This article discusses the issue of race in movies. Specifically, it analyzes how white and black characters are portrayed differently in the movie, Be Cool, written by Peter Stienfield and directed by F. Gary Gray. Be Cool is a comedy sequel of the movie Get Shorty. The movie stars four white actors: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Danny DeVito, Vince Vaughn, and three black, or non-white actors: The Rock, Christina Milian, and Cedric the Entertainer.

Chili Palmer (John Travolta), with his ever so poised attitude and strong build, is the star of this movie. Chili decides to leave the movie industry to pursue the music business. In the first ten minutes of the movie, Chili's friend is killed by the Russian Mafia. Chili heads to his friend's wife, Edie Athens (Uma Thurman), to offer his services in assisting her run the record label. Throughout the movie, Chili and Edie eventually become romantically involved. The romance has to wait however. Their time is occupied by the young pop star that will be the savior of the record label, Linda Moon (Christina Milian), dealing with her pretentious manager, the manager's gay, aspiring actor bodyguard, Russian mobsters and an Ivy League gangster music producer and his entourage.

“Hollywood has arguably done more to integrate Blacks into productions than any other mass medium. Yet exclusion of minority actors from certain roles and actions persists”. This movie is a confirmation of this fact.

This movie depicts three of the four white characters as poised and in control of their immediate situations. For example, Chili Palmer is the essence of a well rounded man. He speaks confidently, is not afraid of the opposition, and in the end, he gets the girl. Chili is in control of every situation he encounters. As Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki argue, “Black-white conversations almost all involve hierarchical relationships with the white in charge of critical decisions and the direction of the plot”. This movie is a true depiction of this fact in most every scene.

Edie Athens loses her husband in the first ten minutes of the movie and with Chili's help, immediately regains her footing in the music industry without shedding a tear. She is depicted as a stereotypical all-American white woman. She is blond, sexy, warm, and non-confrontational, and a lovable woman. Edie and Chili, the two leading white characters, become romantically involved.

Raji (Vince Vaughn) is a white man playing a character that, as the other characters proclaim, “Thinks he is black.” Raji's character is an obvious attempt by the writer to create humor in the movie. Raji's character, however, is a reminder of the depictions in the movie Ethnic Notions by Marlon Riggs, where white people adorned exaggerated costumes and language in order to portray black people. In Raji's effort to be black, he speaks in slang, barely completing a coherent sentence without using profanity. His attire consists of suits, hats, and he dresses, as Chili Palmer says, “Like a Pimp.” He has no respect for women, particularly his client, Linda Moon, and is out to get what he wants by any means necessary.

All of the black characters in this movie are in supporting roles. Sinclair "Sin" Russell (Cedric the Entertainer) is a black rapper with an entourage of gangsters. The fact that Sin has an Ivy League education is certainly not the stereotypical black man; however, his positive traits seem to be overshadowed by the fact that he is a gang banger. Several scenes almost make a mockery of the fact that he is an intelligent black man.

In one scene the Russian Mafia uses racial epithets towards Sin. The head member of the Russian says, “Be Cool, N****r!” to Sin. As Joe R. Feagin noted in The Continuing Significance of Race: Anti-Black Discrimination in Public Places, “The most common black responses to racial hostility . . . are withdrawal or a verbal reply” . Sin chose the verbal reply,

”How is it that you can disrespect a man's ethnicity when you know we (black people) have influenced nearly every facet of white America; from our music, to our style of dress, not to mention, your basic imitation of our sense of cool . . .walk, talk, dress, mannerisms. We enrich your very existence, all the while contributing to the gross national product through our achievements in corporate America. It's these conceits that comfort me when I'm faced with the ignorant cowardly, bitter and bigoted who have no talent, no guts; people like you who desecrate things you don't understand, when the truth is you should say, thank you man and go on about your way . . . “.

During this verbal retort, the camera zooms in on Sin's face, possibly an effort to get the audience to absorb the words. Although a valiant effort on the part of the producers to get this message across, “Creating a color-blind society on a foundation saturated with racism requires something more than simply proclaiming that the age of brotherhood has arrived”. After shooting the Russian, Sin comments, “Racial Epithets, why does it always have to come down to that? Makes me sad for my daughter.”

Dabu, Sin's right-hand man, is another attempt by the writer to add humor to the movie. Dabu has a strong desire to kill someone; however, when he holds a gun, often times it discharges without any intent of his own. He tends to display cross-cultural attributes, from drinking tea with a pinky finger in the air to wearing a bullet proof vest with his pants barely above his thighs. In one scene Sin and his group of friends are outside of a club talking to Chili Palmer after going to get Mongolian Barbecue. Dabu is so smitten by the character, Linda Moon (Cristina Milian), that he is completely focused on her while eating his food and begins slurping as if in a sexual manner. In that scene, Dabu displays the stereotypical sex-crazed black man.

In addition to Dabu, Sin's entourage is a group of black men portraying the stereotypical gun-toting gang bangers who threaten people in order to get what they want. Their wardrobe consists of bandanas, pants worn well below the waist in order to show their boxers, plenty of jewelry on their necks and wrists, and their mouths full of slang.

In the beginning of the movie Linda Moon is an aspiring singer who has grown to hate the music business because of her experiences with her current manager, Raji. Linda Moon comes across not as a black or a white character, but more of a neutral role. Although a minority, she plays a role that may have been portrayed by a white female as well, without much change to the dialogue, wardrobe or scenes.

