Niko - lentäjän poika

Niko - flygarens son / Niko & The Way to the Stars. FI/DK/DE/IE (c) 2008 Anima Vitae [and four other companies]. P: Petteri Pasanen, Hannu Tuomainen. D: Michael Hegner, Kari Juusonen. SC: Hannu Tuomainen, Marteinn Thorisson. M: Stephen McKeon. Songs sung in the Finnish-language version by Vuokko Hovatta. ED: Per Risager. AN: Luca Bruno, Goro Fujita. Voice talent in the Finnish-language version: Olli Jantunen (Niko), Hannu-Pekka Björkman (Julius), Vuokka Hovatta (Wilma), Vesa Vierikko (Black Wolf), Risto Kaskilahti (Rimppa), Jussi Lampi (Räyskä), Minttu Mustakallio (Essie), Juha Veijonen (Raavas), Puntti Valtonen (Hirvas), Elina Knihtilä (Oona, Niko's mother), Tommi Korpela (leader of the reindeer pack). 83 min. - A digital animation released in Finland in Finnish, Swedish and English language editions by Nordisk Film. - Digital projection viewed at Tennispalatsi 2, Helsinki, 17 Oct 2008. - High standard digital projection. Colour scale a bit simplified. - I liked the brisk, boyish touch of this fairy-tale. There is also a mocking dimension to this tale about the dream of flying. The wolf pack scares the self-assured team of flying reindeer so that they lose their powers momentarily. - The chorus singing is funny.

WALL*E

WALL-E / WALL-E. US (c) 2008 Disney / Pixar. EX: John Lasseter. D: Andrew Stanton. SC: Stanton, Jim Reardon - based on a story by Stanton, Pete Docter. M: Thomas Newman. "La Vie en rose" perf. Louis Armstrong. Supervising AN: Alan Barillaro, Steven Clay Hunter. Directing AN: Angus MacLane. Original format: Digital - distributed as D-Cinema and 35mm film prints in 1:2,35. Voice talent: Ben Burtt (WALL-E / M-O), Elissa Knight (EVE), Jeff Garlin (Captain), Fred Willard (Shelby Fortright - BnL CEO), MacIn Talk (AUTO), John Ratzenberger (John), Kathy Najimy (Mary), Sigourney Weaver (Ship's Computer). 98 min. Released in Finland by Buena Vista International Finland. Original English version with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Marko Hartama / Janne Staffans viewed in 35mm at Tennispalatsi 5, Helsinki, 6 September 2008. - A masterpiece. - Digital animation at its best, a satire of the mechanical world and pollution. A vision of the brave new world in the Huxley tradition. The earth has become unfit to live. Mankind has escaped on a mothership to outer space, and in 700 years everybody has become a paunchy couch potato, practically invalid, subsisting on fast food and the ubiquitous entertainment monitor. - The main relationship is between two robots, vaguely similar with Lady and the Tramp. - Fine scenes: the space dance, the revolt of the computers. - The scifi tributes are not overdone, end credit art is a beautiful exercise in pastiche. - Thomas Newman's whimsical music has affinities with Henry Mancini (Hatari!). - The computer definition of "Earth" includes a glimpse of D.W. Griffith's A Corner in Wheat.