長篇大作〈你的名字 (Your Name) 〉! 〈你〉是挺長的,但很多細節其實已經濃縮,就算如此,感覺依然有點拖,節奏有點慢,但故事卻並非想像中有多麼複雜,一言蓋之,就是現實中帶點科幻,科幻得來有點牽強!好在音樂方面由日本著名樂隊 Radwimps 操刀,算是最令人印象深刻的地方。〈你〉比起新海誠過往的作品,少了「宅」味,以及那種主角內心的壓抑與孤獨,變得好像宏觀了、熱鬧了、焦點多了。我不知道這是好是壞,但如果你喜歡過往新海誠的「宅」跟「文藝詩情」,在看〈你〉的時候,你會有點懷疑自己是不是在看新海誠的作品。或者新海誠須要跳出框框才能成就大師,但假如代價是作品變得平庸兼無個人特色,我想、我還是喜歡以前的新海誠!當然,明信片般的唯美畫面依然充斥,感動位雖寥寥可數,但也不缺,特別是結尾那幕「眾裡尋他千百度」,令我重拾看新海誠作品的那份浪漫、感動與欣喜! 新海誠算是正式走出宅外,擺脫孤獨與羞怯,大談緣分的玄妙,命運的交織!緣分的確是很妙的東西,你一路走過來,在家裡、在街上、在車上、在工作的地方……所到之處、所有曾遇見的人,都是跟你有緣的人,跟你無緣的,你絕對不會見到!跟你緣分淺的,雖然見到你,但只會擦身而過,就算有時會有一種熟悉卻不認識的感覺;緣分深的,會介入你的生命,去幫你、扶持你,也可能會損你,陷害你,一切視乎過往所結下的是良緣還是孽緣。但緣分也是無常的,良緣會變孽緣,孽緣也有機會變良緣,要看你如何去經營,總之欠來還去,沒完沒了。從這個角度看,其實愛情也並非想像中那麼美麗,但往往我們都要經過一番苦苦尋覓、折磨痛哭之後,才能開始真正明白所謂的緣分到底是怎麼一回事!

海底奇兵2 (2016) - 無plan勝有plan?

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★★★☆☆ 〈海底奇兵 2 〉的主題是家庭,活動是尋親,過程如果不比較,依然是有創意、有歡笑、有感動、有啟發,但不知是不是因為第一集太經典的關係,你會覺得這部續集的劇情總有點力不從心,感覺整個過程太安全,太順理成章,缺乏第一集那種好像坐過山車的刺激。當然,有這種感覺是因為有對比,如果把〈海底奇兵 2 〉獨立來看,它依然是彼思動畫創意爆棚的示範作之一,例如那隻八爪魚和最後那場大營救,絕對值回票價!但,假如沒有第一集的情意結,你會入場看第二集嗎?比較是難免的,落差是必然的! 戲中的主角多莉患有短暫失憶症,基本上她見識過的東西很快就會忘記,所以她不能好像你我般有甚麼 plan ,她的做事作風注定只能是隨機應變,也就是無 plan 勝有 plan 。或者你會質疑,那些無 plan 勝有 plan 的情節只會在電影中才會發生吧,但在現實生活中,閣下難道沒有經常遇到人算不如天算的情況?所謂「絲絲點點計算,偏偏相差太遠」,如果你覺得 plan 好,事情就會如期發生,那你又忽視了「緣起無常」的自然法則!或者事情真的會好像你如期般發生,但並非因為你 plan 好,而是其他眾多因緣配合得剛剛好而造成的一個假像,但往往我們都錯誤地把這個假像誤以為運氣好或者 plan 得好!煩惱很大部分來自於我們相信人定勝天。當然,你可以嘗試盡力去改變一些事情,也會有成功的時候,那是在「果」還未成熟的情況下,問題是,我們通常缺乏智慧去判斷「果」是否已經成熟! 我們有妄想分別,所以來到這個世界,想在這個世界清除我們的妄想分別,有可能嗎?我們不可能免除煩惱,但可以選擇如何去面對它!萬事萬物本無自性,完全視乎你如何將它定性。失憶是壞事,但也可以是一種恩賜。家庭可以是動力,但也可以是負累。凡事都有兩面,切勿先入為主,或者只有這樣,我們才能夠繼續「享受」這個充滿妄想分別的世界!

