The Bad Guys and Totoro are Cinephiles-Renegade Animation #59
Tonight on a new Renegade Animation, Captain Kaye and The Animation Guru look at Hayao Miyazaki's iconic masterpiece, My Neighbor Totoro, the new film made by CLAP and released by GKIDS, Pompo The Cinephile, and DreamWorks' latest offering, The Bad Guys!
Hey, everybody! It’s THE STREAMIN DEMON here yet again to introduce you to another Renegade Animation! This time, Mike and Cameron look at one of Hayao Miyazaki’s best films ever (no small praise), My Neighbor Totoro, the latest release by GKIDS, Pompo The Cinephile, and DreamWorks’s insanely fun, clever, and exhilarating The Bad Guys! Take it away Captain Kaye!
My Neighbor Totoro
Part of the fun of embarking on this Ghibli journey is the fact that each film is randomly selected, which means it's a total coincidence that I happen to follow Grave of the Fireflies with the other title released in 1988, My Neighbor Totoro. This acclaimed animated tale by director Hayao Miyazaki follows schoolgirl Satsuke and her younger sister, Mei, as they settle into an old country house with their father and wait for their mother to recover from an illness in an area hospital. As the sisters explore their new home, they encounter and befriend playful spirits in their house and the nearby forest, most notably the massive cuddly creature known as Totoro. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: he's just so damn good at this stuff! It's hard to watch this movie without having the biggest smile on your face, like you're wrapped in the warmest blanket. In terms of localization, I still don't understand how Disney has nailed it every time with their English voice cast! From casting both Fanning sisters as Satsuki and Mei respectively, to Tim Daly voicing their father Tatsuo, Pat Carroll voicing Granny, Lea Salonga as their mother Yasuko, and of course Frank Welker voicing the titular spirit, they all do such a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. While the story may be "simple," it only leaves Miyazaki more than enough room to let the characters breathe, and the audience soak in the cozy atmosphere of the countryside. Similar to Grave of the Fireflies, it's another postwar film from a child's perspective, but played in the major key instead of the minor. That doesn't mean it's bereft of drama or conflict, in fact because we're seeing this through a child's lens, something as simple as the telegram from the hospital raises the stakes significantly. Fortunately, things end on a positive note, like all the great family films from the 80's. As much as I sympathize with Takahata feeling overshadowed by his colleague, I also completely understand how and why this movie won so many people over. It just works on all levels, from the writing and directing, to the gorgeous animation, and Joe Hisaishi's effortlessly beautiful score. It's hard not to be put in a good mood after watching My Neighbor Totoro, and I'm glad I can finally cross this one off the list!- Captain Kaye
Pompo The Cinephile
Pompo: The Cinéphile is an anime film written and directed by Takayuki Hirao, based on the manga of the same name by Shogo Sugitani. Pompo, a movie producer, has been shooting one B-grade entertainment flick after another that anyone would enjoy. However, when her assistant spots a script and is moved by the story, she tells him to direct it. If nothing else, I can at least say that the film’s heart is in the right place. Its main theme is all about following one’s passion, and it’s honestly quite a clever device to have the movie within the movie parallel Gene’s arc. However, what holds this movie back from being a masterpiece is all in the execution. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where this movie falls apart, especially since I haven’t read the manga on which it was based. Perhaps this would have worked better as a 13-episode series, giving each character plenty of room to develop. As it is, the pacing feels a bit too episodic for a feature film, though that doesn’t mean I wasn’t still invested in the narrative. One thing I find amusing is how the film clearly takes place in Hollywood, but the off-brand version in typical anime fashion. I assume this was in an effort by CLAP to avoid the hassle of product placement. While I have my issues with the script, I ADORED the animation. It’s crystal clear that this movie was intended for those with a burning passion for creativity, and that’s on full display whenever we see Gene in his natural habitat, chipping away at his magnum opus. I also really enjoyed the music composed by Kenta Matsukuma, which complemented the visuals nicely, especially in Maestro, the film Gene is directing. Pompo: The Cinéphile is a messy film, but one that wears its heart proudly on its sleeve. The dialogue can be a little maudlin, but the characters’ journeys are engaging, the animation is incredible, and so is the music. The film is playing in select theaters on April 27th and 28th, I recommend checking it out if it’s playing near you.-Captain Kaye
The Bad Guys
The Bad Guys is an animated caper comedy based on the children's book of the same name by Aaron Blabey. Directed by Pierre Perifel (in his feature film debut) from a screenplay written by Etan Cohen, the film follows notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula, who, after a lifetime of legendary heists, are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet -- becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good. Let's get this out of the way first, don't call it a comeback! I know, 2021 wasn't exactly the greatest year for Dreamworks Animation, but film isn't their only outlet, and they've still had a solid year in television. That being said, I can say with confidence that this is the studio's best franchise starter in quite some time, and I don't just say that lightly. There are 15 volumes in Blabey's ONGOING book series, which gives Dreamworks plenty of material to mine moving forward. But staying in the present, the one thing that everyone will be talking about is this film's GORGEOUS stylized animation. Even though this is his directorial debut, Pierre Perifel has been with the studio since 2006, and one of his many great contributions was his work on the 2D animated sequences in Kung Fu Panda 2. This movie takes that same energy, with top notch action choreography and excellent use of light and shadows to make something truly unique. If I had any real negatives, it's mostly at the script level. The last movie Etan Cohen wrote (and directed) was Holmes and Watson, which I hated. This is obviously a better film, but still carries over some of his weaknesses. The humor mostly worked, but I could have done without the fart jokes. The characters are all fully fleshed out, but still fall into familiar archetypes. The worst offense is the 2nd act breakup between Wolf and the rest of the pack, but given the nature of the genre, they found a way to make it work. Script issues aside, everything else is firing on all cylinders. The voice cast is amazing, with Sam Rockwell giving one of my favorite performances as the Big Bad Wolf, while Mark Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos and Awkwafina round out an excellent core ensemble. I can't say too much else without giving away spoilers, and while they're not too surprising that you can't figure out on your own, it's the way they're executed that makes for a satisfying experience. Last thing I'll say before the next Renegade Animation podcast is how much I love the music. Daniel Pemberton's score is awesome, and I assumed part of the reason they cast Anthony Ramos was so he had an excuse to belt out an original tune called "Good Tonight" during one of their jobs. I highly recommend that everyone sees The Bad Guys as soon as they can! Not only is it a great directorial debut, but its success will embolden Dreamworks Animation to continue pushing the envelope and elevating the medium to new heights! -Captain Kaye
