WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022
ARTS AND LIFE • 12
FILM REVIEW As someone who is not a fan of the Jujutsu Kaisen, I did not think that I would enjoy this film. However, as someone who is an anime fan in general, I knew I had to see it anyway. Walking out of the theater afterwards, I was surprised to find that I had really enjoyed myself. Animated by MAPPA (the studio responsible for animating the final season of Attack on Titan), Jujutsu Kaisen 0 looks gorgeous.
Animated by MAPPA (the studio responsible for animating the final season of Attack on Titan) Jujutsu Kaisen 0 looks gorgeous.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Thoughts on Jujutsu Kaisen 0 BRONTË BEHLING MANAGING EDITOR
On March 19, I had the opportunity to see the prequel to the extremely popular series Jujutsu Kaisen. Titled Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the film takes place a year before the series itself and is directed by SeongHu Park and produced by TOHO
Animation. The story follows Yuuta Okkotsu, a cursed high school student who has a ‘tie’ to Rika - his childhood friend and sweetheart who turned into a powerful spirit after her untimely death. Teaming up with Satoru Gojou and the students at Jujutsu High School, Yuuta must learn how to control Rika and defend the world
against those in the Jujutsu world who wish to harm all of humankind. It must be noted that Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is very violent and features quite a bit of stomach-churning gore and frightening images. While it is rated PG-13, it is FAR from Disney fare and is not appropriate for children. In my opinion, it suits those 14 and up best.
The fluidity of the animation is masterful and this is a film that has to be seen in theaters in order to get the full effect and experience the animation as it should be seen. It is very clear that a lot of time and effort was taken to make the film a visual masterpiece - and they succeeded. One of my criticisms of Jujutsu Kaisen was that the plot felt extremely convoluted and the abilities of the characters were muddled and not explained well enough. None of these issues are present in Jujutsu Kaisen 0. If you have not seen the anime or read the manga, you would still be able to see this film and understand what is going on. It also works as an introduction
to the series itself - if you wished to watch the anime afterwards, you would be well equipped to understand the goings on and who the major players in the series are.
One of my criticisms of Jujutsu Kaisen was that the plot felt extremely convoluted and the abilities of the characters were muddled ...
The strength of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 in comparison to Jujutsu Kaisen is that, as a film, it is forced to tell a cohesive and structured narrative. It has to have a clear beginning, middle and end - something that the anime does not have. To me, this is one of the reasons that I enjoyed Jujutsu Kaisen 0 more than the series. While Jujutsu Kaisen jumps around wildly with time skips, plot divergences and irrelevant scenes of dialogue Jujutsu Kaisen 0 stays on track and every scene works to paint a picture of the world the characters live in. Characters like Satoru Gojou who play a major role in the anime are at their best in this film, moving the plot along in comparison to the anime where they often disappear for episodes or do very little. If you are an anime fan or curious at all about Jujutsu Kaisen, you must see Jujutsu Kaisen 0. Even though I am not a fan of the anime overall, I liked it enough that I am considering going to see it gain before it leaves the cinema a major compliment.
ENTERTAINMENT
MUBI is a worthwhile alternative streaming service AMICHAI ABRAHAM ARTS EDITOR
Despite their ubiquity and their ability to destroy the movie theatre industry, most would agree that streaming services are pretty amazing. You already know about the big names; Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime (to name a few). However, for some who are more serious cinephiles, some of these services leave a lot to be desired in terms of content. While these services are rarely lacking in recognizable titles, finding suitable foreign or independent films is often challenging. I say this, hoping that the authorities don’t read the arts and life section. As I am unable to find many of these outsider films, I sporadically resort to piracy. In this day and age, illegally streaming movies is far from an arrestable offence. Still, I doubt that I’m the only one who feels shame when pirating with the knowledge that the creators aren’t receiving any money for the entertainment they have provided me with.
It’s for reasons like this that I decided to try out a streaming service called MUBI. MUBI is a streaming service oriented to people who are interested in lesser-seen films. Every day films are being added and removed to continue to have a fresh catalogue of films that would otherwise be hard to track down. Additionally, they bring your attention to films that would have otherwise gone under your radar. It has rating and review features so people can compare their thoughts on the films at hand. While I think the display and organization of the website could use some work, it was easy to navigate once I got the hang of it. To give an impression of the quality of films featured on the service as well as their diversity, I randomly selected four of the films on the service and gave them a watch. The service is always full of recently released films in addition to older pictures. The four I selected were all released in either 2020 or 2021. The first film I watched was a Japanese film called Wife of a Spy
(2020). Taking place in WWII-era Japan, the film is a typical spy espionage story. Of the four films, this was the one I was least impressed with as I found the on-screen somewhat drab and the story to be predictable. Still, there was good cinematography throughout and the acting was well done. Next, I watched MAAT (2020). While technically an American film, it would be more accurate to call it an Indigenous-American film. The film is very experimental in its presentation, giving the impression that it was an intensely personal project for director Fox Maxy. I suppose it would be considered a short film documentary as we experience disconnected bits and pieces of reality for this director. The film is about the rights of Indigenous groups and this discussion is explored through the use of prominent Indigenous activists giving speeches/being interviewed and by watching the camera operator show how the treatment
of Indigenous peoples affects their life.
MUBI is a streaming service oriented to people who are interested in lesser-seen films.
The method of messaging and visual style is all very innovative it’s just a shame that this is the only film of Maxy’s that I’ve been able to watch. Afterwards, I watched a French film called Honey Cigar (2020). This film is a bit of a genre blend; part romance, part coming of age, part drama, tied together in a feminist bow. The characters in this film I found to be very interesting as well
as the lighting. As someone who typically isn’t a fan of romantic films, this one broke the mould in a really enjoyable way. The last film I watched was a Brazilian film called Madalena (2021), and it is the best film I’ve watched on MUBI so far. It’s an anthology all centred around the murder of a trans woman, showing the reaction of the different parties involved. More than that, the film is a guide to contemporary Brazilian life and society. The shot composition and camera work in this film was beautiful and the chemistry between the characters felt real. Perhaps realism is the defining characteristic of this film as even when the film introduced unrealistic concepts, it did it in a subtle way that didn’t feel out of place. This is a film that made the subscription feel worth it to me. If these types of films sound like the kind you’d be interested in, then maybe MUBI is the streaming service for you. In my personal opinion, the service is worth every dime.
