Rhia Crouch's Blog

Fig 1. Waltz With Bashir (2008) The 2008 Israeli animated film Waltz With Bashir , directed by Ari Folman, seems to be more of a history lesson than a film to kick back and watch. It also seems to act as a kind of warning to not forget about the past along with telling the viewer that we must also find a way to forgive ourselves for what we have done and what we have been a part of. Set in 2006 the film focuses on the director himself trying to work out why he can’t remember anything from the Lebanon War that took place in the 1982 that he was a part of when he was 19, in particular the Sabra and Shatila massacre that took place in the refugee camps. After talking with friends, he goes looking for other people who were there at the same time to ask them about what they remember and what happened to them in the war. After hearing their stories and thoughts on what happen Folman slowly starts piecing together what happened at the camps and where he was when it happened before fu...

Fig 1. Paprika (2006) Based on the book of the same name by Yasutaka Tsutsui the film Paprika (2006) is an example of the type of films that have been coming out of Japan over the years, along with showing the ways that animation can be used to tell a story much more clearly than if it was live action. As shown in the film you can do anything in animation just like you can do anything in your dreams. The core premise of the film is people being able to interact and go into other peoples’ dreams as a form therapy with the help of a device called the DC Mini. When one of the DC Minis goes missing the doctors who use it start to think that someone is using it to take control of people with a crazy dream filled complete nonsense while they still awake. With the help of Detective Toshimi Konakawa the doctors might find out who stole the device before the dream world and the real world start merging together, likely they have Paprika on their side. The film was directed by Satoshi...

Fig 1. Mary and Max film poster (2009) The Australian film Mary and Max (2009) was directed and written by Adam Elliot and tells the story of two pen pals as they go through their challenging lives at a time when other peoples’ problems were not something that you would inquire about, be it lifestyle or mental. The film starts off in 1976 with young Mary Daisy Dinkle who lives in Australian with her distant father and alcoholic mother. One day she decides to write to someone out of a phone book to ask them about their life in New York, that person is Max Jerry Horowitz. Max himself is surprised by her letter and suffers an anxiety attack due to his social problems, but he decides to write back to Mary and soon the two become friends. As the years go by they learn to except each other, and themselves, for who they are and that their worlds are perfect even if it is not perfect. As the beginning of the film suggests it is based off a true story but it’s not completely clear...