Monday, July 21, 2008

• Pink kicks butt

  Currently Watching Appleseed Ex Machina (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD] By Kara Greenberg see related

  No, not the singer, and not really the color either.  I guess you'll have to watch this one to get it.  =)

  I haven't done an anime review lately, mainly because I haven't watched a lot of new anime combined with the fact that most recent anime releases have sucked.  I would review Clannad, but I still don't know what to think of it yet.

  Anyway, Appleseed:Ex Machina is something more up my brother's style than mine, in terms of storyline at least.  Reminicent of RPG stories, the main character Deunan works as an E.S.W.A.T. - something like a counterterrorist agent.  Except it's the year 2135, 75% of humans are wiped out as well as most of planet earth, and bioroids hold soverign from politics to technology in the last remaining "safe" corner of the universe called Olympus.  However, the EU still exists.  Another reason to become an expat, no?

  I was about half-way through this movie before I realized that it's the sequel to the 2004 Appleseed film.  Not that you won't be able to understand what's going on without having seen the first one.  Really, the plot is rather juvenile.  Girl kicks butt (in Miuccia Prada, no less - who says fanboys/girls don't appreciate high fashion?).  Virus takes over Girl's Boy who in turn takes over the city.  Girl meets clone of Boy.  Boy has to deal with the virus, plus the threat of himself stealing his girl.  Clone-Boy develops feelings for Girl.  Girl gets confused.  Girl gets less confused and saves world in conjunction with Boy and Clone-Boy.  Clone-Boy decides that there is a Clone-Girl just for him too.  The end.

  What I'm more impressed with is the CGI renderings and slick, nearly seamless look of it all.  That's coming from old-fashioned me, decidedly fencing-sitting about the whole CGI thing.  Standing opinion: it consistently looks dated within 2 years of production unless well done.  Which Ex Machina does.  Fabulously.  I can watch the opening sequence alone over and over again and still end up amazed each time.  Too bad the story doesn't match the visual quality.

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