animation, manga, movies

0657 – Mind Game (2004)

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Mind Game (マインド・ゲーム) is a 2004 Japanese animated feature film based on Robin Nishi’s manga of the same name. It was planned, produced and primarily animated by Studio 4°C and adapted and directed by Masaaki Yuasa in his directorial debut, with chief animation direction and model sheets by Yūichirō Sueyoshi, art direction by Tōru Hishiyama and groundwork and further animation direction by Masahiko Kubo.

It is unusual among features other than anthology films in using a series of disparate visual styles to tell one continuous story. As Yuasa commented in a Japan Times interview, “Instead of telling it serious and straight, I went for a look that was a bit wild and patchy. I think that Japanese animation fans today don’t necessarily demand something that’s so polished. You can throw different styles at them and they can still usually enjoy it.”

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The film received a cult audience and was well received, winning multiple awards worldwide, and has been praised by directors Satoshi Kon and Bill Plympton. Allegedly, according to Tekkonkinkreet director Michael Arias, there was consideration for a release of the film on R1 DVD but it fell through. The film is now available to stream on Netflix in Australia as of 2016. GKIDS announced that they licensed the film, which will be streamed on VRV Select on December 29, 2017 followed by a limited theatrical run in February 2018 and a home video release in spring 2018. (wiki)

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movies

655 – The 12th Man / Den 12. mann (2017)

spacetime coordinates: 1943  Norway > Sweden, via Lyngenhalvøya and Manndalen

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The 12th Man is a 2017 Norwegian historical drama directed by Harald Zwart and written by Petter Skavlan. The main role of Jan Baalsrud is played by Thomas Gullestad, who escapes from Germans in Rebbenesøya, via Lyngen Fjord and Manndalen, to neutral Sweden in the spring of 1943.

The film is based on the same historical events and has the same protagonist as the Arne Skouen Oscar-nominated film Nine Lives, in which Baalrud’s courage and stamina were also emphasized. The 12th Man is also based on the book Jan Baalsrud and Those Who Saved Him, written by Tore Haug and Astrid Karlsen Scott. Unlike the book, the film puts much emphasis on the efforts of those who helped Baalsrud escape, which was in line with Baalsrud’s own statements about the local population’s courage. The 12th Man’s plot also details the pursuit of Baalsrud from the Gestapo leadership’s perspective, with the escape being depicted as cat-and-mouse game between Sturmbannführer Kurt Stage and Baalsrud. According to German documents, the Nazis believed that the entire Resistance had perished in a blast, meaning that there are no reports indicating that the Germans even knew to hunt for Baalsrud. Baalsrud himself, however, claims that he killed two German soldiers in the fight, which would have definitely created a sharp German response. (wiki)

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movies

0633 – Michiel de Ruyter / Admiral (2015)

spacetime coordinates: 1650s – 1670s  Dutch Empire – British Empire

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Michiel de Ruyter (Dutch pronunciation: [miˈxil də ˈrœy̯tər]) is a 2015 epic Dutch film about the 17th-century admiral Michiel de Ruyter directed by Roel Reiné. Paintings from the 17th century served as an inspiration for the design. In the beginning of the movie, when Klaartje the family maid pours milk, it is almost an exact replica of the famous painting ‘The Milkmaid’ by Johannes Vermeer.

Prior to its release, several protest groups had accused the film of glorifying the colonial history of the Netherlands. References to colonialism in the film are however almost absent. The film makes a minor reference to the Dutch East India Company, which contributed highly to the welfare in the 17th century in the low countries, and to the trading vessels which were protected by the navy under Michiel de Ruyter. The film’s main subjects — apart from Michiel de Ruyter himself — are the internal politics of the country, including the brutal murder of Johan de Witt and the complicated relationship with England, up to the engagement of the Dutch prince of Orange with Mary II. (wiki)

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games, movies

622 – Tomb Raider (2013 video game) / Tomb Raider (2018 film)

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Tomb Raider is a 2018 action-adventure film directed by Roar Uthaug, with a screenplay by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Alastair Siddons, from a story by Evan Daugherty and Robertson-Dworet. It is based on the 2013 video game of the same namewith some elements of its sequel by Crystal Dynamics, and is a reboot of the Tomb Raider film series. The film stars Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, who embarks on a perilous journey to her father’s last-known destination, hoping to solve the mystery of his disappearance. Dominic WestWalton GogginsDaniel Wu, and Kristin Scott Thomas appear in supporting roles.

Producer Adrian Askarieh told IGN in an interview that he may oversee a film universe with Just CauseHitmanTomb RaiderDeus Ex, and Thief. Askarieh however is not officially accredited with the production of this movie. (wiki)

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Tomb Raider – FULL GAME WALKTHROUGH

animation, manga

0603 – A Letter to Momo / Momo e no tegami (2011)

spacetime coordinates: 2010’s Shio Island (汐島 Shiojima) –  Seto Inland Sea

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A Letter to Momo (Japaneseももへの手紙 HepburnMomo e no Tegami) is a 2011 Japanese anime drama film produced by Production I.G and distributed by Kadokawa Pictures. The film was written and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura and stars an ensemble cast featuring Karen MiyamaYukaToshiyuki NishidaChō and Kōichi Yamadera. In A Letter to Momo, 11-year-old Momo Miyaura moves with her mother to a small island town after her father dies. When she arrives, she encounters three goblins that others cannot see who help her to cope with the loss of her father and the changes in her life.

“Sweet, sad, and visually striking, A Letter to Momo is a hand-drawn experience for animation fans to savor.”

imdb   manga

games, movies, quotes, series

585 – Uncharted

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Uncharted is an action-adventure third-person shooter platform video game series developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation consoles. The series follows protagonist Nathan “Nate” Drake(portrayed by Nolan North through voice and motion capture) a charismatic yet obsessive treasure hunter who journeys across the world to uncover various historical mysteries. The main series began with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune released on the PlayStation 3 in 2007, followed by its sequels Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009), Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011), with the final installment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End released on the PlayStation 4 in 2016. A prequel, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, was released for Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld system in 2011, followed by the card game spin-off Uncharted: Fight for Fortune in 2012. A standalone expansion to the series, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, was released in 2017, with Chloe Frazer as the game’s playable protagonist.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Full Gameplay Walkthrough

Uncharted 2 Among Thieves Full Gameplay Walkthrough

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Full Gameplay Walkthrough

Uncharted 4 A Thief’s End Walkthrough

UNCHARTED: The Lost Legacy Full GAME Walkthrough

Film adaptation

http://uncharted.wikia.com/wiki/Uncharted_Wiki

movies

0583 – Äideistä parhain / Mother of Mine (2005)

spacetime coordinates: 1940s Sweden

During World War II, more than 70,000 Finnish children were evacuated to neutral Sweden to avoid the conflict.

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Mother of Mine (Finnish: Äideistä parhain, Swedish: Den bästa av mödrar) is a 2005 Finnish film directed by Klaus Härö. The film is based on a novel by Heikki Hietamies.

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