[merylsilverburg]

I saw some good films recently:

- Kamikaze Girls (Shimotsuma Monogatari): This film is hard to describe but I just know I love it (I've been watching it nonstop actually). It's a sort of surreal film about a girl named Momoko who lives in the small country town of Shimotsuma. She doesn't fit in so she chooses to live her life in a fantasy; she wishes she could live during the 18th century Rococo period in France, she wears Lolita dresses from her favorite boutique Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, and eats nothing but sweets. Trying to earn money, she places an ad to sell some bootleg clothing her father used to sell as a yakuza and meets this Yanki (female ganster) named Ichiko. Odd outings and adventure ensues and that's pretty much the whole movie. It's not as stupid as it sounds because it's actually a hilarious and touching film. It's mostly geared towards females (but guys may like it too!) in their teens since the themes are mostly those about life, friendship, and the whatnot. The soundtrack by Yoko Kanno is excellent too.

- Kirikou and the Sorceress (Kirikou et la Sorcière): I had no idea the film came out in 2000 because I've never seen it before till now. It's a great story based off an African folktale about a tiny boy named Kirikou with magical powers who saves his village from an evil sorceress named Karaba. The animation isn't fantastic, admittedly, because it's very flat with a somewhat choppy framerate, minimal use of shading, and the sorts. However, the colors are astounding and the intriguing story (though better in the later half) makes up for the visuals. One thing though: I really wished everyone in the village would die but hey, that's just me.