O Caso de Hana e Alice

No pun intended - and of course not comparable with the new phone thing I am ripping this off. But I hope you are not too mad about me trying to be a bit funny. Even darker stuff that the movie does have some in, do not take away from some funny moments here too. So there is always light - without which there can be no darkness ... or was it shadows? Well I think you get the sentiment.

Being new somewhere - I think we can relate to that. Most of us, especially if we have some years/experience. If not we will earn or get that. But even without that, you can relate to the school thing at least. You have to love animated movies - or at least not dislike them. I wouldn't know why you should or would have a problem with them - but in case you have, skip this. You'll be missing out on a pretty good movie, even though there are better ones of course. Still imagination is running high and the movie/story is quite packed. A lot of characters and a lot of stuff to keep track of. Nice twists and turns too ... right up until the end ... finding out stuff/people ...

This is a strange little movie. OK, so in 2003, Shunji Iwai makes a live action film named "Hana and Alice". Then 9 years later, he makes a prequel starring the same two actresses, but animates it. In this world of making live action adaptations (which I hate) this is one that goes the opposite direction.

The animation is all rotoscoped. That is where you trace over a live action reference to make your animation. It reminds me of Matthew McCleskey's YouTube videos. It is a very...distinct style for a feature.

The titular case is the worst run investigation I have ever seen. As I explained it out loud, I couldn't help but laugh at Hana and Alice's incompetence in solving the mystery. The movie spends most of its runtime on these misadventures. The two of them spinning their wheels as they go nowhere.

And to think, the whole mystery happens because of a Kit-Kat bar. Give me a break.

This anime is fresh and free-flowing. It follows the trials and tribulations of Alice who moves to a new neighbourhood and school. She soon discovers the harsh realities and related fictions around some recent incidents and its repercussions still affecting the surrounding school life.

The narrative keeps you guessing and has great depth in character exploration and philosophical musing, including a mysterious old man. It physically and metaphysically moves with the colours of the beautiful drawings. There are a few chases, intertwined with moments of peace, pose and beauty like the underlying aesthetics of ballet.

A rare mixture of quirkiness and quintessential existentialism, married with some strong storytelling elements to make it a superb artistic whole that will stand multiple viewing and the test of time.

In terms of story, imagine Old Boy but with teenagers and love theme instead of grown-up violence and revenge. But it terms of tone, it is light-hearted yet intellectual, artistic and emotional.

A great addition to the top-notch anime productions we come to expect from Japan. This time as a first animation feature from gifted and acclaimed Shunji Iwai who writes, direct, edit and even provides music to this miraculous masterpiece.

Japan 2015 | 110 mins | FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL | HD | Japanese (English subtitles)

A heart warming and sweet, and most certainly hilarious, story about relationships and the many different encounters in life that shape who we are and where we go. We follow the two leads on their investigation to solve a mystery that is as enigmatic and confusing as being a teenager. The musical score is a a perfect compliment to the simple and charming pace and tone of the film. A anime must!!!

This is an interesting little tale of how two teenage girls became friends. It has a very honest feeling in how the characters speak and move. Having lived in Japan, this movie really gives a surprisingly unexpected sensation of the everyday there.

What sets this movie apart is probably what bothers me. This movie reminds me of the Flowers of Evil TV series from 2013 since both are animated through rotoscoping (an animation technique in which animators trace over footage, frame by frame). This is a decent story, but it could have easily been done without animation. The animation gave some really pretty colors to some scenes, but in the overall it feels unnecessary. You could have told the same story with actors and the result wouldn't be much different.

The fact that it is animated will most likely be an important factor to attract and repel some people and it shouldn't. This is not your typical high school anime. It is a movie that happens to be animated. Just that.

All in all, a cute adventure of two girls living an unforgettable moment of their adolescence. If you are into teenage dramas and Japan, you might like this.