IncendiaryLemon
Captain Karen
what.
I mean, everyone goes on saying that it's super sad and such, so if I don't react that way like I know I won't, I wasn't sure if there was much point.
what.
I mean, everyone goes on saying that it's super sad and such, so if I don't react that way like I know I won't, I wasn't sure if there was much point.
You shouldn't look at things like that, it's true that this film in particular is known for being really sad, but to watch Grave of the Fireflies and to not cry or become upset doesn't mean that the experience was worthless or that there wasn't much point in watching it because there's always something to be gained. Media and their effects on us should not be treated as linear or binary, if you feel that not crying at the end of Grave of the Fireflies renders the experience of watching it as moot then that comes across as shallow in regards to what you're trying to attain from watching said film. There's nuance to the way in which you feel and so acting like something didn't effect you just because you didn't have tears running down your cheeks is extreme, maybe you won't cry at the end but if a films worth was only attributed to the fact that it made you cry or not and that alone, well it would be a terrible film. Maybe you won't outright cry but maybe you'll feel moved, maybe you'll like the music or the art or maybe you'll relate to a character or you'll appreciate the animation, maybe the story will touch you in a certain way, in the end you'd have gained something as a person, because at the very least it adds perspective, and if you watched it and gave your opinions on it, you'd have added to the conversation and added your own perspective that others may gain something from. Of course I sympathise and relate to not wanting to watch certain things that elicit certain emotions, I don't like horror for example so maybe you're not in the mood for something sad. Expecting to not react a certain way beforehand however is just a self fulfilling prophecy, by doing so you can be certain that you definitely won't be feeling that way because you've already convinced yourself that you won't. You don't have to watch it, but if your only hesitation is the thought that you won't cry and that the film would then be meaningless, you should still watch the film and gain your own thoughts on it, who knows, maybe you'll cry.
Obviously I think that there is more to the film than simply eliciting a sad reaction out of the audience, and the lack of a reaction doesn't make it a bad film. People seemed to bawl their eyes out at A Silent Voice when it didn't even react emotionally really, yet I still think it's an excellent movie, and could totally understand why someone might think it's worth crying about. What I don't like is expectation, because as soon as an expectation like that is set up, it just seems doomed to fail. It's very rare I hear "X will make you feel Y" and it does, as soon as any expectation like that is placed, I can't help but feel the movie won't live up to them. It's kinda why I'm putting off watching Your Name despite buying the BD, I have such high hopes for it, for both the quality and how it could potentially make me feel, that I just know it won't and I'll be let down by it. The only times I've reacted emotionally to anime is when I have no preconceived notion about how it's supposed to make me feel. All of this is basically to say that I'm sure Grave of the Fireflies is a great movie, but everything I've heard about how good and sad and how much it'll make me feel just makes me want to never watch it. Not sure if that makes sense or potentially comes across as contradictory in hindsight, but oh well...
Shame about the logos, I actually prefer that artwork to the UK one.
Cool, standing by.You should wait for the unboxing then for ours, we use that artwork but in a very cool way (using foils to really make it stand out...).
Best,
AP