On paper, Ghost Cat Anzu would seem to be this year’s most family-friendly offering at the annual Scotland Loves Anime Film Festival, now in its 15th year. Compared to most other films, the audience was certainly composed of a higher proportion of families with children. Perhaps they weren’t expecting such a deeply strange movie, with a first half structured of loosely associated, scatalogically humorous skits and a second, more action-packed half descending into a chaotic exploration of Buddhist Hell, complete with violent comedy torture demons and deeply unsettling afterlife implications for at least one central character. We go from funny cat man licking his balls to “Needle Mountain Hell” and “Great Screaming Hell” within a matter of minutes.

Ghost Cat Anzu is bonkers, and I love it for that.

It’s not only the unhinged plot that sets Ghost Cat Anzu apart. For one, it’s a French-Japanese co-production and an adaptation of a relatively obscure single-volume 17-year-old manga (though a sequel began serialization earlier this year). Screenwriter Shinji Imaoka is best known for his work on several sexually explicit “pink films,” a brave choice for a “family” movie. Unusually, Ghost Cat Anzu has two directors because, in The Case of Hana and Alice-style, the film was first shot with one director entirely in live-action, then digitally painted over under the aegis of an animation director. I’d hesitate to call the animation style pure rotoscoping, however – while the characters do move in a more naturalistic fashion than in much other anime, it’s not distracting or deliberately provocative like Flowers of Evil, which reveled in its naturalistic ugliness. Here, the live-action performances are transformed not into something uncanny or disconcerting, but human and relatable, even fantastical.

Take Karin – she’s a brat. Manipulative and conniving, she’s not a “nice” kid, but then life hasn’t been “nice” to her. We quickly learn that she changes her demeanor depending on the audience. With her father, she’s rude and condescending, referring to him only by his given name and with no honorifics. Around other adults, such as her grandad, she’s all wide eyes and broad smiles as she pretends to be a “good girl.” It’s funny and a little sad how she uses the blushing village boys to pursue her vindictive agendas. The animation style captures every nuance of her body language, adding to our understanding of her conflicted, complex character. Her facial expressions, in particular, are hilarious. It’s unusual for a child in this animation genre to be so thoroughly fleshed out – she’s an excellent example of a character who acts hatefully but remains empathetic for the audience.

Despite being a supernaturally-sized immortal “ghost cat” (a translation of the Japanese term “bakeneko”), Anzu himself acts more like a slightly weird, single, 37-year-old uncle with a penchant for Hawaiian shirts and farting loudly in public. His facial expression rarely changes – huge wide eyes that are difficult to read, emoting mainly by the liberal use of oddly-floating sweatdrops. He’s hilariously flawed, getting pulled over by the police for riding a motorbike unlicensed and losing Karin’s money at pachinko. At times, he’s the unfair target of Karin’s resentment, but as part of her family, he loves and looks out for her, making sacrifices and suffering for her wellbeing. He’s a good kitty, really.

Anzu’s not the only strange creature. In this version of rural Japan, the supernatural is but another aspect of everyday life – hence, when we meet various yokai, they’re engaged in normal human activities, and no one bats an eyelid. Of course, a tanuki can work as a golf caddy, and obviously, a human-sized frog digs enormous holes and runs his own private hot spring pool. There’s a gaggle of cute little spherical tree sprite birdie thingies that stepped straight out of a Miyazaki movie and a really weird-looking mushroom guy that adds to the extremely colorful supporting cast.

While Anzu’s daft antics raised a great deal of laughter from among the festival audience, it’s a slowly-paced film with strange comedic timing, where it takes a long time for anything to happen. That’s not necessarily a criticism; many writers and directors have made entire careers producing slice-of-life anime celebrating the pleasures of a slow life. So it’s unexpected that Ghost Cat Anzu goes to such exotic – and disturbing – places in its second half – switching up bucolic country existence first for urban Tokyo and then for the various levels of Buddhist Hell, here depicted as an upmarket hotel populated by Chinese-style demons and the souls of the dead. Comparisons with Keiichi Hara‘s Colorful spring to mind, with newly-deceased humans queueing up to receive details of their souls’ fate from businesslike attendants.

I don’t want to spoil the details of why the characters end up in hell or what they do there, but the film culminates in a truly demented car chase involving a minibus full of demons, Anzu demonstrating his most dangerous motorcycling skills, and an insanely-animated yokai-driven sports car sequence. It’s all so silly, and while wonderfully fun for adults, there’s a tonally discomforting element of quite brutal violence, played apparently for laughs. It may be too much for younger kids, and the ultimate outcome of these events may lead to challenging conversations with questioning children about Eastern concepts of the afterlife that may require entering a Wikipedia Death Spiral for parents.

