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Recent Journal
Al's Anime Reviews - Pompo the Cinephile
4 days ago
Operating out of the movie capital "Nyallywood", Pompo has been shooting one B-grade entertainment flick after another. One day, Pompo's movie buff assistant Gene spots a new script written by Pompo and is moved by its exquisite story. However, Pompo tells him to direct it, and so Gene takes on his first directing gig. Meanwhile, Natalie, an ordinary girl who just arrived in town with actress dreams, has been discovered by Pompo.
What a delightful, exhilarating film to finally get around to watching. Pompo the Cinephile is the perfect showcase of anime cinema, with equal emphasis on both words. Every single frame is packed with vibrant colours and flavours and boasts snappy transitions between cartoonish and cinematic expression. Packed with visual homages and a deep love for film in all its forms, it's an absolute must-watch movie.
As for the story, it's not the highlight, but it's good enough. It might be a film about making a film, but don't go into it expecting to learn about the intricacies of the process in the way that White Box, for instance, teaches you about anime production. Right from the opening minutes, it's full of elements that discard believability, starting with the titular Pompo. She might look like a loli and be prone to dramatic flourishes, but she's also apparently a veteran film producer. There's a bit of explanation about how she's the granddaughter of a famous producer, but it's really not trying to convince you that this is how the film industry works or anything.
Naturally, the plot itself is larger than life and full of convenient turns. Gene and Natalie both quickly get the chance to prove themselves with an ambitious feature-length film. Financial difficulties arise when Gene decides that he needs to do additional filming after the initial shoot, but there's never any question about his ability or judgement, nor is interpersonal drama a focus. The story is more about revelling in the experience of creative expression than in portraying the realities of filmmaking.
"Where's the drama then?", you might ask. Well, that's where the "film within a film" narrative device becomes relevant. The movie that Gene directs, Meister, follows a grizzled musician whose pursuit of the ideal song isolates him from others. As the stories of both Meister and Pompo progress, the characters of Meister end up embodying the dramatic confrontations and catharsis that take place within Gene as he struggles with himself to create the perfect final cut. My favourite part of the film is how it visually represents the editing process, because it's where the real battle takes place. The imagery of Gene picking up a blade as he kills his own creations one after another is such a vivid depiction of the difficulties of realizing one's creative vision. Scenes like this make it clear that you don't need to come up with an external conflict to depict the trials and tribulations of an artist.
On the other hand, I can sort of understand why one might feel underwhelmed. It might seem like a waste to see such brilliant visual creativity applied to such a bare-bones story, but honestly, I think that in itself is an impressive feat. This film makes its appreciation for B-movies obvious from the start with its unabashed depiction of a campy monster film headed by an actress in a bikini. The camera lingers on the actress' curves, as if to proclaim "Yes, this is cinema too!" So when the characters apply their energies to create a film with an Oscar bait plot, there's no feeling of snobbishness about it. Film is all about finding an image that speaks to the viewer, regardless of the subject matter.
Pompo the Cinephile is such a likeable film from start to finish, and what it lacks in strict accuracy or drama, it more than makes up for with its energetic animation and visual charisma. It has a spark that'll give anyone who watches it the hunger to create something of their own.
What a delightful, exhilarating film to finally get around to watching. Pompo the Cinephile is the perfect showcase of anime cinema, with equal emphasis on both words. Every single frame is packed with vibrant colours and flavours and boasts snappy transitions between cartoonish and cinematic expression. Packed with visual homages and a deep love for film in all its forms, it's an absolute must-watch movie.
As for the story, it's not the highlight, but it's good enough. It might be a film about making a film, but don't go into it expecting to learn about the intricacies of the process in the way that White Box, for instance, teaches you about anime production. Right from the opening minutes, it's full of elements that discard believability, starting with the titular Pompo. She might look like a loli and be prone to dramatic flourishes, but she's also apparently a veteran film producer. There's a bit of explanation about how she's the granddaughter of a famous producer, but it's really not trying to convince you that this is how the film industry works or anything.
Naturally, the plot itself is larger than life and full of convenient turns. Gene and Natalie both quickly get the chance to prove themselves with an ambitious feature-length film. Financial difficulties arise when Gene decides that he needs to do additional filming after the initial shoot, but there's never any question about his ability or judgement, nor is interpersonal drama a focus. The story is more about revelling in the experience of creative expression than in portraying the realities of filmmaking.
"Where's the drama then?", you might ask. Well, that's where the "film within a film" narrative device becomes relevant. The movie that Gene directs, Meister, follows a grizzled musician whose pursuit of the ideal song isolates him from others. As the stories of both Meister and Pompo progress, the characters of Meister end up embodying the dramatic confrontations and catharsis that take place within Gene as he struggles with himself to create the perfect final cut. My favourite part of the film is how it visually represents the editing process, because it's where the real battle takes place. The imagery of Gene picking up a blade as he kills his own creations one after another is such a vivid depiction of the difficulties of realizing one's creative vision. Scenes like this make it clear that you don't need to come up with an external conflict to depict the trials and tribulations of an artist.
On the other hand, I can sort of understand why one might feel underwhelmed. It might seem like a waste to see such brilliant visual creativity applied to such a bare-bones story, but honestly, I think that in itself is an impressive feat. This film makes its appreciation for B-movies obvious from the start with its unabashed depiction of a campy monster film headed by an actress in a bikini. The camera lingers on the actress' curves, as if to proclaim "Yes, this is cinema too!" So when the characters apply their energies to create a film with an Oscar bait plot, there's no feeling of snobbishness about it. Film is all about finding an image that speaks to the viewer, regardless of the subject matter.
Pompo the Cinephile is such a likeable film from start to finish, and what it lacks in strict accuracy or drama, it more than makes up for with its energetic animation and visual charisma. It has a spark that'll give anyone who watches it the hunger to create something of their own.
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