Heavy Steam

Heavy Metal 2000

First, Heavy Metal didn't need a sequal. Second, this is hardly a sequal to Heavy Metal at all. Sure it has the sci-fi flavor, but one of the things that made the first film work was the multiple story format. No go here, just the one story, and it pretty much sucks. A warrior woman tracks down a crazy space pirate because he killed her people, and there's some ancient space mystery-thing they get involved in. Something about eternal life. Michael Ironside is decent as the baddie, Tyler, but Julie Strain is horrid as the heroine FAKK 2. Surprisingly Billy Idol steals the show with his voice over, not that it was incredibly hard to do. The animation is decent, but the story bogs everything down to the point where nothing can save it. Oh, and the music is pretty dull as well. All in all, a waste of time. Way to go Kevin Eastman!

Steamboy

Now this is quality animation. Set in the 1860's, it follows a yung boy named Ray as he discovers the secret invention his father and grandfather have been working on and the evil means it will be used to achieve. Almost a decade in the making, it's the most expensive Japanise animated film ever made ($20 mil), and it's directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira). The animation is absolutely stunning and it might be the best American dub of an anime I've ever seen. Yes I watch it dubbed, no subtitles for me, thank you. There's really not much I can say about it, if you've seen Akira you know what to expect from an Otomo film, and if you haven't, well, you've got yourself an instant film festival right there. Oh, and that's Anna Paquin as the voice of Ray, who was amazing, I had no idea until the credits, add in Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina, and you just can't miss. It's been awhile since I watched a traditionally animated film that was enjoyable, and this one ranks with the best of all time.

-L