The Rock is a gay bodyguard who is searching for his big break in the movie industry. His appearance alone tends to be threatening until he shows his only significant feature, the raised eyebrow. Although “The Rock” and “Gay” in one sentence alone seem to be an oxymoron, he portrays the stereotypical black gay man with ease.

White and black characters are treated similar in respect to the names they are given. Chili, Sin, Raji, Dabu, are all slang names and all of which you would associate with black characters.

Some of the roles and situations in this movie, when seen by the typical white American, are likely to reinforce anti-Black stereotypes. The black characters, outside of the black police officer, are essentially framed as lazy, careless and cold gang bangers. This is the common view of all black men that the media portrays to the typical white American.

In one scene, Sin's entourage drives up to his house in three black hummers with expensive rims, with the music playing extremely loud. Annoyed, Sin dismisses this behavior by saying, “. . .must you live up to the stereotypes?” Sin's white neighbor shakes her head and hurries into her house shortly after the cars arrive. Inside of one of the cars is a kidnapped program director who the audience assumes is in charge of the music that is played on radio stations. Sin proceeds to threaten the man into playing his records. As this occurs, Sin's daughter walks out on the porch. While the men, under the order of Sin, greets Sin's daughter, the camera moves to the back of the men to show low waisted pants, boxers showing, all have weapons stuck in the back of their pants.

Entman and Rojecki argued that “White racial thinking now spans a spectrum that runs from racial comity and understanding to ambivalence, then to animosity, and finally to outright racism”. “The bulk of whites exhibit ambivalence that may be tipped toward comity or hostility depending on the interaction of political climate, personal experience, and mediated communications”. “At one end of the spectrum are white people who believe it is not possible to generalize about African American individuals any more than about whites. At the other end of the spectrum are full blown racists who believe blacks and whites are fundamentally different”.

How would seeing the movie, Be Cool, likely affect the sentiments and schemas of a typical, racially ambivalent White American? The characters and scenes in this movie are heavily stereotypical of black people. This movie may bring a since of confirmation of what a typical white American might think about black people, based on what they have seen in the media. For many white Americans, the media is the only way many white Americans see black people so their schemas are influenced by these images. According to Travis L. Dixon, Cristina L. Azocar, and Michael Casas, “African Americans are typically relegated to a depiction as perpetrators while being underrepresented as officers and victims on local television news”.

One may argue that the character Raji is a negative depiction of a white man and may influence whites to believe that it isn't just blacks. However, “Whites already know that members of their group come in all moral and intellectual shapes and sizes.”. So a character like Raji is not likely to have a real affect on their current thinking about their own group.

Given that the stereotypical black man is heavily portrayed in the movie, Be Cool, a typical white American seeing this movie could either remain as ambivalent or be moved from ambivalence to animosity. “Racial animosity occupies an important step short of racism. Although those exhibiting animosity often get labeled as racist, they do not see their stereotyped anti-black generalizations as adding up to a natural racial order that places whites on top and legitimizes discrimination“.

Although the movie industry has made great strides in reaching comity between white and black roles, the efforts are still lacking. Society still tends to instinctively provide white actors with highly coveted roles and black actors in highly stereotypical or supporting roles.

1. Caligula (1980)

   Back in college I once did a term paper on Caligula. My friend suggested to me I watch this film, jokingly telling me that it was a wonderful historical piece. Needless to say, I now think that he is a jerk for having ever told me about this big heaping pile of human excrement. Not even in my worst nightmares could I even imagine some of the horrors depicted in this movie. I cried for my mommy, literally. The film all together didn't jive, and it seemed discombobulated. It made me think about what kind of perv would make such a film, and question my friend's normality. I can't even begin to describe the repulsiveness of this movie without wanting to vomit. While I've probably stirred your curiosity into seeing this film, trust me, it's horrible and filthy to the core. It will make your soul rot.

2. Showgirls (1999)

   Thank you Elizabeth Berkley. Because of you, I can no longer watch re-runs of Saved By the Bell without thinking of you sliding down a pole. Ugh, this movie was so bad, I actually walked out of the theater. And stupid me watched it with some friends on DVD. This time around, I was inebriated enough to sit still long enough to ponder why I was watching it again. Movies about strippers who make it big should never be made. They're not artistic. They're just movies about naked chicks shaking what their momma gave them. Elizabeth Berkley was bad as an actress, and the amount of make-up on her face made her look like a clown. I wanted to gouge my eyes out after watching this film.

3. Alexander (2005)

   All I ask is why? Why was this movie made? This movie reeked of feces. God only knows how much it cost to produce it, but it should have never been made. How can Oliver Stone expect me to believe that Angelina Jolie is Colin Farrell's mother, and she never ages through the movie with the exception of a splash of grey to her hair. And Colin Farrell is supposed to be the warrior Macedonian king of Greece, yet he speaks with an Irish dialect. Wah? Did I miss something? This movie was not only a waste of time, but also a waste of human brain cells.

4. Cutting Class (1989)

   When I was younger, I had a thing for Brad Pitt, so I'd pretty much watch any of his films, like Cool World. But this movie is definitely at the bottom of his acting repertoire. This movie was full of bad acting and it was just God-awful. Another teen-slasher film of who did it, but you already know before the movie is over, so why even bother.