功夫熊貓 3 (2016) - 你是誰?你真的知道?

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★★★★☆ 〈 功夫熊貓 〉是令人興奮的,因為它搞笑得來有很多東西想表達,有很多道理要你明白。〈 功夫熊貓 2 〉依然搞笑,動作更上一層樓,佛理依在。來到第三集,感覺已經開始麻木,我不是說電影本身的質素差、故事弱等等,相反,我十分欣賞〈功夫熊貓 3 〉,它依然是值得一家大小去觀看的非常有意思的動畫片。 只是,在觀看的時候,已經好像沒有往昔的那份應有的興奮與感動,因此,我開始反省,開始怕怕,是不是我已經開始跟大多數人一樣,逐漸變得麻木。對身邊和世界上正在發生的苦難、殘酷變態、匪夷所思的行徑種種,變得冷漠,毫不動容,甚至把死亡當成笑話來調侃。我很怕我已經變成這類人的一份子;我很怕我已經變成生活的奴隸,所謂的只有今生,沒有來世,十足的行尸走肉;我更怕其實我已經是,但又不自覺或不接受自己已經是!這才是世間最最恐怖的事情! 〈功夫熊貓〉拍了三集,講了很多大道理,但歸根究底它是要你去反省,最好能夠明白:到底你是誰。知道你是誰,你才知道自己能做甚麼,不能做甚麼,有甚麼可以做,甚麼不可以做,才能發揮你的本色,才不會隨波逐流,而在這個價值觀顛倒、瞬息萬變的世界迷失自我。當然,這些都是文字上說說而已,真正的問題是,你真的知道自己是誰嗎?又或你所謂的知,是你真的知,還是別人要求期望你的知?未曾生我誰是我,生我之後我是誰?此等問題,很多有智慧的人思考了一輩子都沒有一個答案,我更加絕對沒資格在這裡胡說八道。 我只是越來越覺得,不要嘗試去尋找甚麼結果,因為生命根本沒有結果,只有過程。也不要嘗試去思考你是誰,你不會找到答案,因為你根本甚麼都不是。我寫這篇東西,只是想表達我內心偶爾浮現的恐懼與迷惑,如果你看完這篇文,或〈功夫熊貓 3 〉而沒有一絲怕怕和困惑,我想,我應該對你頂禮膜拜了!

Anomalisa (2016) - A Puppet Show Not For Fun!

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★★★☆☆ Loneliness like there’s no one and nothing you can connect to is quite a shitty hard thing to deal with, because basically only you and you alone ought to face it to make peace with it. That could be dangerous though if you mess up. Your fears and confusion could be further enlarged, and as a result, you’d be misled to do stupid things that might end up causing you and others unnecessary harm! ‘Anomalisa’ is essentially a film about that. Of course this seemingly depressive, dreamy, audacious, melancholy piece of stop-motion puppet show could be a lot more than that like midlife crisis, loss of identity, alienation, psychoanalysis on sex and love, needs and wants, and stuff, depending on how you look at it with what you’ve been through by far. ‘Anomalisa’ is not a usual puppet show for fun. All the characters, male or female, seem to have the same face and a man’s voice, except one ‘special’ woman popping up in the middle. It’s not for kids because it’s too creepy and de...

The Good Dinosaur (2016) - A Reminder.

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★★★☆☆ ‘The Good Dinosaur’ is not good enough to be remembered, but it’s more or less a piece of educational tearjerker for a family to sit down together some time to learn and share and keep in mind what actually matters the most to one’s life! The story’s too simple to feel thrilled, the setup a bit too weird to feel involved, the characters not memorable! Parents may find it boring and awkward at some points but certainly moving especially at the last scene. Kids would enjoy it for sure, and they may probably look at their parents and wonder when it ends, why they have to feel so sad about it. Family and love, I guess, are things that we can’t live without. That’s what guides and leads us when we’re lost lacking sense of belonging. People who are problematic are usually those going without adequate love and care from their family. I don’t doubt the necessity of independence but we all just need a place to rest our troubled head sometimes. And one thing we must concede, that ...

