Movie review: Paco and the Magical Book

Frankly, the only reason why I decided to purchase the DVD for this movie in the first place was because I saw the name ‘Anna Tsuchiya’ in the cast list. However, by watching this movie devoid of any initial assumptions nor expectations, I was able to keep an open mind through it all, and that turned out to be a blessing.

With a concept that bears similarity to 50 First Dates, Paco and the Magical Book tells the tale of a bubbly and cheerful child named Paco who suffers from short-term memory loss, allowing her to forget everything that had happened the day before. Because of this bizzare affliction, she is admitted to an eccentric, castle-esque hospital where every single patient and member of staff have a story to tell and a distinguishable personality. There, while reading a popup picture book that was a keepsake from her late mother, she encounters Onuki, a grouchy elder who was once the director of a company that he founded. He soon takes a liking to Paco, and decides to help her overcome her condition by seeking the cooperation of everybody in the hospital, and learns life’s true morals along the way.

For those who are exposed to as much Japanese media as I am, the first twenty minutes of Paco and the Magical Bookmay come across as Kuchu Buranko livened in human flesh. As expected, those who aren’t quite adapted to the eccentricities of the Japanese find it quite difficult to like its beginning. In fact, the entire movie seems to me like a seamless blend between Kuchu Buranko, El Labirinto del Fauno and all the old-school Disney films out there. What makes Paco and the Magical Book so distinct and a genius in its own right is that it combines the usage of computerised graphics, psychedelic colours and surrealistic fantasy to produce a rich semblance seemingly excerpted from a pigment of a child’s wildest imagination.

I must applaud the unconventional supporting cast on their antics and originality, and their ability to attune to the true nature of their characters. At first sight, they appear to have been physical reincarnations of wacky manga characters, but later begin to strike a chord within the audience. Paco and the Magical Book showcases a horde of lovely and unforgettable side characters: a gothic and emotionally unstable nurse (Anna Tsuchiya) who has violent outbursts at every little wrongdoing, a wacky doctor with cosplaying tendencies, a fireman prone to fatal accidents, a dual-personality nurse with vampiric impulses and an up-do that suspiciously resembles Marge from The Simpsons, a crossdressing man who belts out karaoke tunes, and much, much more. What makes them so much more lovable is their ability to break the fourth wall and distinct style of speech; using different tones, accents and level of formality, these actors make full use of their dynamic language, otherwise impossible for ordinary American films.

the two nurses performing their … duties

Ayaka Wilson delivers a wonderful performance in this movie, and she bears charm and innocence, reminiscent of Ivana Baquero from El Labirinto del Fauno. Naturally, biased as this may be, I certainly enjoy Anna Tsuchiya’s style of acting in this movie. She is able to feign a mercurial personality to utmost perfection, and I can’t think of anyone more suited for her role.

Of course, there were certain moments that were corny and clichéd, and a few jokes fell flat. Nevertheless, the overall quality of the movie is remarkable. What I love most about Paco and the Magical Book is its underlying morals and ability to relate to the general public. Adults who view it will be like viewing a window of their past, and children who see it will be like tapping into their wildest dreams. Certain scenes are very heartrending and manages to relay important teachings that has been drowned in our society today.

To sum it all up, beyond the quirkiness of Paco and the Magical Book lies a far deeper and more profound meaning that will not only render adults whimsical and nostalgic, but also allow children to think from a different perspective and delve into their innocent realms. It is a movie that everyone should watch at least once in their lives.

Conclusion:

Rating: 9/10

Concept: 9/10

Trailer: N/A

Acting: 7.5/10

Sound effects: 7/10

Visual effects: 9/10

Did I get my money’s worth: Yes.

TV review: Eastwick

from left to right: Rebecca Romijn, Jaime Ray Newman, Lindsay Price

It is such a shame that the general public veers towards the generic mainstream junk, and cast aside true hidden gems, just like Eastwick. By right, Eastwick has everything that will need to fabricate an amazing show — a great cast, wonderful execution of an age-old concept, witty repartees, and moments of hilarity, drama and fantastical elements– but naturally, fate doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to. Recently, ABC network has announced that Eastwick will not be returning for a second season, much to the disappointment and outrage of its loyal albeit small fan base, in which I am a dedicated member of.

A story of love, friendship, and fantasy, three previously unconnected women residing in a small town called Eastwick (hence, the name) discover their latent witchly abilities under mysterious and predetermined circumstances. Due to their newfound powers, these women drift towards one another, eventually forming a deep and unconditional bond of friendship. Meanwhile, Darryl Van Horne (Paul Gross), a man enshrouded in enigma enters the town of Eastwick, under the premise of aiding the town financially, but appears to have some other plans in mind.