5. Elektra (2005)

   I like Jennifer Garner, at least in Alias. As far as movies, no. I figured this would be a good flick, and hopefully be a good adaptation from the comic book. I mean, X-Men was at least decent. And Sin City was fricking fabtaboulous. But no, this movie was too long even at 96 minutes, and it sucked. Elektra, the freelance killer is only happy when she kills. She comes back from the dead only to end up with a conscience. She protects her targets, and there are lots of fight scenes that were just a little banal for my taste. Of course, I was starting to dose by then. This movie made me want to cry for humanity. Why do filmmakers always have to butcher comic adaptations?

6. Godsend (2004)

   Okay, this was the year I first became a parent. So this stupid movie pulled me in with the idea of what I would do if I ever lost my babe. I figured with Robert De Niro and Greg Kinnear playing in the film, it'd be at least interesting. But then I remembered Rebecca Romijn was in it. So, parents lose child, doctor offers to resurrect child through cloning, and creepy crap happens. The movie is sometimes confusing, and the director actually made 7 alternate endings to this film, as if the theater one wasn't bad enough.

7. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

   I know a lot of guys love this one, my husband included, and I'll admit that Salma Hayek dancing with the snake kind of made me question my sexuality, but seriously, this movie stunk. This movie almost made me lose my faith in Tarrentino's artistic capabilities. Four Rooms and Reservoir Dogs are all time favorites of mine when it comes to his films. But this, I wanted to wipe my tush with. I mean, bank robbers on the lose, they take a family hostage, only to end up in a bar in Mexico where vampires run amok? The only amusing part was a short appearance by Cheech Marin, because who can't love this guy? Perhaps if you're really bored and have nothing better to do, then yeah go ahead and kill some brain cells. Otherwise, just say no.

Sixteen Candles(1984)

Actors: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall

One of the many genius collaborations with John Hughes and Molly Ringwald, “Sixteen Candles” shows the less glamorous side to turning sixteen. As opposed to MTV's “Sweet Sixteen,” “Sixteen Candles” is the realistic and disappointing side of being a teenager.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Actors: Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson

Who else but John Hughes could make high school detention so interesting? A group of teenagers from different social groups are stuck in school on a Saturday for detention and end up having the time of their lives. Ridiculous antics, pranks, laughs, deep conversations, and goals are discussed on a day that should be dull and frustrating.

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Actors: Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Selma Blair, Joshua Jackson, Tara Reid.

Dark and disturbing but every bit entertaining! Sometimes difficult to watch, “Cruel Intentions” is an amazing film that draws you in so that you cannot turn away. Kathryn and Sebastian are two stepsiblings with a strange attraction to each other. They make bets on who can sleep with certain classmates and challenge each other. When Sebastian falls in love with one of his “conquests,” Kathryn is angry and bitter. Anything can happen when two uber-rich stepsiblings become worst enemies.

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Actors: Jon Cryer, Molly Ringwald

Yes, another John Hughes pic. The King of teen movies strikes again with “Pretty in Pink” and, of course, Molly Ringwald stars. A poor teenage girl falls for the rich high-school hottie, but money divides them from really feeling comfortable around each other.

Drive Me Crazy (1999)

Actors: Melissa Joan Hart, Adrien Grenier, Stephen Collins,

It's cute, it's fun, and it's cheesy; but the movie named after a Britney Spears song is worth watching. The teenage witch herself, Melissa Joan Hart, stars alongside Entourage's Adrien Grenier, which makes for great chemistry. When the popular girl can't find a suitable date, she enlists her slob neighbor and gives him a makeover.

Charlie Bartlett (2007)

Actors: Robert Downey Jr., Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings

Heard of it? This overlooked movie is a must- rent! When the oddball new kid becomes an underground psychiatrist for his high school peers the truth about teens is revealed. Those at the bottom become more important than those at the top: the failing rich kid is helping everyone whereas the high school principle is a depressed alcoholic hoping to win back the love students had for him when he was a teacher.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

Actors: Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively

The story line sounds kind of lame, but the movie is actually very touching and sweet. Four friends find a “magical” pair of jeans that fit each of their body types perfectly and decide to share them and each take them on their summer adventures. From Greece to a grocery store, the jeans are a connection between the girls who all have the greatest summer of their lives.

Mean Girls (2004)

Actors: Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried

Yes, one of the few Lindsay Lohan movies that is worth watching. “Mean Girls” is witty, clever, and hilarious. When the new girl from Africa makes friends with two social outcasts, they encourage her to make friends with the “plastics” or popular girls and sabotage them. But, before she knows it the new girl is sucked into their life of beauty and parties.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Actors: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik,

Heath Ledger…need I say more? Even as a teen, Ledger picked great movies. “10 Things I Hate About You” is an teen adaptation of Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.” A dork wants to date the high school cutie, but she can only date if her older sister (a.k.a. the Shrew) dates, so the dork hunts for a man willing (and brave enough) to date her.

Juno (2007)

Actors: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman

A great teen comedy movie about a pregnant teenager? Yes! This hilarious movie is about a young girl in a weird family who gets pregnant and puts the baby up for adoption. Throw in a hamburger phone and a stepmother obsessed with dogs and you've got yourself a hit indie-flick!

