Sky Blue

As children, Shua risked leaving the environmentally protected city of Ecoban to show Jay a glimpse of still blue sky. As adults, Jay is a security agent working with her lover, Cade, to protect Ecoban from the outside rebels who would destroy it while Shua has joined those ranks in his quest to return to humankind a "Sky Blue." Laura: Korean animation makes a bold step into the global arena with this dazzling combination of hand-drawn and computer created imagery with live action miniatures and skyscapes. The result is a unique multi-dimensional world where characters inspired by Japanese anime coexist with three dimensional artworks and machinery. Black roiling clouds comprise the sky over Ecoban, a city genetically engineered to survive the toxic environment produced by a century of toxic rains. Jay's beliefs are shaken when she witnesses Commander Locke's pleasure in an industrial accident which kills many Diggers, refugees refused asylum in Ecoban who live in the outer Wasteland and work for the Elites. When Jay learns that her former childhood friend Shua is leading rebel forces against the Elites of Ecoban, Jay's loyalties turn towards them and she finds herself pitted against the other man who loves her, Cade. The story by Moon-saeng Kim ("My Wife is a Gangster") and Jun-Young Park is a mere framework upon which to hang the stunning visuals and, frankly, isn't engaging enough to keep the viewer focused. However, even if the mind wanders occasionally, it is easy enough to pick up on the action and marvel at the visuals directors Moon-saeng Kim and Park Sunmin use to paint the screen. The film has a varied color design, from the rich flame-like hues of the fetid outdoor atmosphere to the unnatural, candy-like purples and aquamarines of Ecoban's centennial celebration. Jay and Shua first face off against illuminated stained glass. An inspired bit of production design combines paintings (Klimt is the easiest to spot) and religious statuary in a maze-like 'temple' within Ecoban. A simple cutaway of raindrops hitting the ground fascinates with the lifelike effect achieved with darting stripes of light. "Sky Blue" is a simplistic bit of science fiction, but the merging of technologies used to produce it showcase a futuristic vision. B

Laura's Review: B

Korean animation makes a bold step into the global arena with this dazzling combination of hand-drawn and computer created imagery with live action miniatures and skyscapes. The result is a unique multi-dimensional world where characters inspired by Japanese anime coexist with three dimensional artworks and machinery. Black roiling clouds comprise the sky over Ecoban, a city genetically engineered to survive the toxic environment produced by a century of toxic rains. Jay's beliefs are shaken when she witnesses Commander Locke's pleasure in an industrial accident which kills many Diggers, refugees refused asylum in Ecoban who live in the outer Wasteland and work for the Elites. When Jay learns that her former childhood friend Shua is leading rebel forces against the Elites of Ecoban, Jay's loyalties turn towards them and she finds herself pitted against the other man who loves her, Cade. The story by Moon-saeng Kim ("My Wife is a Gangster") and Jun-Young Park is a mere framework upon which to hang the stunning visuals and, frankly, isn't engaging enough to keep the viewer focused. However, even if the mind wanders occasionally, it is easy enough to pick up on the action and marvel at the visuals directors Moon-saeng Kim and Park Sunmin use to paint the screen. The film has a varied color design, from the rich flame-like hues of the fetid outdoor atmosphere to the unnatural, candy-like purples and aquamarines of Ecoban's centennial celebration. Jay and Shua first face off against illuminated stained glass. An inspired bit of production design combines paintings (Klimt is the easiest to spot) and religious statuary in a maze-like 'temple' within Ecoban. A simple cutaway of raindrops hitting the ground fascinates with the lifelike effect achieved with darting stripes of light. "Sky Blue" is a simplistic bit of science fiction, but the merging of technologies used to produce it showcase a futuristic vision.

Robin's Review: DNS

DNS