Forum - View topicMind Game awesomeness.
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Ok, I just wanted to say, in its own little independent thread, that Mind Game is an amazing anime movie that more people should be watching. The art direction was amazing, the visual style mind-bending. I thought it was thought-provoking. And frankly, it was just simply fun as hell. I laughed a lot, I was very entertained, I thought some, and, simply put, it was just such an amazing feast for the eyes. Not just beautifully animated (which it is-- in a stylized way), but just so amazingly imaginative visually-- just sequence after sequence of fun, playful, thoughtful, tripped-out-ness.
What a shame that basically no one is seeing or talking about this film. This should be talked about the way ... I dunno, GITS 2, or Howl's Moving Castle, or Memories, or atleast Appleseed's been talked about. And no major American release either. 
Has anyone else been witness to the awesomeness that is Mindgame?? And does anyone else understand what was going on at the end? ::sigh:: what a fun, trippy, playful, visually beautiful, life-loving film. Exactly why I watch anime. [EDIT: Sorry, I just had to correct the spelling after aquiring such a high respect for this title. -TK] |
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-gecko-
 Posts: 285 Location: Near Seattle, WA |
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Well, after all that, I will try to find this and watch it.
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v1cious
 Posts: 6229 Location: Houston, TX |
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i agree highly. it's so hard to believe this movie was made on a budget, and even more hard to believe that barely anyone's heard of it.
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-gecko-
Posts: 285 Location: Near Seattle, WA |
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I found it! I was not dissappointed, either. It was rather psychodelic, but not in a ramdom way. There were quite a few plot twists and the most of it had me in stitches. I probably didn't get the meaning of the ending, but it was a good ride regardless! I would reccommend it to an adult audience. However, I would avoid alcoholic beverages while viewing this movie.
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logboy
Posts: 72 |
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you will want to check out the trailer for 4C's next film then :
http://www.tekkon.net/ 'tekkon kinkurito' due next year. |
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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!!!
Yay, finally! I've been itching to discuss Mind Game at length for AGES. Unfortunately, this is the worst possible time this topic could've come up; I'm currently working absolutely dismal hours, catching only about an hour or two of sleep each night. (Animation sucks.) However, the bulk my work will be done in a matter of days. Keep the thread alive until then and I promise I'll return! P.S. Tekkon Kinkurito looks orgasmically fantastic. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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I've been trying to watch the trailer for the new Stuidio 4C movie,but I haven't got it to run....
Re: Mindgame, one of the scenes that stuck with me the most was the "love scene", where their bodies sort of devolve into bold brush strokes of vivid color, and the frames of their bodies just come alive with a barage of random colors. I thought this was a wonderful representation of the sort of emotional/physical joy they seem to be feeling. It was really pure magic-- somewhat sexy (as it should be, in a certain way-- it _is_ sex), but also just full of passion and joy and visual fun. That scene sort of epitomized some of the best features of Mindgame for me-- visually stunning, very imaginative, and yet, also very intuitively intelligent. I felt like it had something to say about love making and sex, and it did it without having to say a single word. Mamoru Oshii could really learn something from these guys. 
I'd still love someone's take on the final few minutes of the film-- the final montage sequences. I enjoyed it, and felt like it meant something, without really being able to put my finger on it. Damn that film was fun. Just talking about it makes me want to go and watch it again. 
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-gecko-
Posts: 285 Location: Near Seattle, WA |
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OK, I'll take a stab at it (unfortunately I could not keep a copy of the movie to review
 ) spoiler[I think the ending montage was a celebration in appreciation of the fact that the chara are still alive after all the experiences they survived through. The helpful hint I got was the arrow pointing to Myon as a baby (not sure if it was added by fansub or not).]
The scene that had me rolling the most was spoiler[the car chase when the first car that was after them went through the doll factory and the driver saw his childhood pet just before biting the big one!] The most bizarre scene for me was the spoiler[balloon costume art!] I'm also looking forward to Tekkon Kinkurito. |
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Mindgame is indeed awesome; easily one of my favorite animes. I'm really more of a manga fan (though I do have a few shows I'm watching now), but this just blew me away and made me want to see everything by Studio 4C (which led to me watching Noiseman with no subtitles, though I suppose it might not make a diffrence). It's one of those things some people might expect to be overly artsy and pretensious (because of the experimental animation and commentary about life), but avoids those pitfalls because it's so much fun, even inspirational. As for the ending, I'd question if there really is a single meaning. I mean I suppose there is if you analyze the final sequence, but I think it's really meant to make you think about the wonders of life; the fate of the main characters is almost inconsiquential.