The movie, starring a long list of actors including Robert Downey Jr., Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis and Kat Dennings, begins with seventeen-year-old Charlie Bartlett being expelled from yet another private school. As a last resort, his somewhat neurotic mother brings him home to live and enrolls him in public school. His public school experience is not going so well, until he discovers that his new Ritalin prescription brings with it an opportunity for popularity and entrepreneurship. He soon appoints himself the high school psychiatrist and starts prescribing medication and holding regular sessions in the boy's washroom.

Overall, the movie seems to effectively capture the chaos of the teenage life, with a few exaggerations. Most of the teenagers in the movie are, as Charlie Bartlett so eloquently puts it, "screwed up", and the parents all have issues of their own. Charlie seems to be trying to rescue the other teens in an attempt to avoid dealing with his own problems. The writer has tried to take most of the major and somewhat traumatic issues that teenagers and their parents experience during a five or six year period, and wrap them up into about an hour and a half.

Not a bad film to take in while relaxing at home on your couch. Genuine comedy combined with realistic and somewhat heart wrenching events make the movie worth investing your time into.

No real evidence substantiates the existence of Todd. Purportedly in 1784, the Annual Register reported that a barber went into a jealous rage upon hearing from one of his clients that his wife was an adulterer. The barber slit the man's throat from ear to ear.

What started the pinwheel success of Mr. Todd's existence was the publication of stories about him. By the 1870's, the very idea of his being became reality to the Victorian people. The penny dreadful stories of Todd were published by Edward Lloyd in the 1830's. He had managed to be a surprising entrepreneur, weaving such outlandish tales on the idea of Todd, that people never disputed such stories. The people ate up the idea of a razor-wielding, crazed man, enacting a gruesome recipe for disposing of his victims. So much so, that an author, Peter Haining, published a book claiming to have proved the very existence of Todd.

Haining had historians, as well as many people, believing that Todd once breathed the very breath of London smog. Todd was a poor boy, abused by his alcoholic father, and overly loved by his drunken mother. He was abandoned by his family, later becoming an apprentice to a cutler (a person who specializes in the sharpening of knives). He was then arrested for petty larceny. While in prison, it was here he would learn the craft of being a barber.

At 19, Todd was released from prison a hardened man. He became a barber and finally opened his own barbershop. Here he began his murderous spree on clients. He devised of a chair that would drop his victims into a basement below. If the fall didn't kill them, then he would finish the job with a slice to the throat. While rumors of his murders circulated, he managed to evade authorities.

Worried about the attention he was receiving, he elicited the help of a young widow by the name of Mrs. Lovett. Her name was either Margery or Sarah. They became fast lovers. She helped Todd slice the meat from the bodies and carry them underground to her shop. There she would make her famous meat pies and sell them to unsuspecting Londoners.

After some time, people began to smell the horrible stench of death emanating from the catacombs of St. Dunstan. Many began to notice that sailors were disappearing from Todd's shop. Finally the catacombs were inspected. Horrified authorities found the remains of people. When they searched Todd's shop, they found clothes, money, and pocket watches. Both Todd and Lovett were arrested. Lovett confessed to her crimes. Rather than meet the gallows, she took her own life by poison.

Supposedly Todd murdered 160 people over 17 years. He was only convicted of one murder. Francis Thornhill was on his way to deliver a string of pearls when he unfortunately made the decision to stop by Todd's shop for a shave. He was interrupted by Todd, and Todd took the pearls. Sweeney pawned the pearls, and the pawnbroker testified against him. Todd was found guilty in 10 minutes by the jury, and he died by the gallows.

So, was Todd actually real? There is not a spec of truth to his existence. He was a fabrication that became the genesis behind all good, frightful tales. In fact, Haining's book was later reputed as being completely fictitious, and not having one bit of truth. Albeit the idea of such a man existing made for great stories. And that's all Todd was, a great story who would become a legend.

But first off, some generic Anime terms that are important or useful to understand.
Anime: While in Japan, it refers to animation in general, in other countries it refers specifically to the animation style of Japan. The topics, genre, and aim of the series are highly variable. The age category of the viewers is likewise designed to range from children to young adults and hitting everywhere in between.

AMV: Anime Music Video. These are fan videos which take either one or several anime and place the animation to music. They are considered by many to be an artform to themselves. See animemusicvideo.org for more info.

Bishonen/Bishoujo: Beautiful boy/girl resp. These are specifically characters who are designed to be attractive. Bishonen characters are normally drawn with feminine frames, while bishoujo characters are normally physically attractive characters who are young in age.

Doujinshi: This is a fan based work that is normally put into a manga format. However, the actual range is anything from manga to video games.

Eroge: A game in Japan which features sexual content, usually as anime. This is found very often in the Visual Novel format, hence the association.

Fanfiction: Fiction written using characters from the intellectual property of an established plot and universe. The authors do not claim rights to the characters, but use the story as a means of expression or as a means to manipulate series as they wish it to happen.

Fansubs: These are fan based creations in which an individual or group will take an anime in an unedited Japanese recording (called a RAW) and will translate the dialogue and place subtitles with a video editor. While they are often considered a ‘gray area' of legality, websites which distribute these will cease if they receive a request from official distributers.

Harem Anime: Despite the sound, it is normally not a single character having sexual relations with numerous others. It is instead normally a single character (normally male, but not always) who is being romantically pursued by numerous members of the opposite gender. It is usually within the realm of reason (4-5) but some can get utterly ridiculous in number (see Maho Sensei Negima).

