A touchingly simple look
at youth, dripping
with detail
and authenticity.
Ocean Waves is one of the least talked about of all Ghibli films, and it is fairly easy to see why that is. It was not originally a theatrical release, rather a TV movie, and it deals with a radically different subject than most other Ghibli films, the drama of teenagers entering the responsibility of young adulthood. There is none of the fantastical magic that has become so ingrained within the identity of the studio here, and so it tends to get lost and left behind. I however do not feel that this is fair, for despite being radically different in pace and tone to it's siblings, there is something genuinely magical and powerful about this film, and in fact I would use this film as a prime example of Ghibli's power.
For a start, the attention to detail in this film is remarkable. The narrative's framing device is that a University student upon glimpsing a familiar figure on a train station begins to recall his sixth-form days. There are several moments where the film focuses on small elements of the environment, for example a man smoking while on a break from the kitchen he works in, or some pigeons flying around the entrance to a shopping mall. These details bring the environment to life and adds a nostalgic air to the entire narrative. The film is paced like a series of individual memories played in sequence, with significant time leaps between or even during sequences, and these details tie everything together. The individual memories are preserved in such detail and candidness, just as important memories are in real life.
The film is also beautifully written. Although I do not think naturalistic is the right word, there is something real and human about the way these people are written. The situations and scenarios are familiar and simple yet never feel dull. The dilemmas and relationships of our lead character flow and fold into each other realistically, yet the framing device and time lapses allow a satisfying and dramatic pace to be maintained. There is something composed and relaxed about the film which I can only presume comes from it's roots in television. There are no contrived set-pieces, a flaw which can sometimes ruin the endings to some of Ghibli's more relaxed films (most notably Kiki's Delivery Service) in my opinion.
There is just something beautifully refreshing about this film. Even it's title brings to mind a soothing and revitalising excursion to a beautiful little world. When Ghibli gathered a bunch of it's younger talents and told them to make a film, I cannot think of a better way their unique voice could have been used. One final thing I wish to bring up is the film 5 Centimetres Per Second, which is also a fabulous animated film about reflecting on youth. It was on my mind a lot while watching and writing about this film, and although the two cover a lot of different ground, they work wonderfully as companion pieces. Of the two however Ocean Waves is easily the more consistent and overall affecting, as it gave me a lot to chew on over the few days following.
By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film Review
For a start, the attention to detail in this film is remarkable. The narrative's framing device is that a University student upon glimpsing a familiar figure on a train station begins to recall his sixth-form days. There are several moments where the film focuses on small elements of the environment, for example a man smoking while on a break from the kitchen he works in, or some pigeons flying around the entrance to a shopping mall. These details bring the environment to life and adds a nostalgic air to the entire narrative. The film is paced like a series of individual memories played in sequence, with significant time leaps between or even during sequences, and these details tie everything together. The individual memories are preserved in such detail and candidness, just as important memories are in real life.
The film is also beautifully written. Although I do not think naturalistic is the right word, there is something real and human about the way these people are written. The situations and scenarios are familiar and simple yet never feel dull. The dilemmas and relationships of our lead character flow and fold into each other realistically, yet the framing device and time lapses allow a satisfying and dramatic pace to be maintained. There is something composed and relaxed about the film which I can only presume comes from it's roots in television. There are no contrived set-pieces, a flaw which can sometimes ruin the endings to some of Ghibli's more relaxed films (most notably Kiki's Delivery Service) in my opinion.
There is just something beautifully refreshing about this film. Even it's title brings to mind a soothing and revitalising excursion to a beautiful little world. When Ghibli gathered a bunch of it's younger talents and told them to make a film, I cannot think of a better way their unique voice could have been used. One final thing I wish to bring up is the film 5 Centimetres Per Second, which is also a fabulous animated film about reflecting on youth. It was on my mind a lot while watching and writing about this film, and although the two cover a lot of different ground, they work wonderfully as companion pieces. Of the two however Ocean Waves is easily the more consistent and overall affecting, as it gave me a lot to chew on over the few days following.
By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film Review
No comments:
Post a Comment