As for Tekkon, it's based on a manga by the same name (known as Black and White in english), as if it's anything like the souce material, it will be brilliant. The manga is one of my all time favorites. Just like Mindgame, it works on both a surface level (as Matt Fraction describes it, "Flips you f!@#ing sh!i") and a deeper level with a variety of themes, the most important being friendship. I was a bit wary when I heard they had ditched the animation style of the original pilot (which bore strong resemblance to Taiyo Matsumoto's original art), but after seeing the trailer my fears were put to rest. |
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joel_s95387
Posts: 1804 Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn |
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Just like I thought, no American release.
For a while I thought this topic was on the American made movie MindGames starring LL Cool J. I was hoping it had an anime connection but whatever. P.S. - I only thought it was related because I jsut got home after seeing it on Starz at my friends house. |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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"Pitch, you're alive!" 
Mind Game (I never was very clear on whether that was supposed to be one or two words, but I decided on two) is easily my favorite animated film. This goes beyond anime; I prefer this film even to the work of Yuri Norstein or Jiri Trnka or Jan Svankmajer, filmmakers I hold in higher regard than just about anyone. But there is something simply special and memorable about Mind Game--like stated before, it's poignant, fun, and artistic without being pretentious. Stylistically, Mind Game is a marvel. I especially love the series of just-passing-the-time sequences once spoiler[Nishi and Co. are in the whale]. Pretty much every scene after the "Rhapsody" sequence (the piano here was played by Yoko Kanno) was amazing and exhillerating and perfect in every way. And I appreciate very much that the focus was not always on telling a traditional narrative; Mind Game stayed away from expository dialogue and relied instead on subtext and trusting the audience to notice subtle actions and the way characters interacted with each other. Did anybody else realize spoiler[Ojisan was in love with Nishi]? Or that spoiler[Ojisan is actually the yakuza's (not Atsu, but the other one) father]? Little side-tracks like these have absolutely nothing to do with the main progression of the story and characters, but they add a layer of depth and compassion that I rarely experience in film. I definitely agree with Steve Berry about the sex sequence; I love that scene dearly and would definitely say it's my favorite if there weren't so many other amazing sequences. But yeah, the imagery is just incredible, and I love the subtle humor (the images of the train were so perfect I don't even have words for it) and raw emotion, especially that quick shot of Nishi seeing the clouds in his eyes. On a similar note, these short little shots, peppered throughout the film (and of course used a lot in the beginning and end) just add SO much empathy for the characters, I feel. My very, very, VERY favorite shot in the whole film is one of those ultra-quick ones in the beginning (and ending) montage, of a young woman lightly flinging herself into the grass and laughing. There is just SO much feeling in that shot; everything about the expression, the movement... it immediately reminds me of every time I've been happy and carefree in my own life. It's nostalgic. Similarly, in Yan's daydream sequence, where she dreams of conducting an orchestrated meeting of Earthlings and aliens, there's a quick close-up of her face smiling with sheer delight, as she lightly giggles, sincerely happy that her art/creation is being received so well. She makes a similar expression near the end of the film when she laughs at Ojisan for trying on her lipstick. When I look at her face in these moments, I don't feel like I'm watching an animated character, or even a character on a screen: I'm watching a real person displaying real emotion. It's this one factor that, by itself, already raises Mind Game to a level beyond almost every other piece of animated cinema currently in existence. Also, Mind Game's climax--spoiler[the exhillerating dash over the final wave to get out of the whale] is one of the most genuinely exciting sequences ever created. I don't know how to articulate it in words, but I can really feel how hard everyone is pushing themselves. Everything they overcome in this chaotic dash--both emotionally and physically--is woven together so delicately while keeping the pace tight and frantic. It's an absolutely brilliant scene, and action directors should really take a look at it to learn how to really do tension right. It takes more than a few dull explosions to get the heart of the audience pumping. Regarding the montage spoiler[directly after Nishi and co. finally make the final leap out of the whale], I think it's a comment about possibilities. Had Nishi, Myun, Yan, and Ojisan stayed where they were, they would have only had one possible future, no matter how fun they tried to make their situation. From this point on, after the escape, their lives can take any number of paths newly available to them. Myun can marry if she wishes, and have children. Yan can become a performing artist. Or an astronaut. The point is, all the characters now have dreams they can live out: limitless possibility. I believe this particular montage just displays the possibilities. As for the yakuza, spoiler[and how he got a second chance at the end of the film to change his future and run away with the woman he loves,] I believe that's merely an extension of this motif. I think we all know that this is always what he wanted to do; his heart was never really with Atsu or the yakuza. All he wanted for years and years was to re-unite with the woman who broke his heart when he was a young man. Seeing as he is my favorite character, I always feel especially emotional and happy for him when I see him step onto the train with the person he loves and hold her close. That moment is so touching for me; I'm literally beginning to tear up a little right now, just thinking about it. Now, concerning the other montages, a la the one that appears at the beginning and then again--almost the same thing but with some extra footage--at the end, these contain some of my absolute favorite footage in the film. The only purpose they serve, according to director Masaaki Yuasa, is to tell a small amount of back-story for each character. But I feel these shots transform the characters and make them incredibly empathetic. All of a sudden, instead of just seeing Atsu as a cold-hearted bastard, I see him as a child who grew up in a violent setting, without parents, who could only find joy in soccer. Likewise, I understand the other yakuza's pain when I see him fall deeply in love spoiler[with the woman who goes on to become Myun and Yan's mother, by the way], only to have his heart broken. I can't think of much more to write right now (I've been awake for 37 hours, after all, and I'm a little loopy), but I'm sure that more posts will jolt my memory. I have the urge to watch Mind Game again, too. I probably will, later, since I have the R2 DVD.
