7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In the aftermath of the most devastating conflict mankind had ever experienced, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast... and on the unhealed border in this remote corner of the world, friendship among children from two different countries timidly blossomed, striving to overcome language barriers and the waves of history.
Starring: Yukie Nakama, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yûsuke Santamaria, Kaoru YachigusaForeign | 100% |
Anime | 100% |
Drama | 2% |
History | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The aftermath of World War II is explored in 2014’s “Giovanni’s Island,” with the Japanese production examining the changing ways of power, clashing cultures, and family ties. Director Mizuho Nishikubo has quite a story to manage, with the horrors of conflict and the warmth of friendship offering a tonal challenge for the helmer. The animated movie delivers on its emotional mission, giving viewers plenty of heartbreak and confusion to handle, and while the endeavor gets a little carried away when it comes to the experience of deep feelings and personal loss, “Giovanni’s Island” remains an interesting sit, touching on a corner of wartime history to help process such profound loss.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Giovanni's Island" preserves the softer animation style of the feature, which deals with memory and hope. Artistry is preserved, with a slightly textured sense of backgrounds and character designs, and distances remain dimensional. Colors are lively, with fantasy hues supplying rich blues and golds, while greenery around the setting is appreciable. Clothing choices bring out brighter primaries. More mournful scenes offer a muted palette. Delineation is satisfactory. Mild banding and brief posturization is detected.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is offered in English and Japanese. Dialogue exchanges are sharply defined, with crisp emotionality throughout the listening event. Scoring delivers clean instrumentation and aural support, capturing the shifting moods of the feature. Music also pushes into the surrounds for emphasis, joined by active atmospherics, including weather events. Low-end is capable, handling the weight of moving trains and explosives. Sound effects are distinct.
"Giovanni's Island" is artfully made, with expressive animation and lively voice work from the cast. The material gets a little carried away when trying to extract tears from viewers as things go from bad to worse for the siblings, but the horrors of war and endurance are vividly represented here, leading to a few powerful moments. "Giovanni's Island" is perhaps best for older children, giving them a chance to understand the nuances of World War II on a more global scale, but intimacy isn't sacrificed, with the feature making time to capture characters and their drive to survive.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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