A Tree of Palme

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.

I simply cannot understand how so many people can dislike "A Tree of Palme". Allow me to explain.

For one, people complain that the pacing is too slow. Get over it. Some films happen to have slow pacing, and the pacing in "A Tree of Palme" served the plot excellently and with good taste. I can't imagine "A Tree of Palme" being any better with faster pacing; the pacing allowed it to have a "slice of life" feel, while at the same time immersing you in an alien world and a worthy, action-packed adventure.

Furthermore, I hardly think the plot is convoluted as so many suggest. I had no trouble following any aspect of the story. I'll admit that there are many anime films out there with plots that run circles around my head, but this wasn't one of them. It all made perfect sense to me -- symbolism and all. Perhaps I'm either insane or smarter than most. I don't know. All I know was that I truly enjoyed the plot and had no issues with it.

I also very much liked all the characters. That's a rare pleasure I get from movies these days, especially given my extremely jaded nature. With a combination of good writing, great cinematography, and great music, I was able to feel everything the characters felt; when they were happy, so was I; when they were sad, so too did sadness well up from within me. Only the best films can achieve such a goal (should it even *be* a goal, given most of today's trash films).

And then there is the pure artistry in virtually every shot of the film. My god, "A Tree of Palme" is beautiful -- an artistic triumph in every sense. Immersion is practically guaranteed. And the CG? Perfectly integrated. Absolutely perfect. I never felt as if I was looking at CG -- the gorgeous cinematography and haunting music saw to that. It also helped that the modern, intricate CG was sparingly used, unlike so many of today's films. The CG was as CG *should* be.

In the end, "A Tree of Palme" is an amazing film and simply doesn't deserve the terrible wrap so many people levy upon it. It reminds me so much of the early days of film, when special effects weren't everything and pacing was much slower. If you're a fan of film, you owe it to yourself to see "A Tree of Palme".

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.

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.