言葉之庭 (2013) - 愛.孤獨

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★★★★★ 欣賞新海誠的作品,故事彷彿已經顯得不再重要,更多的是在用心去感受一種情感壓抑的浪漫,及伴隨之的那份感動。 美得令人窒息的畫面向來是新海誠動畫電影的標誌,〈言葉之庭〉當然也不例外,每一格畫面都美得讓人無話可說,更令人驚喜的是,裡面的人物相比以往變得立體,不再只是唯美細膩畫面中的平面點綴。雖然影片只有短短的四十多分鐘,故事依然顯得薄弱,但〈言〉也算是新海誠作品當中最有故事性的了。從〈 星之聲 〉到〈言葉之庭〉,其作品主題來來去去都離不開孤獨、思念、愛,但〈言〉有別於他以往作品的地方在於男女主角的情感變得直接了些,而不是傾向於羞怯地埋藏在自己心底。當以為電影會以一種安靜的淒美作結時,萬萬想不到男女主角最後的情感爆發會是那麼震撼和感人,再配上出色的音樂,那種場面,凡是有情種想必眼淚都會不自覺地飆出來!可眼淚並不一定代表悲傷收場,影片最後展示的是一種「相見無期卻有期」的積極與樂觀,新海誠的進步確實令人雀躍! 人注定是孤獨的!我們帶著各自不同的「業」來這個世界受生,所以對同一事物,我們的看法注定不同。你永遠無法讓人確切明白你的感受,即使你如何用精準的語言去表達,好讓對方明白,但對方的所謂明白永遠都只是他個人的理解,而不是你的所感所受,反之亦然。孤獨好像是一種我們永遠無法擺脫的東西,獨處時感到孤獨,跟一大班人相處時照樣可以感到孤獨。不過,或許你也明白,孤獨不是一種常態,而只是一種心態。當你能夠覺悟誰在孤獨並尋根究底的時候,孤獨的感覺就會頓然消失。當然,還是那句話,說的比做的輕巧! 所謂「情不深不墮輪迴,愛不重不生娑婆」,來這個世界混的,可以肯定都是有情種,在愛情的路上即使我們一次次地跌倒受傷,我們依然樂此不疲,因為「愛」它沒有屬性,難以形容和理解,非常神秘,只有當你遇到它了,你才能知道它到底是怎麼一回事,而這種「知」也只屬於你一人:它是你前進的巨大動力,也可以是阻力;它可以帶你去天堂,也可以讓你經歷地獄!

Inside Out (2015) - Joy And Sadness Are The Same Thing!

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★★★★★ Well, it’s really been quite a while since my last update. I’m not being lazy. I’m just being moody and kinda busy doing something else. Obviously there’s a lot of things in life far more important than movies, don’t you think? But sometimes we all need films like ‘Inside Out’ to remind us what really matters in the end when everything else that you’ve been chasing seems to be falling apart inevitably! It’s a simple film that makes me feel rather complicated! ‘Inside Out’, the latest computer-animated film by Pixar Studios, is truly a creative, exhilarating, melancholy piece of inspiration that makes me laugh and cry and laugh and cry throughout. To my memories, it’s the first animation film that’s able to make me weep! I know it may seem corny to some but still I just can’t help sharing the sadness of that little girl over things that used to be so good and sweet but now have all changed, yet you can do nothing about it but to carry on hoping for the best. The film has ...

When Marnie Was There (2015) - She wasn't...

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★★☆☆☆ The story is nothing gripping or moving but well presented in a rather slow, natural pace. The truth is not revealing till the last couple of minutes, but I find it predictable as I feel like right in the beginning that Anna and Marnie are not in the same space at the same time though they seem to be always playing around together in the picture. These two little girls are intimately connected. How and why is for you to find out. All I can say is, memories are nothing kind or cruel! I appreciate the countryside as a backdrop in the film rather than the story, or the characters or the music whatsoever. I envy Anna having the chance to break away from the hustle and bustle, but sometimes I’d think to myself that no matter where else I go, no matter what other life I may lead, I’ll still be tricked by memories into believing that Samsara is kind of sweet and solid. That in this circle of life, there’s something so worth fighting for and holding on to. But you know memories ...