Hentai/H/Ecchi: Hentai is Japanese for Pervert. These are all different terms for sexual content which features anime style characters. They normally have different associations. Hentai is normally ‘hardcore' in nature, while H content is normally found in games. Ecchi is mostly associated with softcore, sometimes non nude, content. Also, all of these are the reason to put on safe search whenever you are using Google for anime images -_-.

Magic Girl: A character who is a normal girl, often a student, who will transform into an alternate persona in order to fight whatever happens to be the villain of the series.

Manga: Manga is a Japanese type of comic or graphic novel. They are almost all in black and white inked drawings, and a good deal of anime is based off of these (or the other way around).

Mecha: Giant piloted humanoid robots. Many anime focus upon these mecha and their pilots.

Otaku: Japanese for Nerd. The implications in America is someone who really likes anime or other Japanese media forms. It has a much more negative connotation in Japan.

Scanlations: The same process as fansubs, but with manga instead.

Seiyu: Japanese word for voice actor or actress.

Shonen/Shoujo: These refer specifically to anime which is aimed at boys and girls, respectively. They often feature an underdog type character of the respective gender who nevertheless rises to become equal to or surpassing their superior rivals.

Subs: Subtitles. A good number of anime connoisseurs will only watch anime in the original Japanese with subtitles. The reasons are varied, the most often heard reason is the superiority of the voice actors in Japan.

Visual Novel: This is a form of video game in Japan. They are very much akin to a choose your own adventure story such as those found in books in the USA. They normally feature a background picture with characters in the foreground whose expressions change as their mood does. Text is usually displayed in a box at the bottom of the screen with choices to make at intervals. They are associated normally with Eroge games (see above), but are not necessarily all erotic in nature.

Yaoi/Yuri: Homosexual relationships, male and female respectively. May or may not be sexualized.

These are basic terms, and will often crop up in forums. I find knowing the ‘naughty' terms helps for purposes of avoidance tactics (though I purposefully avoid telling some individuals ^_^).

 

This is a compilation of some of the anime that I have really enjoyed over the years. I have been watching anime now for over half my life. The first I ever saw was Tekkaman, followed by My Neighbor Totoro. While most of these are easily findable and hardly rare, they are great for those looking to get into the anime experience (or parents who have absolutely no idea what their kids are talking about).

10 Anime That You Absolutely Must See:

1. The Films of Hayao Miyazaki
   
   
   

   These are my main arguments for the concept of anime as art. My Neighbor Totoro was one of the first anime I had ever seen. The tape kicked the bucket long since, but I still fervently follow Miyazaki. He is a truly phenomenal artist. The two that I recommend above all others are Spirited Away and Totoro. Howl's Moving Castle is significant as well, and is especially fun when you realize Christian Bale is the voice actor of the main hero. As for Totoro...well, look at him! How can you not love the giant raccoon/squirrel/panda hybrid?

2. The Films of Makoto Shinkai
   
   
   

   This man is a genius. He has been hailed by many as the next Miyazaki, and I fully agree with them. His first breakthrough, Voices of a Distant Star, is a sentimental, heart tugging piece. It becomes more impressive upon the discovery that he did the entire piece on his Macintosh home computer, with only himself and his fiancée as the voice actors and his friend composing the music. I especially recommend 5 Centimeters per Second. It is a down to earth, brilliant story of love, friendship, and separation. It also has the dubious honor of being one of the few anime that I have written a fan fiction for.

3. Mobile Suit Gundam
   
   
   

   Gundam has become almost eponymous with the concept of a large human robot with large guns and a beam sword. The original work, Mobile Suit Gundam, is a decided classic of the anime world. It has since seen several sequels and spinoffs. The first set I watched was New Mobile Report: Gundam Wing, which I still feel is one of the better of the spinoff titles. The only other spinoff that I have had much fun with was Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. I, along with many fans, site this as possibly the best spin off of the series. Gundam SEED is the other anime with a dubious honor of being good enough, yet incomplete enough that I wrote a fan fiction for it. The most recent title is Gundam 00, which, aside from sounding a little too James Bond, is one of the more favorably received, with a second season currently in the works. I recommend beginning with Mobile Suit Gundam, unless you find the animation too old fashioned, in which case I cannot recommend Gundam SEED highly enough.
   

4. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
   
   
   

   This series is often one of the first recommended on internet forums, and for good reason. The anime is a good example of a series that does it right. The humor is witty, the story is compelling and quirky, and the characters are all wonderfully unique. It is not serious in any real way, though it can fool you at times. This is another anime that experimented, in this case with the Light Novel, a short novel with pictures added in for effect. This is an amazing series and I agree with people who say to watch this when hunting for a new anime.

5. Last Exile
   
   
   

   I'm not sure how popular this is on the net, but it was one of my personal favorites. The setting is unique, something that most anime don't strive for, in a steampunk world of airships and a war that has continued for too long. The characters are interesting, the plot is compelling, and the animation and the way CG and hand drawing works together in this series is well worth the purchase.

6. Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X
   
   
   

   I class these as one set because they are all really just one long series. Trust and Betrayal are the initial story, then Rurouni Kenshin, and finally Reflections. This is the series if you want sword action. But it's more than that. It is a real look at the quality of the human condition and how far one man would go to seek redemption. It is a beautifully told story, with the action complementing the story rather than being the focus.

