[rec] Princess Arete

[cream_and_custard]

Watch on YouTube

This movie is fantastic. I watched it for the first time last night. It's a slow, atmospheric movie with love for the ordinary task of life and the people that do them.

This movie will be taken off youtube at the beginning of December I believe!

So go! Watch it now before you're forced to watch the shit uploads with a giant watermark!!!


I love the main character Arete. She's a short, curly haired princess, with an interest and respect for all people. She longs to live a meaningful life with others, and craft things with her hands. Throughout the movie, we get to see her use her smart thinking. She is an extremely respectable character that I would love to sit down with and discuss the world, or have her teach me any of the crafts I know she must have learned after the movie. I love her, and see myself in her partly.

I loved all aspects of the art. The character designs are fun and cute. I love the adult man we see at the very beginning, he really looks like a teacher I've had lol.

While watching, I really felt like I was there in some scenes and felt how these characters felt it. The backgrounds, directing, and sound all added to it. Painted villages felt real, the lighting felt how it really might have in a time of only candles or somewhere lacking in trees, completely bathed in the sun. Just such good color work. Hearing a character yell and having it echo in the way it would in a big old building like that. The camera pulling back on a puff of smoke and I felt, "Wow, I really feel the amazement they would have felt at seeing this!" The music also does not feel over bearing, lots of scenes having no music at all, really just letting you hear the noises the characters do.

I can't describe how, but the magic also feels real to me. The lighting scene especially.

One part I really love is Arete moving through the castle after her escape. I loved the tension at play. It could have been more dramatic and I'm glad it wasn't. Just sticking around is fearful enough. Being such a big castle, you really get the feeling that it's unlikely he would find her, but you know he still could. All you want is for her to leave! But she wants to help others even if it puts her at risk.

Also one last thing, I love how gold objects change color as they move!!! Amazing detail <3

I love Arete and I love her freedom in the end. I really felt for her in her imprisonment both physical and mental so it was very satisfying. I really love this movie and hope that everyone watches it!


The trailer, for those it may interest.

Watch on YouTube