At its core, Ghost Cat Anzu is a film about a young girl struggling with the scars that death has inflicted on her life, lashing out in anger and resentment at those around her, bargaining in an attempt to change her situation, and finding a way to gain acceptance. Indeed, there’s some denial mixed up in there somewhere, too. Ghost Cat Anzu‘s ending will spark disagreements among viewers, as many aspects are left ambiguous, even though the central conflicts are satisfyingly resolved. It’s absolutely not the sort of animated film you’d expect to see from a Western studio.

Even if you’re not a fan of rotoscoped animation, don’t let that put you off Ghost Cat Anzu. It’s a deeply strange but entertaining film that, although it seems to start as a silly comedy, proves to be profoundly emotionally intelligent and interesting. Karin makes for a compelling and conflicted lead, ably supported by her charismatic and weird cat-uncle. Recommended for fans of Japanese folklore, “difficult” girls, and fart jokes. Nya-ha-ha-ha!

Gladiator 2 recaptures the grandeur of ancient Rome, echoing the epic scale of the 2000 original. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel leans heavily into grand action, however, it lacks the emotional depth that made its predecessor unforgettable.

Set over two decades after Gladiator [2000], the story follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), now called Hanno, who lives as a soldier in Numidia until General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades, forcing him back into the Roman Empire. Under Macrinus (Denzel Washington), Lucius re-enters the brutal arena, ultimately driven to challenge young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn) to fulfil his father Maximus’s vision of a Rome free from slavery.

The word Gladiator evokes emotions and memories of Russell Crowe in the Ridley Scott film. There has been an entire generation of audience that has grown up to love Gladiator and watched it multiple times. Unfortunately, the new film not only fails to match up to the original but also disappoints on multiple fronts.

Here’s the trailer:

The sequel delivers action, gore, and an electrifying score that elevates the viewing experience, but none of this compensates for the lack of emotional resonance. Unlike the original, which skillfully pulled emotional strings, Gladiator 2 fails to evoke a lasting impact. Family reunions and Lucius’s separation from his loved ones lack poignancy, leaving viewers uninvested. The story, while epic in scale, is too predictable and lacks nuance, with a few twists that genuinely surprise you.

When Lucius loses people close to him, one is supposed to feel empathetic towards him, but it hardly stirs any emotions. Perhaps the delay and the writers’ strike in Hollywood are to be blamed, or maybe it is just lazy writing.

The hand-to-hand combat scenes of Gladiator made the film a unique experience in 2000. While the action scenes in Gladiator 2 are good, they don’t add up to the experience people had while watching the Russel Crowe original.

David Scarpa keeps the screenplay more or less linear with flashbacks connecting the dots. The only interesting character in Gladiator 2 perhaps is that of Denzel Washington as Macrinus, who plays to the gallery. He is covet in his tactics and is driving the politics in the narrative. But it isn’t enough. The revelation of Lucius being the Prince of Rome is hardly startling for us or the Roman Empire.

Performances by the cast are great. From Paul to Denzel to Pedro, everyone knows the stakes are high, and they are pitch-perfect with their dialogue delivery and action-packed performances. However, without a strong emotional core, Gladiator 2 can feel like a chore, with its two-and-a-half-hour runtime dragging to feel even longer.

The challenges of making a follow-up to a cult classic film are multiple. While Gladiator 2 has a few moments that work, overall, the inevitable comparisons to the original prevent it from becoming a wholesome new experience.

2.5 out of 5 stars for Gladiator 2.

The 2024 Latin Grammys proved to be a night full of heartfelt tributes and moments of camaraderie. From the sincere exchange between Carlos Vives and Jon Bon Jovi to the emotional tribute from Alejandro Fernandez to his father, Vicente, the 25th anniversary award show stands as a quarter-century of celebrating Latin music.

Live from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Vives, the Colombian singer-songwriter and this year’s Latin Grammy person of the year, opened the awards show with a lively medley of his hits, including “A La Tierra del Olvido” and “Volvi a Nacer.” With tropical flair, the performance kicked off the three-hour spectacle, which brought the audience to its feet, tears to winners’ faces and nostalgic moments.

The first Latin Grammy of the night went to Carin León for contemporary Mexican music album — a new category — for “Boca Chueca, Vol. 1.”

“Our only mission is to keep putting Mexican music on top,” León said, thanking everyone who made his win possible. “Arriba Mexico and regional Mexican.”

Carin León with his Latin Grammy for best contemporary Mexican music album.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

With the continual rise of musica Mexicana, the ceremony made space for many performances from Mexican artists — from Becky G to siblings Angela and Leonardo Aguilar’s fiery performance of “Por la Contraction,” written by Edgar Barrera, Grupo Frontera’s norteño serenade of “El Amor de Mi Vida” (which received an award for regional song) and Leon’s choir-backed set.

Other wins for Mexican subgenres included Grupo Frontera’s “El Comienzo” for norteño album, Chiquis’ “Diamantes” for banda album and Alejandro Fernandez’s “Te Llevo En La Sangre” for ranchero/mariachi album.

