From Up on Poppy Hill—another
classic from Studio Ghibli, a real treat in animation and storyline—shows the
talents of Director Gorô Miyazaki, Director Hayao Miyazaki’s son. It’s a sweet
story about teen-aged Umi Matsuzaki (voice of Sarah Bolger), a young girl who
manages a Japanese boarding house, takes care of younger siblings, does all the
cooking and household chores, cares for her grandmother, and goes to school
full time. Every morning, before school, she raises three flags in the manner
her sea-faring father, Yūichirō Sawamura taught
her. The colorful flags send the message, “I Pray for Safe Voyages.” Umi meets
a boy named Shun Kazama (voice of Anton Yelchin) at school. He writes the
school newspaper and she soon is involved not only with writing the newspaper
but also in trying to save a study house that provides a place for many of the
school clubs. Umi and Shun begin to care for each other romantically, but Shun
finds that it is possible they are relatives. The film takes an unusual twist
as the two seek the truth of their heritage that has been lost during World War
II and the Korean War. The award winning Japanese movie pleasantly resolves
itself into a happy ending, making it a very good choice for adult and child
entertainment.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia
Additional Thanks
Thank you to Director Gorô Miyazaki for directing efforts, Thank
you to Executive Producers Kathleen Kennedy, Nobuo Kawakami, and Frank
Marshall for making the film possible. Cast include: Anton Yelchin, Sarah Bolger, Alex Wolff, Bridget Hoffman, Elisa Gabrielli, Jeff Dunham, Ronan Farrow, and Beau Bridges.
My All American
has all the elements of an extremely sad, but inspiring sports story—someone with tremendous desire to
play professional football makes the university team, plays really well
against all odds, gets bone cancer, and dies. This story should have blown itself
into classic status and completely fails. It ends as just another sports film
that, sadly, does not say much when it has a need to say a lot about the value of losing life to serious disease. Aaron Eckhart seems miscast in this film. This may be, in part, to over direction. The movie tries to interpret the
character for its audience without allowing the audience the freedom to find itself within the character, to relate to the character. It is good to see Freddie Steinmark, the hero of this film, has
no plans of backing down despite his disability; but the inspiration of ‘fighter
to the end’ is unfortunately not realized as this story is portrayed.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia
Storyline
Freddie
Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) realizes his desire to play professional football, but
succumbs to bone cancer.
Additional Thanks
Thank
You to Director Angelo Pizzo and to Executive Producers Michael Beugg, Ben
Brigham, Tony Jones, Carl Mazzocone, Paula Walter, and Rusty Walter for making
the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Coach Royal (Aaron
Eckhart), Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell), Fred Steinmark (Michael Reilly Burke),
Gloria Steinmark (Robin Tunney), Linda Wheeler (Sarah Bolger), James Street
(Juston Street), Bill Bradley (Donny Boaz), Cotton Speyrer (Jordan Shipley),
Mike Campbell (Alex MacNicoll), Tom Campbell (Richard Kohnke), Randy Peschel
(Eddie Davenport), and Steve Worster (Austin Willis).
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
No.
This tragic tale tragically fails to hit its mark.
