Watch Voices of a Distant Star For Free

Nice effects though.

Memorable, crazy movie

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Watch the visual review at https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=pTvCA1i6B50Never would I have thought that so much emotion could be captured and work in a 25 minute movie. I was surely proved wrong.The Voices of a Distant Star follows a girl and a boy. These two are together but become distant as the girl is sent to war in different galaxies, and the only form of communication is over their phones, but the messages take almost ten years to send. This is a movie as you might be able to tell, explaining the distant relationship between some and even the issues that soldiers had to face when wanting to talk to their loved ones on the other side of the world. And I found it very surreal and scary, and that's why I got a little teary eyed. And I just want to say, that this isn't your normal anime. All of Shinkai's movies focus on emotions, and things like loss, love and finding yourself, these all tend to kind of break the fourth wall and make you analyse your own emotions and ask you if you're okay, regardless of the characters. He says through his story telling that sometimes the situation is out of hand and it is impossible for you to change anything, much like in Distant Star.The story, like most of Shinkai's work, is simple. But as I always say with his movies, it doesn't need to be anything else. This is beauty in simplicity. This is the same reason I loved The Garden of Words. Everything feels so real. Regardless of the mecha robots fighting in space, the characters aren't superficial and is a big part of what backs up this simple story. They don't have horns on the head, or have tails on the back, they're just people wanting to talk to their lover. Earth feels so much like Earth, from the rain and the landscape. A planet that the girl discovers seems a lot like Earth with the same looking creatures, landscapes and rain, and then she bursts into tears realising that there is nowhere like Earth. The real winner in this movie is the gorgeous soundtrack this comes with! Holy moly, what sound! I think that at times I felt I was going to cry from the music itself!This isn't a perfect movie though, it has its downsides. I can't say that it needed to be longer, as this director likes creating these shorter movies, and having this as a short worked well. The main issue I have is the machine that the girl is in. The 3D rendering of the objects looks so fake and extremely overdone, I believe they should have stayed with the 2D drawing style. The mixture of 3D and 2D in animation can work hand in hand with each other, but here, the mixture of both didn't gel and work. I think Shinkai learned from his mistake as I haven't seen another machine looking as bad as this since he made it in 2002. Another part I didn't like was the English dubs. I've definitely heard worse, but this is nothing to write home about.But all-in-all The Voices of a Distant Star is just another movie to persuade you that this guy can create beautiful films, from the music to the characters to the artwork. Everything is done with so much heart. This is a film that beautifully looks at war, love and separation. This is more of an emotionally investing film than most of Hollywood's movies. And seeing that this short 25 minute movie, that was created by one single person and is executed with a great amount of detail shows just how special this film and director is.OVERALL : A

Honestly this film is an inspiration to all budding film makers, graphic design artists, and artists alike because the creator of this animated film, wrote, directed, animated, and even voice acted everything in this film. His artwork and computer animation is quite breathtaking especially in the landscapes and skies he paints. This film tells a science fiction/mech anime/love story in a matter of only twenty five minutes while other animes would take over fifty episodes to properly express the relationships between the main characters and the political climates they are submerged in. Because of these elements this film truly surpasses the negative expectations a Japanese animated film might have attached to it. Voices of a Distant Star creates an extraordinary scenario in which the the main character's gender roles are switched. The quiet meek girl joins the air force and is sent off to die valiantly in war while the young man stays home and patiently waits for her phone calls. However these phone calls are delayed due to the fact they are light years apart. The main theme throughout this film is the communication between these two individuals. Even when they are unable to communicate their feelings and thoughts they remain close and eagerly await each other's phone call . Even with the vastness of space and time these two individuals manage to express themselves in a way that can not be contained in this universe. This theme, which simply yet stylistically laid out before us makes this film a truly remarkable and undeniably heartfelt melancholic tale.

As others have noted, this is basically a love story set during a war. It features Mikako and Noboru as two teenagers who have grown up together and fallen in love. They are separated when Mikako leaves to fight a battle in a distant star system and Noboru is left behind on Earth. Their only means of communication is via text message/e-mail over their cell phones. However, the many light years of space between them caused a time delay of months and sometimes years between these messages.I was incredibly disappointed when this film ended at only a little over 20 minutes. When I rented it, I did not know it was a short. I thought it was a full-length film. The brevity of the film was a bit disconcerting as I was just beginning to empathize with the characters when it ended. I am very impressed that one man created this on his home computer. Although the visuals would not win awards, they are adequate for the film. Additionally, the strength of the visuals comes in the backgrounds rather than in the animation itself.Much of this film is atmospheric. The backgrounds of space and planetside vistas lend the film a lyrical feel. The language of the characters themselves is almost poetic. And the music truly brings poignancy to life. I found myself sitting with the menu screen on the DVD just so I could listen to the theme music. It captures a hopeful yet incredibly melancholy feel of separation.Perhaps the greatest weak point in this film is that some ideas are suggested but never fully developed. (Spoilers may follow.) At one point, we see Noboru walking with another woman. Is the implication that he has found someone he could share his life with even if he truly still loves Mikako? Also, the communication between the aliens and Mikako suggests that the war is a misunderstanding. And what of the message that the alien leaves with Mikako that she will see Noboru again? Overall, though, I enjoyed this short. The music alone conveys much of what the story is. Although the beginning is rushed (I'm certain due to the length of the film), the ending that intercuts Mikako and Noboru's voices is artistically imagined and creatively executed. I was pleasantly surprised by the poignancy of the story if a little disappointed by the length of the film.

I loved this little film. The aching distance and loneliness really tug at the heartstrings. It's really amazing how powerful a little 30 minute film can be. But what I REALLY fell in love with was the music. Especially "Through the Years and Far Away". It's so wistful and full of longing, but at the same time almost happy in a way. If anyone anywhere knows where I can get sheet music for this PLEASE post and let me know. It would mean a hell of a lot to me. Compsed by Tenmon, written by K. Juno, sing by Low. I've googled it to no end but it's so obscure I cant find anything. I want to be able to play it for my Boyfriend as a surprise to him. PLEASE HELP ME! I can almost figure out how to play it just from listening, but some of the chord progressions are fairly complex so sheet music would be great.