Quietly beautiful, very tempted to give an extra half star. But that extra would probably be director bias. Who would have expected a Camus reference right out the gate, firmly planting its feet in an existential sandbox. The first chunk and last chunk are intriguing bookends but there is a momentum missing throughout. There are breaths of the film which feel more inclined to slow cinema, especially the opening credits and very end, but the slowness is less akin to, say, Angel's Egg, and more lackadaisical a la our protagonist.

The story's unveiling is obfuscated through breadcrumbs of exposition and terminology. This lack of exposition is usually welcomed, but here I found a strange push-pull of impact with each reveal. Kannami's constant unexpressive responsiveness yields an almost anesthetized tone. It offset levels of engagement and created distance from the story. The palpable immersiveness of the strongest Oshii works was missing.

Quietly beautiful, very tempted to give an extra half star. But that extra would probably be director bias. Who would have expected a Camus reference right out the gate, firmly planting its feet in an existential sandbox. The first chunk and last chunk are intriguing bookends but there is a momentum missing throughout. There are breaths of the film which feel more inclined to slow cinema, especially the opening credits and very end, but the slowness is less akin to, say, Angel's Egg, and more lackadaisical a la our protagonist.

The story's unveiling is obfuscated through breadcrumbs of exposition and terminology. This lack of exposition is usually welcomed, but here I found a strange push-pull of impact with each reveal. Kannami's constant unexpressive responsiveness yields an almost anesthetized tone. It offset levels of engagement and created distance from the story. The palpable immersiveness of the strongest Oshii works was missing.

ah yes, 2 hours of microdosed hopelessness, exactly what i needed

ah yes, 2 hours of microdosed hopelessness, exactly what i needed

Watched this for a class last semester. It's slooooooow and it definitely a bit offputting at first but I found the central drama and tragedy so compelling by the time the film ended. It's a bit hard to get into but simmer in it for its runtime and what opens up is utterly heartbreaking and thought provoking.

Watched this for a class last semester. It's slooooooow and it definitely a bit offputting at first but I found the central drama and tragedy so compelling by the time the film ended. It's a bit hard to get into but simmer in it for its runtime and what opens up is utterly heartbreaking and thought provoking.

Deeply underrated. I was amazed by just how intelligent and understated this movie is, the character stuff is just sensational. I keep talking about how much I love movies with a well conveyed sense of constant melancholy and this accomplishes that in spades. Would probably be a mpiece for me if its budget was closer to its ambitions. There are some cuts that look straight up bad. I was also annoyed that the movie only has a satisfying ending if you stick around for the post credits scene. Perhaps more obnoxiously it is an AMAZING ending with that last scene and terrible one without it.

Deeply underrated. I was amazed by just how intelligent and understated this movie is, the character stuff is just sensational. I keep talking about how much I love movies with a well conveyed sense of constant melancholy and this accomplishes that in spades. Would probably be a mpiece for me if its budget was closer to its ambitions. There are some cuts that look straight up bad. I was also annoyed that the movie only has a satisfying ending if you stick around for the post credits scene. Perhaps more obnoxiously it is an AMAZING ending with that last scene and terrible one without it.

top gun but make it anime

top gun but make it anime