Chrispy_G Reviews

Side by Side (2012)

A Fantastic Examination on the Transitional Period of Present Day Cinema

[10/10 · 27 August 2012]

Cinema is in a state of transition. Film is slowly but surely being replaced and supplanted by Digital techniques. This is a rare gem of documenting because it has been made right in the heart of the transition.

Could you imagine if a documentary featuring major filmmakers had been made during the transition from black and white to color? This is essentially the modern iteration of that concept.

This film chronicles how digital filming and editing techniques have developed over the last two decades or so and have evolved from being a niche, low quality choice into a much more cost-effective, dynamic and comparable alternative to doing the same work on film.

Side By Side will only become more valued as the years go by. One day sooner rather than later film will be gone and everything will be digital. This will be regarded as more of a historical document than a film. It is a snapshot of the state of the industry as it makes the biggest transition it has ever gone through.

This is a true testament to the exponential times we live in and should not be missed by any cinema lover.

Gantz (2004)

A Fantastic Piece of Anime. It Has It All.

[9/10 · 26 May 2012]

I don't like to use the word 'masterpiece'...but it wouldn't be an insane adjective to use to describe Gantz. This is one of the best all around anime I've ever seen.

It has an extremely interesting and rather unique concept that is thoroughly explored and discussed through the characters. It has the surface level 'low brow' entertainment like extreme amounts of violence and a pretty hefty amount of nudity. It does an excellent job of going against the typical story clichés. Moments of character empowerment are shot down in the flash, people who seem like throwaway characters come back later, and none of the characters are safe from harm.

Speaking of the characters, they are very dynamic and what makes this show last. Good guy heroes often come off as cowardly, douchebags save the day, etc etc. The characters also come across plenty of moral dilemmas and have plenty of discussions about the nature of society.

Some say they hate the ending, or that it is confusing. I don't see why, if you just pay attention a little bit to the visuals and how the fundamentals of the whole thing works...it's quite clear. Yes, there are some things that aren't fully explained...but the end result, what happens to our hero(and/or heroes) is quite clear.

In conclusion, it's an anime with a great concept, great characters to explore it, great animation, a ton of violence, plenty of nudity, a decent amount of action and some good social commentary. Regardless of the manga, if you've read it or what you think of it, Gantz is a fantastic stand alone anime...and I think I'd prefer THAT to a seemingly endless story.