7. Gankutsuou:The Count of Monte Cristo

   
   
   This is a series which I picked up on a whim and fell in love with. The story of the Count is retold in a space opera setting. Before you think "what the hell," pick up at watch the first episode. The series has a few hallmarks, including a unique animating style, a decently accurate retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, and despite the fact that you can likely see the plot twists coming, they will still throw most people for a loop.

8. Ghost in the Shell
   
   
   

   This is one of those anime that takes a while to get your brain around. Quite aside from being complex, it is a real revolutionary piece. One of the classical dystopian stories of control, human advancement, and the relation of humanity and technology. Note that the movie does have spattered periodic nudity as the main heroine's cloak doesn't work through clothes... Other works by Masamune Shirow are likewise quite good. Appleseed is another one that I would recommend if this movie fails to confuse you.

9. Fate/Stay Night
   
   
   

   This is a wonderful anime based off of a visual novel. The story is compelling and complex, with characters that I absolutely fell in love with. It has a great blend of humor, action, romance, and drama. It is something of a cult hit (the cult being anime lovers.). Absolutely brilliant.

10. Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
    
    

    Where do I begin? This is the sequel to the game Final Fantasy 7 for the Playstation. It is a completely original work and it took years to develop it. It has the best CG animation this side of Pixar and the characters are amazing. The fight scenes are also spectacular.

 

Honorable Mention: Full Metal Panic

It's hard for me not to love on this series. It has a lot of humor, a lot of action, cutting edge animation, and a story that strikes me as either the most brilliant or the most stereotypical I have ever seen. I highly recommend watching it, but only if you like action.

Series not yet completed That I Still Recommend:

These series have not finished yet, but I still enjoy them immensely and I think other's might as well.

Bleach: This is a fun series, with enough twists and turns to leave me dizzy. I might recommend the manga over the actual anime, as the added scenarios in the anime (fillers) can get exhausting and confusing. However, the plot itself is compelling, with the normal shonen cast of characters that bounce between funny and serious depending on the situation at hand. The characters are varied, but most are not especially deep.

D. Gray Man: This is a funny little anime I picked up in manga form first. This anime so far has been amazing. The characters are well thought out, the action is top notch, and the plot twists keep me on a roller coaster through the whole thing.

Hellsing OVA: This is complex. There is a completed Hellsing anime that finished some time ago. However, there is a new series called Hellsing Ultimate with updated graphics, more manga-accurate storyline, and featuring a bit more in terms of character development.

Anime I have not seen but come highly recommended:

• Chrono Crusade
  
• Code Geass
  
• Fullmetal Alchemist
  
• Galaxy Angel
  
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
  
• Ranma ½
  
• Robotech

Anime for Fun: This section is dedicated to anime that, while not particularly deep or motivational, I still found immensely fun.

Vandread: Two planets locked in a war, one composed entirely of men, the other entirely of women. And this is the plot launcher. While it sounds like the setting for a hentai show, hold that inner critic. Yes, the show uses crude humor a lot, but the general ignorance of the characters involved just makes it that much more hilarious. Lots of action, lots of boys being boys, and girls having fun. Again, not deep, not something I would recommend to critics, but a lot of laughs.

Mahou Sensei Negima!: Allow me to say that this is a cute anime, though it can be classified nicely as a bit immature, and at worst as downright crude at times. Ignoring the fact that there is a middle school class full of girls who are a bit too eager to remove their clothes for their ten year old teacher, the series is a lot of laughs. Thirty students with quirky and funny personalities, and Negi, the titular character following in his father's footsteps makes for one fun anime.

Lucky Star: This is a cute little anime. Very funny, but I recommend watching other series first to better understand the humor that goes into it.

Azumanga Dioh!: This is a hilarious anime following the lives of a group of girls. To say the least, they are a unique bunch, keeping the teachers out of it even. The show is really quite pointless, with very episodic scenarios. It is amazingly funny and I still point people here for when they need a good laugh.

School Rumble!: This series actually rates rather high on my list, though it is really just a barrel of laughs. It is mainly a parody of...well, most everything, actually. The issue with me saying I don't like parts of it is that they may overemphasize parts that most people don't like. Amazingly good, comedic from start to finish.
Caramelldansen: Just go to youtube, enter the title, and enjoy the frames of animation these provide.

Anime to Understand Anime:

Dragonball: This is not actually high on my list of good anime, but it's hard to argue against the overall importance that the anime has had on North American audiences especially. For a quick summary, Son Goku is an alien called a Saiyen living on earth. The series follows his various fights, adventures, and more fights. If you ever wonder why some characters have glowing yellow hair, it's very likely due to this series.

Naruto: Naruto is quickly becoming the new shonen series to follow. I followed the anime up until they decided to take a year or two off from the manga's story and create their own subset. This is the inspiration for ninja-esque anime. I still continue to read the manga, though even that has begun to gradually lose appeal.

One Piece: Oh yes...the pirate anime. I find the animation a little annoying, and the fact that the cast is extensive to the point of idiocy, not helped at all by the fact that all the characters stay alive. I find it tiring to continue watching (or reading) this particular story. Still, it has mass popularity, and if you like quirky, this is it.

Inuyasha: This one I actually rather enjoy and it's educational. Everyone wins! The series will give a lot of the stereotypes for animes that continue to crop up, in particular character archtypes.