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Neilworms
 Posts: 155 Location: Chicago IL |
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Mindgame and awsomeness... two words that go together very well :).
As someone who bought the DVD when it first came out, after reading Ben Ettinger of anipages daily hype it just about every other day. I feel that the more people who know about this great film the better, its something that even appeals to people who don't like artsy films, its just that excellent. WATCH IT! WATCH IT! Also, the director of it is working on a TV show coming out this summer, WATCH IT! WATCH IT! fansubbing community take note (website here). Cloe: Thanks for the great analysis, even though you were half asleep when you wrote it, you very well captured just how great this film is, and what makes it special. In addition you noticed a lot of things) that I only slightly picked up in the 10 or so times that I've seen it. Props to you! Which brings up another good point about this film, the basic plot of mindgame isn't all that complex, but its a very visually dense film, one that requires multiple watches to catch every detail, look close their are some world events in the background... 2 iraq wars make their appearences for instance. To be pretentious: Mindgame isn't anime, its what all anime strives to be: a great film that makes a superior use of the medium (animation) that it was made in. WATCH IT WATCH IT! (I'm saying this so much one would think I'm an obnoxious fanboy, but I'm not normally this way, this film truely is that great). Lets hope that 4Cs next films Sachinko, Genius Party, and Tekkon are just as good. Tekkon intrigues me a lot given that its an anime film directed by an American ex-pat animator (Michael Arias), which is going to be a unique experience. |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Heh, well, I've owned the DVD for a little over a year now (since March 28, 2005, according to YesAsia) and I've watched it more times than I can count. Over 50, easily. I also hang out with a bunch of animators and I've shown it to just about everyone I know on multiple occasions. So a lot of the stuff I've noticed has been through other people saying "Hey, did you notice that one part where...?" or "Was it just me or was that one scene...?" And since we're all obsessive about animation anyway, there are a good deal of shots we've gone through and watched frame-by-frame, both to figure out what's going on and to see how exactly a specific piece of animation was keyframed. Just recently I noticed a billboard for Shaolin Soccer, one of my favorite Stephen Chow movies, in the background of one shot. I haven't noticed either of the Iraq wars yet, though. I guess I have no choice but to watch it when I get home tonight and look for them!
If they're even half as good, they'll be amazing films. Genius Party will likely be hit-or-miss, but will have some shining moments of sheer brilliance. Already it's looking to be a fine program. Sachiko is Morimoto's so I have no doubts there. If there's any director I have complete confidence in, it's Koji Morimoto. And as for Tekkon Kinkreet, I don't see how it could possibly go wrong at this point. The source material is absolutely brilliant (you know that Mind Game was also based on a manga people at Studio 4°C were already fans of) and the trailers I have seen so far are... adjectives fail me... They make me feel euphoric. I'm interested to see Tatsuyuki Tanaka's Kin Jin Kitto, if there are still plans of making it into a feature. The trailer contained in Digital Juice is simply delicious. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7994 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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Thanks for reminding me that I had it! I couldn't watch it because it was in an odd codec, but I recently fixed that problem. I think I may get arround to watching it tonight.
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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How, btw, are the subs on the R2? I'm very much considering coughing up the drastic 50 odd dollars to get the legit DVD.
Also, I thought Cloe's idea of the montage scenes at the end being a celebration of the ...diversity and unending vastness and possibilties of life was a good take on it. All the paths open to one. The movie really did feel, in a lot of ways, almost like a very simply prayer or a big "thank you" to life. It was full of a very infectious, very rare sort of joy-- joy in life, in the whole gamut of emotions and experiences. Yes, .... much watch it again. I'm so glad there are others out there who love this film as much as it should be.
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