About halfway through the show, the stage lighting emulated a starry night sky as a tribute to the Latin music pioneers who have passed. Leonel Garcia and Reik performed a tribute to Juan Gabriel with a soulful rendition of “Hasta que te Conoci,” as a black-and-white image of a smiling Divo de Juarez appeared behind them.

Next, Carlos Rivera and David Bisbal honored Jose Jose by performing the ballad “El Triste.” The set concluded with Fernandez commemorating his late father, Vicente. Backed by an entire mariachi, images of the pair appeared as the son sang the final notes of “No Me Sé Rajar.” The presentation received a standing ovation.

Carlos Rivera and David Bisbal perform.

(Rodrigo Varela / Getty Images for the Latin Recording Academy)

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One of the ceremony’s driving forces was Vives himself. From his opening the show to receiving the person of the year award, all eyes were on the 63-year-old entertainer. Over his three-decade-long career, he has collected 18 Latin Grammys, two Grammys and has sold millions of albums worldwide. He has left his mark on Latin music by introducing modern pop and rock sounds to traditional Colombian folk music. He has also dedicated a large part of his career to giving back to his hometown of Santa Marta, Colombia, with his foundation Tras La Perla.

Jon Bon Jovi, the 2024 Grammys person of the year, presented his friend Vives with the award, saying, “Your legacy reaches far beyond the stage, making an impact not only in your community but around the world, and that’s one of the many reasons you are so deserving of this award.”

Vives accepted the recognition and thanked his “old friend” Bon Jovi and said, “Music does not have borders. The rhythms and genres are like trees. … We see that the roots are connected and we’re all connected through the roots.”

The 62-year-old American rocker appeared later in the show alongside Pitbull atop a raised platform to perform a mashup of their respective hits “It’s My Life” and “Now or Never.” Bringing the energy level to its peak, the unexpected duo brought the “once in a lifetime” feeling to the 25th anniversary.

Pitbull, left, and Bon Jovi share a duet.

(Kevin Winter / Getty Images for the Latin Recording Academy)

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The night also included performances highlighting a new generation of female artists, including Kali Uchis, Elena Rose and Emilia in addition to another set by Latin pop-funk band Darumas and a performance by the Warning, the all-female rock band from Mexico introduced by Juanes.

As for other notable wins, Karol G won urban album for “Mañana”; Draco Rosa took home two awards, for rock/pop album and rock song; and Taubert was crowned best new artist. “Derrumbe” by Jorge Drexler won song of the year. Juan Luis Guerra’s “Mambo 23” was awarded record of the year, and his album “Radio Güira” was awarded album of the year and best merengue/bachata album — making him a 27-time Latin Grammy winner.

“It’s a grand privilege to be nominated,” said Guerra, who celebrated other artists and a higher power who inspired his album. “I love you, admire you. … The idea of ‘Radio Güira’ came directly from Jesus. Glory to God.”

Christian Nodal, Angela Aguilar, Marc Anthony and Nadia Ferreira arrive at the awards ceremony.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

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Other awards came earlier in the day as part of the pre-Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. Awarded for singles or tracks, Bizarrap y Shakira took a gramophone for “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 (Tiesto Remix),” for best Latin electronic music performance. Bizarrap accepted the recognition and thanked his collaborators.

“This is good. I got to know musica electronica thanks to Tiesto,” said Bizarrap, who noted that his admiration for Tiesto began early in his life. “We won last year, but this award allows us to continue sharing the music. Shakira, who is the queen, I’d like to wish her much success on her [upcoming] tour.”

The Argentine-born singer-rapper Nathy Peluso, along with Devonté Hynes, took the honors for best alternative song, “El dia que perdi mi Juventud” from “Grasa.”

“Music has saved me,” Peluso said as she accepted her trophy and recalled that the song was born during an early dawn when she remembered her youth. “The best way to save ourselves is through music, always. A toast to music from the heart.”

Later in the day ceremony, the 29-year-old also received the best rap/hip hop song for “Aprender A Amar,” the hard-hitting anthem of self-love.

Up against the likes of Karol G, Bad Bunny and Bizzarap, Trueno’s “Tranky Funky” won for best urban fusion performance. “Perro Negro,” the rhythmic track off Bad Bunny’s fifth studio album with Feid, was recognized for best reggaeton performance. The featured Colombian reggaetonero was present to accept the award.

Trueno won for best urban fusion performance for “Tranky Funky.”

(Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images)

“Que chimba. … For those dreaming of making urban music, leave the streets and keep making reggaeton. I love you, God bless you,” Feid said, before yelling out a “Viva Colombia!”

Edgar Barrera entered this year’s Latin Grammys as the artist with the most nominations, with nine. By the end of the show, he brought home three awards — producer and songwriter of the year as well as recognition for regional song.

“I can’t believe this. I admire all those nominated. … They are inspirations for me. and I want to thank the academy for this recognition and those artists who I work with who give me the opportunity to guide them and who let me be a producer in their careers.”