Games to Understand Anime:

There are a select few video games that are really helpful in knowing if you will enjoy anime. Not only that, if you like anime, you'll probably like these.
Metal Gear Solid: This series has spanned every platform except the X-Box and recently released its final installment for the Playstation 3. It features one of the most in depth cast of characters of any media I have ever seen. The cutscenes are lengthy, and the story is told mostly through them. Solid Snake and his merry band have attained status among gamers that is legendary. Try it out. There are worse ways to spend your time.

The Tales Series (Tales of Symphonia, etc): These feature characters which are very anime-esque. The style, story and everything all feel like anime to me. I particularly enjoyed Tales of Symphonia, which, ironically enough, has its own anime series that is currently going on. Play these if you find yourself enjoying the anime.

JRPGs:

Japanese RPGs. Simply put, any RPG to come from Japan. I would hit up Final Fantasy at least in order to understand the hype a little better (or put it into perspective).

Manga vs. Anime:

A question I get asked a lot is do I like manga or anime more. To be honest, I often side with manga over anime, but then I'm a student of literature and like to read. Generally speaking, manga has a tendency to be the storyteller's intended story without addition or reduction. Anime, on the other hand, has a soundtrack and is easier to watch for long periods of time (both of which I consider positives). Generally speaking, manga is released before the anime, though this is becoming reversed in some cases, and may continue after the anime ends, Inuyasha being a good example.

There are also some differences in which the series completely differs based on which media one is indulging in. The best example I know of is Full Metal Alchemist, in which the manga and anime go in completely different directions.

In the end, I feel that each has its own benefits. But there is no manga form of 5 Centimeters Per Second, so I will always have a reason to see anime.

In conclusion:

Anime is without a doubt one of the single greatest influences on me as a person. Some basic lessons like never give up and respect yourself for who you are can be found in them, while also being genuinely entertaining and occasionally seeking at even deeper meanings. I hope this list can help you out.

Note: I take no credit for the pictures. I found them through Google.

Opening with Go Go dancer Marianne (Susan George) begins the movie in a bedroom having seduced a sailor the night before in a small Algarve town. Rudely awoken though by the arrival of a shady looking Portuguese man, Marianne sneaks out through an open window to escape, the reason for this escape is shrouded in secrecy. Walking down the road she encounters Sebastian (Christopher Sandford), who whisks her away back to England so she can set up a new life. On the day of her marriage to Sebastian Marianne suspects something is wrong, and falls into the arms of Eli Frome (the late Barry Evans). But as her sinister past in Portugal catches up with her, Marianne, Eli and Sebastian are all forced to go to Portugal to face the sinister Judge, and his daughter Hildegard, who just so transpire to be Marianne's father and sister.

Die Screaming, Marianne is much criticised movie that has its heart in the right place, but it's soul buried elsewhere thanks for its appalling acting skills, and Walker's then harsh direction. But with this taken into account I really enjoyed the movie, I found it a touch refreshing although at times a little predictable.

The movie despite being a British offering has something incredibly European about it, almost as a reflection of the increased interest in the European horror and thriller movies of Italy. What is good though is unlike so many of these Brit movies that look like Brits abroad, Walker direction allows for a genuinely European look. The movie is split 50/50 between time in Portugal and in England.

For fans of 70's cinema this is almost like the ultimate resource, you get a very precise view of life in England, specifically Brighton and London during the 1970's. It's fascinating to look at the way the streets look, the movies at the cinemas, posters, and newspaper stand signs. While all around are the tell tale signs of a rapidly changing society, drugs and free love both hinted at but never properly addressed.

Back onto the movie in general and despite my earlier comment about the poor acting I should add that both Susan George and Barry Evans both put their heart and soul into the movie; George shows the sort of fiestiness she returned to later in the same year with Sam Peckinpah's Cornish Western Straw Dogs, to be fair she is where she is this movie simply due to her smouldering sexuality, and this is played up more than her acting skill. While Evan's is essentially used as a tool for the movie, but his performances is straight up, this was actually the last serious movie Evans starred in. The acting comedy comes from a quartet of clowns; Leo Genn a familiar horror actor delivers an abysmally creepy performance as the Judge. Christopher Sandford a DJ from the likes of Radio Caroline is just diabolical, that's if you can get beyond the humour of his hair. Judy Huxtable here nearing the end of her acting career is just completely vacant; she cannot have the decency to even be attacked in a decent manner, as Marianne's murderously obsessed sister she actually comes across as more of a drag queen than a woman, a very bizarre casting indeed. Finally Kenneth Hendal plays the dodgy butler Rodriguez, here tanned up so that he looks Portuguese but is so obviously British.

The story goes well beyond the boundaries of typical British fare of the era; it's an incredibly sexual piece that once having broken the boundaries of sexual inhibition pushes the envelope a bit further by having a vicious stab at incest. It's hard to believe that the same country that delivered stodgy looking Hammer horror movies around the same time was capable of delivering this sort of very new terror, although personally it gave me no fears.

Despite the flaws I really enjoyed Die Screaming, Marianne; it was a really heavily layered movie with an awful lot of depth to it, it to some degree seemed like two movies jammed into one. The story is well developed, with well rounded corners all the way, although there are a few moments where you almost enter cartoon filmmaking because it seems that script writer Murray Smith literally though on his feet as the script continued. The one thing that let the movie down are those abysmal performances, and even though I did start to warm to Leo Genn his appearances on screen were suddenly cut short just as his performance improved, only allowing you to remember the negatives.

