Let's face it. The Phantom Menace sucked. I, like most males my age, expected TPM to be the greatest sci-fi adventure ever made. When Nisha and I went to the premiere at Montreal's now-defunct Faubourg theatre, my enthusiasm was barely contained. I should have got the message early when Nisha fell asleep about 20 minutes into the show. A few weeks later we took Nisha's brother, and she fell asleep again. I was aghast, but began to clue in to the fact that Episode I was failing to live up to expectations.
Needless to say, I was torn about whether or not to pick up the DVD when it came out this week. In the comfort of my living room I watched a good quarter of the movie in fast forward, skipping most of the poorly written dialogue. Mind you, it's not like the other three movies were ever Oscar-worthy, but there was something about A New Hope that TPM simply does not have. Liam Neeson looks uncomfortable, Ewan McGregor confused, and Jake Lloyd was capable of delivering only empty lines like "Yippee!". The story is clearly pre-packaged for maximizing merchandising opportunities- video games, collectibles, etc, all with the intent of selling Star Wars(TM). Help us, Obi Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope.
Now let me talk about a good movie. Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke is breathtaking. This animated feature was hugely popular in Japan, and one can see why. Up against the sterile computer grahpics of TPM, the cel-animated Mononoke is rich, textured and soulful. The musical score is magnificent and, most fundamental of all, the story is powerfully written and skillfully executed. There is no quintessential "good" or "evil", only an array of characters whose conflicts are complex and intruiging. One final note, I have taken to watching the DVD in subtitled Japanese, rather than listen to the high profile Hollywood dubbing. No thanks, Minnie Driver. As such, I can't say much about the dubbing, but I have heard that it's decent. Ten thumbs up!