Rolling News!

Check This...'Grave of the Fireflies'

In this edition of 'Check This' we are showcasing the late Isao Takahata's masterpiece 'Grave of the Fireflies' that was produced by Studio Ghibli. Released in 1988 the anime film based on the 1967 semi-autobiographical"Grave of the Fireflies short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka.

This animated film delivers a harrowing sucker gut punch of emotion that we would defy any viewer not to react to the powerful storytelling and emotional ending of this animated war movie. It is one of the most important, stirring, haunting and genuinely great cinematic works of all time and not just animated works that encapsulates the magic and power of cinema and still resonates today. We would encourage everyone of all ages to see at least once in their lifetime.

The movie the the story of two children, 14-year-old Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko, who are struggling to survive in 1940s war-torn Japan where bombings by American warplanes and napalm attacks are an almost daily occurrence. When their mother is killed in an air raid, and the fate of their Naval officer father remains unknown, the children are left to fend for themselves. After a brief and uncomfortable stay with a cold and distant aunt, who makes it clear that she doesn't want to be burdened with them, they run away and set up home in an abandoned bomb shelter. For a while they find some happiness living on their own with a field of almost magical fireflies to keep them company. But as the rationing of food grows more unbearable, Seita finds it an increasing struggle to keep himself and Setsuko alive.

A hard watch but an essential watch, please if you have the time do watch it.




To view past choices we showcased click here.

Check This...'Swansong' Starring Noel Fielding

In this edition of 'Check This' Noel Fielding plays an elderly angel living out his final moments in 'Swansong' from filmmaker Joseph Lynn.

Lynn’s Swansong follows an elderly angel (Noel Fielding) on his journey through his retirement home and beyond as he lives out his final moments. The director made a statement on the project stating:

 "Swansong is my debut short film starring comedian Noel Fielding and follows an elderly angel on his final journey. The film was inspired by my Grandma and her unfaltering optimism and courage throughout her battle with cancer. The film uses movement to explore what it means to experience loss; pain, strength, fear and joy. After casting Noel Fielding to play the angel, we worked with choreographer Imogen Knight to utilise his physicality in a way mostly unseen in his own projects.

  To view past shorts we showcased click here.

Check This: 'Roddy Doyle's Star Trek The Next Generation'

In this hilarious spoof inspired by the facebook page Roddy Doyle's Star Trek and a pretty offensive (from an Irish perspective) episode of Star Trek The Next Generation involving an Irish sterotype settlement.

What would happen if Colm Meaney from the Barrytown trilogy of films (The Snapper, The Commitments and The Van) worked on the USS enterprise?

'Chief Miles O'Brien ain't happy with who Riker picks up on an excursion and Picard insits he bring them on board the enterprise!'

Enjoy.

Check This... 'Ant Head' By David Lynch

Its been quite a wait to see where David Lynch will go next, after his outstanding 'Twin Peaks: The Returns' it is unclear where he will go next? But in the mean time the master of hypnagogic hallucinations film making has made a new short... 'Ant Head'!

Lynch describes the film as a “short video featuring my friends the ants along with cheese, etc. and one-and-a-half tracks from the ‘Thought Gang’ album.”

The 'Thought Gang' is the once-lost album Lynch made with his frequent collaborator and 'Twin Peaks' composer Angelo Badalamenti in the mid-1990s, the album has a release just in time for Christmas!

Check This... Quentin Tarantino's 'My Best Friend's Birthday'

'

My Best Friend's Birthday' is a black and white amateur film written by Craig Hamann and Quentin Tarantino and directed by Quentin Tarantino, while he was working at the now shuttered Video Archives in Manhattan Beach, California.

The project started in 1984, when Hamann wrote a short 30-40 page script about a young man who continually tries to do something nice for his friend's birthday, only to have his efforts backfire.

Tarantino became attached to the project as co-writer and director, and he and Hamann expanded the short script into an 80 page script. On an estimated budget of $5,000, they shot the film on 16mm over the course of the next four years. Hamann and Tarantino starred in the film, along with several video store and acting class buddies.

The original cut was about 70 minutes long but due to a fire only 36 minutes of the film survived.

Check This... is a feature showcasing what we at Flicks News consider essential short films to watch!

To view past shorts we showcased click here.