I still want to go dressed up, but I've gone to the college campus showing most years i've been able to. >W< soo much fun to go in droves for that kind of thing.

And that is why I cannot watch the crow more than once a year. T^T

Louise, knowing you like soundtracks and Zimmer, you must have enjoyed Crimson Tide!

Two that come to mind right away are "The Quick and the Dead" and "Broken Arrow". Another co worker at my former job used to bring in soundtrack tapes all the time! Great entertainment!

Spirited Away makes a lot more sense if you're familiar with both oriental and middle european mythology. It's a lot different from the candy coated fairy tales of Europe and the States. So, it won't appeal to everyone.

Dragon,
I have no trouble with mythology.  It was a major fun topic for me as a teen.  My daughter helped me understand why I didn't like the movie.  Anime focuses on storyline far more than character development, which is where I focus.  In fact, most anime characters are extremely one-dimensional and tend to be childish.  And since my need as a viewer is to connect with the protagonist, it doesn't reach me.  But the background artwork is incredible, another area anime apparently focuses on.

Denise: Actually, some anime does develope character. D Gray man (my latest obsession) has developed the main character a great deal, but it is unusual. I think it has something to do with the cultural background: the group is important, the individual not so much in contrast to Occidental thought where the individual is more important ... sort of. LOL.

Older anime is much more group oriented, while the newer stuff that develops out of manga is beginning to focus more on character development. Probably also helps if it's a series and not a movie. 

Me, I'm an orientalist in a lot of ways, so I dig it. But I know it's not everyone's cup of tea/Starbuck's ...  <straker glaring at dragon>  :

The Rini-chan is a fan, the middle kid looks at me oddly and the son unit can take it or leave it (he reads online comics). Even the spousal unit and I don't agree on which ones are good and which ones are drop it. We're watching Slayers at the moment and that's one I could leave nicely. He didn't care for Black Cat and Black Blood Brothers ... both of which I liked. On the other hand. Bleach we're both nuts about. LOL.

Oh, and actually, the Rini reads manga in preference to the anime sometimes.

End of dissertation (now that's an idea! If I end up in english I could do a dissertation on manga/anime and reading ... with kudus to the forum for ideas, of course ... LOL)

<sigh, some day I really will grow up ... NOT!>

   

So, you know about Baba Yaga, etc? I had to go look some of it up when I saw Spirited Away 'cause it wasn't as familiar as I thought. Liked Howl's Moving Castle better. Liked Captain Harlock even more than either of these, but that's probably because our hero (all of the hero's have scars ... odd) gets to stand on the deck of his three masted space ship and pilot it with an old fashioned ship's wheel ... can you say incredibly forgiving universe???? LOL. No, he isn't wearing a space suit. Sometimes pure insanity is the only reason for watching something.

Completely away from animation: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things: the worlds greatest Jewish witch shtick while trying to wake the dead. Unfortunately, surrounded by the world's worst self produced vanity zombie movie.

off to do something more productive now.

Louise: anime shakespeare .... whoo hoo! Thanks for letting me know about that. I'll have to look for it. (not that I'd want Romeo and Juliet or probably King Lear, my least favorite plays ... LOL.)

going now ... for real ... honestly

d

I must be honest there are some films that i shudder to mention in my favourites list.

Bend it like Beckham
Flash Gordon
The Great Escape

do you really want to read on?

Breakheart Pass... Charles Bronson
Under Seige... oh come on now... he was good in that one!... cheesy but good!
The transporter. 1, 2 and 3
Man on Fire.. very violent.....
The Truman Show... wonderful piano track while he is sleeping..
Pleasantville
Reservoir Dogs... wincing at the violence
Field Of Dreams..... if you build it....
OH YES! and ...
Tremors...She will have.. long blonde hair, big green eyes, ass that won't quit and legs that go ALL the way up! (Kevin Bacon .. drool)
Groundhog Day
The Fugitive
Swordfish... I like John Travolta.... which reminds me
Michael
and... nearly at the end!
Phenomenon##

Oh heck.. what about Ferris Buellers Day Off... Classic
Weekend at Bernies.. (the original)
The Money Pit

I'll stop..