Best movie of this year hands down!

Fresh and Exciting

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

I would always see this film on the shelf of the ANIME section of my local BLOCKBUSTER store. When they had their OUT OF BUSINESS sale, I figured buying it at a discount couldn't hurt. It would be a month and a half until I would finally sit and watch it. Please bear with me, this is my first written review. The story follows a young fighter pilot named Yukito who has just transferred to a new base. He is puzzled by feelings of Deja vú and by the fact that nobody will answer him about the pilot he is replacing. One thing viewers should keep I mind is that this isn't the action packs spectacle the cover makes it appear to be. Don't get me wrong, there are some stunning dogfights in this movie, but they are few and far in between. Most of the movie's time is spent following Yukito as he tries to unravel the mystery of his predecessor, of his superior, Kusenagi, and his own past. And honestly, I found it thoroughly engrossing. Almost as much as the battles which got a tad bit confusing because all the planes look similar. The movie goes for a more philosophical approach on the topic of war and peace, poses questions about the choices we make as humans. The movie however did get a tad cliché near the end, and I would be lying if I said that I didn't see a lot of the plot twists coming a mile away. But it still holds interest, builds up suspense, creates a certain atmosphere, and brings new ideas that will have you mulling over for a couple hours after viewing. Just know that this movie takes a slower pace and isn't as much about the fighting as it is the who and why.

If your one of those people who had rather think than speak, then this movie will probably be memorable and an instant top favorite within your archive of loved anime. This is a drama, it's plot is one that forces the audience to place themselves in the fantasy to better understand it. It's not just a bunch of pretty pictures but has in itself a meaning; perhaps it's meaning is meaningless in the real world, it is, however, a movie that has a story to tell. In the end that's what it's all about is the story. Remember it or forget it, it's not your choice it all depends on whether it's a story worth telling... if it is, it's most likely worth remembering. This is one of those. --->I think it is anyway<--- :)

I know not everybody appreciates the parsimonious style and deep subjects which have the films directed by Mamoru Oshii,but I am delighted by the existence of a filmmaker who always offers us scenes of an amazing visual beauty and exciting action,but which are always endorsed by fascinating ideas.I think there is not any other contemporary director who combines the tools from modern cinema with philosophical monologues,metaphysical fantasies and analysis of subjects like,for example,the conscience or the soul.In summary,Oshii is not afraid of making unaccessible films for the casual spectator.With every new movie,Oshii seems to be more far away from the "normal" narrative,because from the humor and action from the saga Patlabor,he went to showing spiritual reflections in Ghost in the Shell; then,he criticized the ontological reality in Avalon; after that,he analysed the reality of the existence in Ghost in the Shell : Innocence; and now,he makes a study of the function and limits of memory in the construction of human identity in The Sky Crawlers,which may be his least obtained film to the moment,but it is still very interesting.The plot summary from this film may make it seem as it is focused on the causes and consequences of the war conflict it portrays.But reality is not like that.In spite of showing us some excellent scenes of air combat,the authentic melodrama from this movie is on the earth,pushed by laconic conversations and monologues which slowly and precisely show us an ambiguous image of the function of war,the fighters' identities and the curious condition which avoids them of growing older.But,as in Oshii's previous films,there are not easy answers or simple solutions to the questions raised by the characters,so the movie leaves the spectator the homework of taking out conclusions.I think that's the best element from this movie.As I said before,the sequences of air combat are excellent,because they certainly produce impact.The ending is ambiguous but it is satisfactory,because it closes the movie on a solid way.However,there are some fails on this movie.On a few moments,it gets a little bit tiring and there are other moments which feel pretentious.There are a few other fails,but they are minor.I liked The Sky Crawlers pretty much,but I do not know if I can recommend it to everyone.I found it very interesting but I am sure other people may find it boring.I do not think it is a great movie,but I appreciated its narrative and emotional complexity very much.

The Sky Crawlers: (Sukai Kurora):7 out of 10: This is an adult anime...In fact this is a very adult anime. No there isn’t copious amounts of fan service or blood. (In fact the film is rated PG-13 primarily for smoking.) Instead Sky Crawlers has a very quiet, reserved pacing. It’s a two hour anime that feels like it clocks in at over three hours. Not boring per se but very deliberately paced with adult conversations, adult music and an overall adult tone that reminds one of Before Sunrise with occasional airborne dogfight to break up the relationship introspection.The plot is both light (I will reveal that here) and quite heavy (I will let the movie itself surprise you with its philosophical underpinnings). On the light side is there is a special group of teenagers who are pilots that never grow old. The movie refers to them as Kildren and much is made of how they are just kids; but if you drive, fly, have sex, drink, and smoke a pack every 10 minutes of screen time your are at best a teen and in reality a young adult.These Kildren fight in retro WW2 style aircraft against each other in an air war with no winners and no other casualties all to apparently satiate the public’s need for conflict. (Think Star Trek’s “A Taste of Armageddon”). There is a new pilot, a wingman and a couple of androgynous love interests with deep secret pasts. There is even a Red Baron character rumored to be an adult and a constant source of tension and conversation in both the dogfights and on the ground.The Animation is simply awe inspiring. The CGI work is better than many a Hollywood blockbuster and the 2 dimensional cell shaded characters fit both the pacing and the mood of the film. The attention to detail is quite amazing overall.Overall the film is recommended for fans of adult drama and serious anime. I do confess I did wish for longer sky battles, more realistic violence and even some fan service. It is ironic that one of the most adult anime I have ever seen suffers from a lack of adult thrills with its PG-13 rating.