Refreshing and light-hearted, Eastwick possesses qualities that are unparalleled, and of course, the pulchritude of the characters adds on to the overall magic of the show (no pun intended!). The cast, raw talent as they may be, are not novices in their field of expertise; we are able easily recognise the actors from their previous critically-acclaimed work. Notable examples include Paul Gross (Due South, Slings and Arrows), Jaime Ray Newman (Eureka, Veronica Mars), Lindsay Price (Lipstick Jungle, Beverly Hills 90210) and Rebecca Romijn (Ugly Betty, X-Men). Indeed, these actors and actresses are able to tap deep into their characters and wear their personalities like a second skin. Their dialogues were positively humourous and their acting commendable.

I truly admired the fact that each episode ends on a cliffhanger that is not overly-pronounced, leaving you with at least a morsel of satisfaction and just the right amount of impatience to keep you hankering for the next episode.

As the story progresses, we are introduced not only to more complex character development, but also to more intricate relationships between characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that despite its outer comedy and light-heartedness, Eastwick indirectly exploits several important issues in our current society, such as divorce, heartbreak, infidelity, mental instability, friendships and so forth.

Despite this positive development, I somehow feel that the progression of the characters’ magic prowess is less than satisfactory. Originally adapted from a book and a remake of a movie, Eastwick has somehow deviated from the original story and has placed primary focus on character interactions and social relationships instead. Not that I’m complaining of course, although I believe that it would be a whole lot more gratifying had I seen a little more magical action. Of course, the characters were quite slow to cotton on the fact that they now do possess magical powers — only after the sixth episode or so did they begin to have the slightest inkling that what the strange events that had occurred were not just plain ‘accidents’.

Eastwick is certainly a wonderful TV show that can keep you blazing through all the episodes in a single sitting. Summing up every remarkable quality and feature of this series, there should be no question as to why this is one of my favourite shows.

Conclusion:

Rating: 9.5/10

Concept: 7/10

Promo: 6.5/10

Acting: 9.5/10

Did I get my time’s worth: Yes

Movie Review: 2012

How many times have we heard of doomsday being prophesied like a broken record? The Day After Tomorrow and Knowing were all hugely popular blockbusters, featuring one grand theme and subliminal message aimed towards the general public — that the world is coming to an end, and we should all prepare accordingly. Similarly, 2012 heralds the end of the world by introducing onslaughts of natural disasters and geological catastrophes following an eerie prediction of the Mayan calenders centuries ago.

In this movie, we are able to witness the inner good and bad of mankind brought to light — of desperation and deceit, of hope and despair, of vice and virtue, of love and hate, and of dedication and disloyalty. We are able to see the true selfishness of those whose mind are preoccupied predominantly with thoughts of themselves; yet at the same time, true heroism and glory in those who place their families before everything else. Love prevails in the midst of darkness, and patriotism shine where hopelessness reign. We see humanity at its noblest, while viewing mankind at its ugliest.

A futuristic reincarnation of the classic Noah’s Ark tale, 2012 has its share of ups and downs, yays and nays. Although remarkably visual, I get the feeling that the movie went a little overboard at times, to the point of it being unrealistic. Most of the time, the computer-generated graphics were jaw-droppingly incredible, though there werecertain moments that ruined the entire movie and made me wish I could just wring my popcorn and dunk it onto the screen in frustration.

In terms of sound effects, I’d rate the movie a fantastic. Brilliant music was placed at the most appropriate times, and it does help ignite an emotion within the audience. Throughout the two-hour screening in the cinema, everybody laughed along, cried along, gawked along and showed signs of generally positive responses towards the movie.

Character progression is one area I wish the director could have improved at, or addressed further. The characters were very driven and passionate and firm with their beliefs, good or bad. However, by the end of the movie, I found myself drawn to characters whom I have previously dismissed, and at the same time, I found myself repulsed by some characters I initially took a liking to. I wonder if it was meant to be that way, or perhaps I was too quick with my first impressions?

All in all, I’d rate this movie a seven, mainly because of the angst that I found so irritating and the odd timeline (and timeskips) of the movie — no matter how discreet it was being presented, I found it incredibly disconcerting all the same. Other than that, it was a two hours well spent indeed.

To those who are interested, I’ve enclosed a trailer.

Conclusion:

Rating: 7/10

Concept: 6/10

Trailer: 7/10

Acting: 8/10

Sound effects: 9/10

Visual effects: 8/10

Did I get my money’s worth? Yes