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Grave of the Fireflies
Oct. 1st, 2024 03:43 amTonight my friend and I watched 1988 Studio Ghibli film Grave of the Fireflies. I'm not nearly the first person to write about this movie, and I'm sure my takeaways aren't very different, but humor me a little bit. Also, understand that some light but still THERE spoilers for the movie. I highly suggest you watch it beforehand, whether that be through picking up a DVD or sailing the high seas -- it's a super worthwhile watch!
I really enjoyed it, as much as it made me uncontrollably sob. The pacing of the movie was actually very interesting, because you'd run into these moments of intense action, literal and or emotional, but then they'd be followed by or eventually lead into slower more mundane moments. It felt like you were constantly having the dread, sadness, actuality of what was happening shown in slivers before it was obfuscated by something else, much like Setsuko and Seita would be genuinely doing to get away from the tragedy of what was happening before them.
You'd feel the levity of them playing, of finding food, and then immediately be crushed back down in a constant series of emotional barrages, raising and growing until they grow too intense to ignore, until the reality of what is happening -- and what is oncoming -- shows itself. The true mastery with it all though is that, the culminating point of the movie, the conclusion, is basically shown from the start. We know where this story leads, we know where it ends, yet we simultaneously don't.
Beyond the masterful work that went into the animation, the soundtrack, the sound design, the voice acting, every element of the film, the story itself is compelling, gripping, heartbreaking, and tragic.
I really enjoyed it, as much as it made me uncontrollably sob. The pacing of the movie was actually very interesting, because you'd run into these moments of intense action, literal and or emotional, but then they'd be followed by or eventually lead into slower more mundane moments. It felt like you were constantly having the dread, sadness, actuality of what was happening shown in slivers before it was obfuscated by something else, much like Setsuko and Seita would be genuinely doing to get away from the tragedy of what was happening before them.
You'd feel the levity of them playing, of finding food, and then immediately be crushed back down in a constant series of emotional barrages, raising and growing until they grow too intense to ignore, until the reality of what is happening -- and what is oncoming -- shows itself. The true mastery with it all though is that, the culminating point of the movie, the conclusion, is basically shown from the start. We know where this story leads, we know where it ends, yet we simultaneously don't.
Beyond the masterful work that went into the animation, the soundtrack, the sound design, the voice acting, every element of the film, the story itself is compelling, gripping, heartbreaking, and tragic.