1. The Matrix (1999)

   
   
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   In1999, when Matrix got into the Movie Theaters, it became a huge phenomenon, and created a new Movie Making Voice that reaches us to the present days. I never had access to The Matrix's script, but I guess it was an writing piece. So many genius ideas in just one movie. And now you ask: how The Matrix is going to help you writing a novel?
   
   The Matrix taught a very important lesson to all the fiction creators in the world, including writers. Audacity. In writing Sci-Fi and Supernatural, audacious ideas are one of the most important elements that keep the reader turning the pages of a novel. A Sci-Fi and Supernatural writer must take his craziest ideas and turn them into acceptable ones during the writing. The whole concept of reality inside reality was so weird back then (although there was something similar in the Argentine movie Vanilla Sky) that some people took a long time to understand, and yet, Matrix became a very loved movie. The execution of the story was so good that the weirdness feeling went away. When writing a novel, take your most audacious and weird ideas and write them in the way that they doesn't feel weird anymore to the reader.

2. Terminator (1984)

   
   
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   Although the poster is from the first Governator (oops, I mean Terminator), I actually refer to it and all the sequels. In Terminator a very interesting fiction phenomenon happens: the complete disregard to logic limits. Yes… that's it. In Terminator, the explanations for Time Travel and the complete lack of concern with Time Paradox or any sense at all, make Terminator a great movie. For the writer, the lesson is: when writing a novel, don't get too worried about logic.
   
   Sci-Fi and Supernatural audience are very tolerant with the lack of logic, and every now and then, this same audience actually enjoys it, as in Terminator. Michael Critchon frequently adds a whole bunch of scientific explanation that although interesting, are frequently over-explained to the point of boredom. So, when writing Sci-Fi and Supernatural novel, don't worry too much about logic; the reader won't.

3. Interview With The Vampire (1994)

   
   
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   I know that in my last article I made some jokes about the novel “Interview with the Vampire”, but I never said it was bad. In fact, it was a great piece of writing and became the great movie responsible for the destruction of any possible friendship between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
   
   This movie teaches a very important lesson to the writer. When writing a novel, you can touch controversial social topics as long as you do it in a tasteful way. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? If you don't, think again. Do your remember the incredible homosexual vibe in the Movie? Well... homosexuality is a controversial topic to the general audience. Homophobes are also movie watchers, and yet, I hadn't heard a single complain from homophobes about “Interview with the Vampire”.
   
   So, when writing your novel, don't be afraid to approach controversial topics as homosexuality, as long as they seem tasteful in your writing. Elegance is the trick to write a novel and put inside it anything you want.

4. Constantine (2005)

   
   
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   With that Movie, Hollywood once again entered the realm of Taboo. Religion and Anti-Religion were present in the whole movie. Well... remember when I said in the last topic about treating controversial topics with subtlety and delicacy? Well... when writing taboo you must blow it. Yes; the rule is the opposite, and if you want to bring taboo to your novel, you must write to shock and overwhelm the reader with taboo. Remember “Da Vinci Code”. I hated the novel and the movie, but the Taboo was so powerful that I was compelled to see the movie until the end, and for Supernatural and Sci-Fi writers, taboo is a friend. There are thousands of taboos, mostly religious, that can originate amazing novels.

5. Highlander (1986)

   
   
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   In this article my reference to Highlander regards only the first movie. In fact, while you read this article, let's make a pact and pretend that those unbelievably disgusting sequels didn't exist, allright?
   
   Highlander teaches the writer about an important aspect of writing "mystery". When writing a Sci-Fi and Supernatural novel, you don't need to explain much. In fact, the less you explain in your writing and the more you let the reader to speculate, the more intriguing an addictive will be your novel. In Highlander we didn't understand where did Connor Mcleod came from, how did he get immortal, and what was the purpose of becoming mortal. This mystery made a great movie, and it would be perfect if the producers didn't commit the awful crime of giving hideous explanations in the sequels (sorry; I know we made a pact, but I couldn't resist making nasty comments about these movies).
   
   So; when writing a novel, don't over-explain. The less, the better. Readers are also creative people.

6. The Lord Of The Rings (2001)

   
   
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   When writing your Sci-Fi or Supernatural Novel, you must pay attention to background and scenario; those are very important elements in these genres. In the book “The Lord of the Rings”, the background was flawless, and the movie really captured it. If you compare the book and the movie, you will get to the most important thing: details. Not all details are important and you shouldn't bore you reader writing a long description of the main-character's ear lobe. When writing your novel, you must identify the important details, the ones that really contribute in building the scenario and background. The other details you must give them to the reader. Let the reader imagine your reality as he pleases; it will certainly improve the reading experience.

7. Hancock (2008)

   
   
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   Originally this movie wasn't in the list, but I just saw this movie and loved it. The story is kind of crappy but the Hancock character is fantastic. If you need inspiration to create a character, Hancock may be a way to begin. Of course, you can also use my article Building Characters for your Novel (and that is just shameless self-advertisement). Well… really… great movie. I don't have a really good excuse to put it in this “writing your novel” list yet, but I will think in something later. Anyway… watch it.

I hope those movies help you in writing your novel. In any case, if they don't, you will have watched seven great movies.