The Beer is esp underrated. Though I'd argue the arts scene needs work, you need to get more bands and a better arthouse movie theater.

Its the most fun and youthful city. Take the good stuff of Cincy and combine with the good stuff of Columbus and you'd have an amazing place. Sadly both are missing the stuff that the other one needs.

Dayton is a cultureless city. There is very little they can claim besides flight and being an early tech hub (though not really anymore). Despite all its faults (and there are way to many) Cincinnati is a city that deserves better - its got a lot going for it but its locals need to better understand that, esp they…

Since moving to Chicago I cannot eat pizza in Cincinnati anymore (ditto for tacos for the most part).

Cincy is mostly catholic, but its a more conservative version of Catholicism than I see here. Also there are a lot more White Evangelicals - I don't think Chicago has anything that's on the scale of Crossroads as a megachurch for a mostly white congregation, but I could be wrong…

More religious, more interest in country music (though Dayton isn't too much different, but its a bit less provincial). I grew up south of Dayton, lived in Cincinnati in college now live in Chicago. The Southerness (or maybe appalachianness) isn't apparent until you've lived in the north for a while.

Don't knock skyline. Goetta like Cincinnati itself (yes I know its dirty and could be cleaned up but its a diamond in the rough) is woefully underrated and underpromoted.

I also grew up in the South Suburbs of Dayton and didn't have it until I was in college in Cincinnati. Its literally only available in the 275 loop.

They really should have stuck with distant shots. No lingering closeups and it would have looked really great.

Bakshi really helped set back adult animation in the US IMO. Due to the reasons you list above combined with a tone that IMO isn't really adult as much as its juvenile. Don't get me wrong most anime is the same but the fact that there is a tiny bit of room for actual adult film is pretty incredible.

I feel your pain, as I used to live in a place that wasn't a "cool city" worthy of experimental film - wish that culture was spread out more evenly.

Not sure if I'd call it psychedelic, but its definitely experimental. Bergmaneqsue is a word I'd use as it really reminds me of some of Igmar Bergmans films but in animated form.

Playing in Chicago now. Its weird that we've been getting animated films so late these days :/

Yeah the only Bakshi film that comes close to being adult and not adolescent is Heavy Traffic and even that one has problems.

I would disagree arguing that Takahata is as distinct a filmmaker as Miyazaki abeit a less predictable one.

This is not rotoscoped. This is subtle realist animation. Compare it to flowers of evil if you want an anime example.

Going to agree with you about Plague Dogs. When I saw it I thought this is really Takahataesque in that its not afraid to tackle a serious matter using innovative and interesting film techniques especially for an animated film (I really loved how the humans talked off screen and how one of the dogs hallucinations…

Great review. I'm also really happy I can finally discuss with more of my friends why this is an absolutely fantastic film! A film that quietly subverts the very notion of what kinds of stories can be told with animation done with a remarkable level of grace and sophistication.

I don't think the aunt was exactly in the good. However, the older kid needed to swallow his pride and do what was responsible for his sister, which was keeping her fed. He needed the aunt even if she wasn't mean as the alternative was starving to death even if she was a bit of a jerk. Also notice that he steals…

Watch some Masaaki Yuasa. Don't forget him :)