FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Lachlan Coulson
This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.
Candida
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
Tim Gowan
Came for the title, stayed for the epic journey.The mixed reviews over the film and length are disappointing, this is fantastic. Voice acting, animation, pace, characters, and plot are all well-orchestrated.Merging story-lines in the beginning is fun, the student-teacher is very believable, and the childhood errors and interactions hit the mark as well. Strong tones of equal empowerment of genders and admirable work-ethic, however there's a few old fashion characters. This is a journey of finding yourself.I don't want to give away any spoilers but...Easily the most underrated animated movie I've seen in a long time.
Robert Thompson (justbob1982)
Version I saw: (subtitled) UK DVD release (projected) Actors: 6/10 Plot/script: 6/10 Photography/visual style: 7/10 Music/score: 6/10 Overall: 7/10 Welcome to the Space Show is a Japanese anime movie. Although (despite what some ignorant people will tell you) there are many such works which are targeted at an adult audience, with deep characterization, complex themes and the like, WttSS is most definitely a kids' film. It evokes Japanese classics like My Neighbour Totoro and Galaxy Express 999, as well as American fare such as ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Wars and The Goonies. You may note that these are all from the 70s and 80s, and indeed, it does seem to represent a bygone era of innocence, when cinematic kids were not wise-cracking and genre savvy. All this was presented with a bold, colourful visual style that comes from the most modern computer graphics. I found this really rather charming.Unfortunately, the film has problems with pacing. It moves very slowly for large chunks, which might be okay, but there are also confusing rushes of plot and exposition, as well as frenetic action scenes that seem a bit out of place. The whole finale is a big action scene that goes on FAR too long, reminding me painfully of Katsuhiro Otomo's disappointing steampunk anime film Steamboy.I have my doubts that kids would have much patience for this, and may end up bored and restless despite the colour, life and good characters with whom they can identify. For my part, I found it good, but it could have been so much better.
blackmamba99971
For the most part, I really like films like this because the self discovery issues. Five young kids go to camp at a school house in order to get away from adults for a week. But instead of doing the same old stuff kids do, they discover a hurt what looks like a dog. However he is an alien sent on a mission to protect a plant which has not been alive for over five billion years.In the mix are three bounty hunters who must get their hands on the plant at all costs to bring back to their employer. Since the kids find out the dog they saved is an alien, they all get a wish to explore the farthest reaches away from adults as possible. So - they go to the moon where on the dark side is a grand city embedded within the surface. This leads a series of events for which all six venture across galaxies to hunt down the dreaded poachers.In the chase, one of the kids are kidnapped, and it is up to the other four kids to save her. Pochi, the alien dog uses all of his resources in order to find what is known as The Space Show. A stage event for all aliens to see where Ami the youngest of the five is being held captive. During this event, Pochi learns of who was the architect behind the stage show and why. Now all must try and save Ami in order for the kids to get back to earth in time to meet their parents at the week's end.All in all, it was a grandiose scale of a movie. With fantastic CGI sets of such calibre, that watching was a treat in itself for strange lands, strange cities, and strange aliens. I especially loved the fact that each child had issues to work along the way, like knowing what's right, and what's wrong. To make decisions that could get them into trouble later on, but deciding that doing the right thing was far a better cost than to leave someone behind. They got to do an honest days work among aliens, instead of sluffing off for a week. They learnt to get along in better ways strengthening their friendships. Plus they learnt how to endure hardships, and obstacles, which they fended off with early naive skills. Kids do bounce back in many ways, and that is to say this movie held a lot of hope to those who do not have it. To some others who just watched it for detail, it is sad to see such narrow views about story lines. I thought this one had every element of the human condition.This wasn't about SPFX, it was about what is right, and wrong. What is good, and bad. Kids have a sense of being that no other can understand, and it is too childish to say it had no maturity. Yes it is a movie for kids, about kids. Nothing more. Yes the SPFX were fantastic, but what was important through the grand scale environment, was the kids had to save a friend. Dealing with problems at home, in school, with time off, or finding a rabbit.My view is the movie held all aspects of being human in an inhumane world. I give it ten of ten stars. Extremely recommended to those aged 9 and above. For the little ones who believes in heroes, not computers.
druss44121-1
This film has some of the most incredible vistas and production design I've ever seen in any film, animated or live action. Unfortunately, the plot has all the problems people have said, and the overall tone is very much that of a kids movie.What I would give to see a live action version of this universe, or even a Pixar remake (this is sort of like Monsters Inc. with aliens instead of monsters). When they first arrive on the "dark side" of the moon, the amount of detail is astounding. From architecture and buildings to vehicles and clothes and aliens... it's like a dream brought to life, and it's an overload in all the best ways.Every shot offers something new. If this had a better story - better thought out and a bit more maturity, like a Pixar film or a Miyazaki film - this really could have been a classic for the ages. Along with Tekkonkinkreet, I put this as the best anime I've seen as far as world-building and showing me places I wish I could walk around.
