Skip to main content

Your Name (2016)

Your Name (2016) is written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, about two teenagers who switch bodies every day. They get to leave eachother messages as to what they did that day, but they don't live in the same city so they haven't met.

Makoto Shinkai really came out of no where. The anime and manga he's written in the past isn't noteworthy and to have the highest-grossing anime film of all time. The ideas he use aren't new but they're fresh and used in a great way. I will follow this director from now on and make sure to watch whatever he comes out with next.

Ryunosuke Kamiki voices the main male character Taki. You're recognize his voice from Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, The Secret World of Arrietty, and Howl's Moving Castle (my wife's favorite). He's also going to be in a film that's coming out soon that I'm eager to watch called mary and the Witch's Flower. There's not really much to say about him other than he's a top notch voice actor.

Mone Kamishiraishi voices the female main character, Mitsuha. She's new to the voice acting game. I had never heard of her and she did a pretty good job with the character but the real work is in the drawing, art and direction. If there's any fault in the film it's her voice acting. It's still a great performance.

Your Name tuggs on the heart strings really hard at the end and if it can make me feel something then it'll probably make you feel something.

Result: A- (One of the best anime films of all time, up there with Akira and Perfect Blue)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Housemaid (2025)

The Housemaid (2025) is directed by Paul Feig , best known for comedies like Bridesmaids and Freaks and Geeks , and the tonal clash is noticeable. Feig leans into slick presentation and surface-level tension, but the film never quite reconciles its thriller ambitions with its obvious messaging. As an adaptation, it feels safer and more predictable than it wants to be, especially given how clearly it telegraphs its twists. Sydney Sweeney , known for Euphoria and Anyone But You , plays a down-on-her-luck woman recently out on parole who is desperate for work. She does what she can with the role and brings some emotional weight early on, but the writing limits her range. Her character cycles through bashful and annoyed so often that it starts to feel repetitive rather than psychologically layered. Amanda Seyfried , recognizable from Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls , plays the wealthy woman whose life slowly unravels as the power dynamic flips. Seyfried is solid and more controlled than Sw...

Marty Supreme (2025)

Marty Supreme (2025) is written and directed by Josh Safdie , who previously directed Good Time and Uncut Gems . This film carries that same frantic Safdie energy, with constant motion and pressure that rarely lets the audience breathe. It is chaotic by design, sometimes to a fault, but the intensity feels intentional rather than sloppy. Even when the pacing threatens to overwhelm, the film remains compelling due to the strength of its performances. Timothée Chalamet , known for Dune and Call Me by Your Name , plays the title role and fits it perfectly. He fully commits to the character’s ambition and volatility, balancing confidence with insecurity in a way that feels natural for him at this stage of his career. This is not a transformative performance, but it is a highly effective one, and he clearly understands the rhythm and demands of a Safdie-style film. Odessa A’zion , who audiences may recognize from Grand Army and Hellraiser (2022) , is a standout as the love interest. S...

Anaconda (2025)

Anaconda (2025) is a reboot comedy of the 90s film, written and directed by Tom Gormican , who previously delivered the clever and self-aware The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent . Unfortunately, that lightning does not strike twice. The core problem is simple. The jokes do not land. If horror films are judged by scares per minute, then comedies should be judged by laughs per minute, and this one delivers virtually none. Any humor that works was already burned in the trailer, leaving the film feeling empty and painfully drawn out. Jack Black , known for School of Rock and Jumanji , leans heavily into his loud, chaotic persona, but here it becomes grating rather than charming. His performance feels unchecked and repetitive, as if volume alone is meant to substitute for comedy. Instead of elevating scenes, he often drains them of momentum. Paul Rudd , who audiences know from Ant-Man and I Love You, Man , somehow comes off just as irritating. Rudd is usually likable even in weak m...