A Tree of Palme

This is one of the best looking anime features I've run across. The animation is glorious, the design and the world created are rich in images and wonders to see. The trouble is that the movie is a snail paced retelling of Pinocchio that even at two hours and sixteen minutes doesn't tell the whole story, there are gaps between sequences that leave you puzzling how we got from A to B. The film is suppose to be a very personal project by the director who worked on it for ten years, but there is such a thing as being too close to a project and in this case he was much too close. I can see how the lack of complete explanation might appeal to some people but for me it was more bewildering than intriguing, the film didn't make a lot of sense and took forever not making it. (Visuals are a ten out of ten, the rest is up to you, I give it a five over all simply because the visuals are so fantastic it makes watching it interesting at least for a majority of it)

I recently bought 'A Tree of Palme' as I was interested in the idea that it was an adaptation of the Pinocchio story. It was amazing to watch with beautiful animation and music. I enjoyed it because even though Palme (a mechanical puppet) does not achieve his ultimate goal in the film it still leaves you with a sense of fulfilment.

I must say after reading many peoples reviews of it and continuously comparing it with the works of myazaki and 'Akira' it highlighted to me that point that it is a difficult film to grasp. I think its a shame that people aren't open to new ideas and interpretations and are forever putting something that is genuinely brilliant down just because its not revolutionary or a big box office grosser.

It is a film that opens your eyes to that world but only if you care to look.

Monsters, magic, technology, and a resentful spirit of an unloved woman. A pilgrimage to deliver a mcguffin to its destination, and the promise of something good.. or terribly bad.

The film is a Pinocchio story that is hard to follow, while being visually quite interesting.. sadly the script is too messy for me to enjoy. It's not a "I don't get it" kind of story because it is deep and complexly written.. but because it wants to deliver high concept ideas and tries to do too many things at the same time.

The pacing is awful, the developments not very interesting, it constantly tries to be mature and scary, and it doesn't say much. Ultimately, the execution isn't capable of satisfying.. but some elements and the setup are intriguing enough to at least give it a try.

The animation was good, the imagery was good, although not totally original, however, the story was too long, way too confusing, and over the top dramatic. After about an hour I couldn't wait to get it over with. With so many characters that have nothing to contribute and plot elements that either come from nowhere or go nowhere this movie really wasn't one movie at all and would have been better of as a short series or possibly two movies. If you like this kind of typical story maybe you will like it, but frankly, I've been spoiled by much more creative stories that actually have some sort message to tell. Go rent a Miyazaki film and watch it twice, you'll get way more out of it.

A Tree of Palme is a beautifully unique film that blends fantasy with a coming-of-age story. The story follows a young boy named Palme who lives in a surreal, dreamlike world. After losing his family, he embarks on a journey to discover the mystical Tree of Palme, a legendary tree that is said to hold the power to grant wishes. The animation style is quite distinctive, with a handcrafted feel that sets it apart from more mainstream titles. It gives off a whimsical vibe, reminiscent of classic fairy tales, which makes it visually enchanting. The film's emotional depth is surprising too. It is one of those overlooked old anime films which have that special unique charm to them.