Spirited Away (2001) Movie Review (Month of Miyazaki

The Month of Miyazaki concludes with one of Miyazaki’s most praised and beloved films Spirited Away.

Background

Spirited Away was released in 2001 four years after the huge success of Miyazaki’s film Princess Mononoke. That film was completely different from anything he had done previously. It was a much darker, more mature film that is arguably his greatest work. After he did this it took him a few years to come back to making films. He came back with Spirited Away, a more upbeat film that has a very young protagonist that is flawed, but relatable little girl. This film blew audiences away with its creativity, stunning, animation, and inventive world. The film was the first major success in the United States for Studio Ghibli. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, which is rare for a foreign film. It is very important in Miyazaki’s career and I feel it is only right that I chose one of the most highly praised Miyazaki films to end this month.

Plot (Taken from IMDB)

“Chihiro and her parents are moving to a small Japanese town in the countryside and Chihiro is missing her old house. Chihiro's father makes a wrong turn and drives through a lonely land road with dead end in a tunnel. Her parents decide to stop the car and explore the area. They cross the tunnel and find an abandoned cultural theme park on the other side with a ghost town. When her parents sees a restaurant with smelling food but no staff, they decide to eat to pay later; however Chihiro refuses to eat and decides to visit the place. She meets the boy Haku that tells her that her parents and she are in danger and they must leave the place. She runs to the restaurant and finds that her parents have turned into pigs. Further, the place is a bathhouse of spirits, monsters, gods and ghosts owned by the witch Yubaba. Now Chihiro counts on Haku to save her parents and return to their world.” Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Review

First off I have to say the World created in this film is stunning. The complexity and order in the world that is created is astounding. The little girl, Chihiro, discovers this world as we do she quickly becomes someone that we as the audience can relate to. She makes mistakes throughout the film and this adds a sense of vulnerability to her in which we feel very much for her.  Miyazaki always uses young female protagonists and this film may be the best use. As much as she is a hero and brave in many aspects, she still is a little girl. In many scenes you can tell the fear and confusion that she feels. Miyazaki has stated that he based Chihiro on the daughter of a friend of his that used to come by his house a lot. Like the real life girl, Chihiro starts off as being sort of distant and unhappy with her family like many girls that age.

The style of this film feels very different from the other Miyazaki films. Much of the film takes place at night and the design of the spirits is very different. Many of these spirits are not cute like the totoro are. They are often very creepy and bizarre. The other Miyazaki films often have a more focused narrative (with the exception of My Neighbor Totoro), but this film does not have a straightforward narrative. Much of the film takes place with Chihiro trying to live with these spirits.  Contrary from what it sounds like this is a very good thing. The film is an experimental and spiritual journey.  The world and the environment alongside the brilliant animation and designs of the spirits add up to becoming an extremely captivating film.  There is always something fascinating happening on screen and there is never a dull moment.

The characters are also very strong in this film.  The relationship between the spirit Haku and Chihiro is extremely important to the plot.  There are many revelations concerning Haku that I can’t explain without ruining the film. You will just have to see it for your self to see what I mean when I say that it is brilliant and just adds a whole other layer of character development and depth to this film.  The film has not yet received a blu ray release at the time of writing this review, but I do believe that there will be a release sometime in the near future. You can still see it on DVD however (Here on Amazon).

Overall Thoughts

Spirited Away is a brilliant film in all aspects. The animation and the character design is truly something to marvel. This is not my favorite Miyazaki film, but I still absolutely love it. I can’t deny the impact that it has made on the art of animation and how much it affected me while watching it. It is obvious that Miyazaki has put all of his heart and soul into making this film, which has many lessons that both children and adults can get out of it.  I admire Miyazaki and this film in particular. It is an absolute must see if you plan on watching any Miyazaki or any Studio Ghibli films. Go out and see it for your self. You won’t regret it.

Score

5 out of 5

Month of Miyazaki Conclusion

This brings us to the conclusion of the Month of Miyazaki.  I hope that you all have enjoyed reading these reviews as much as I have enjoyed writing. I believe that Hayao Miyazaki is a legend who should be more revered over here in the United States.  Thanks to Disney’s goal to dub every Ghibli film it opens up a whole new way for non-Japanese viewers to enjoy these beautiful films.  Miyazaki is a master of animated features and I hope my reviews convinced you to give his work a chance. Now just because the month is over doesn’t mean that in the future I won’t review any other Miyazaki or Ghibli films.  I will still review them, just not as much.

Thank you for reading these reviews. I hope to have more reviews for all of you in the near future. See all of you next time!

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) Movie Review (Month of Miyazaki)

 

Miyazaki Month continues with a review of one of Miyazaki’s most recent film Howl’s Moving Castle.

Background

Howl’s Moving Castle is Miyazaki’s 8^th film and it is the first one not to be written by him.  The story is adapted from a novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, which makes this film very unique for Miyazaki.  This film was also his first after the success of Spirited Away, which got him an Academy Award. Expectations for this film were high.

Plot (Taken from IMDB)

“A love story between an 18-year-old girl named Sophie, cursed by a witch into an old woman's body, and a magician named Hauru. Under the curse, Sophie sets out to seek her fortune, which takes her to Hauru's strange moving castle. In the castle, Sophie meets Hauru's fire demon, named Karishifâ. Seeing that she is under a curse, the demon makes a deal with Sophie--if she breaks the contract he is under with Hauru, then Karushifâ will lift the curse that Sophie is under, and she will return to her 18-year-old shape.” Written by Sophie Ball

Review

This film has sort of a different feel from Miyazaki’s other work and this is probably because he did not write the story.  You can tell it is not his story, but this does not hurt it.  A lot of Miyazaki’s style shines through in this through the characters. The best part of this film is the characters that are all brilliantly designed.  You can tell that Miyazaki really connected to Diana Wynne Jones’ story and decided to make his own adjustments and creative touches to this film.

Like any other Miyazaki story the characters are very unique, creative, and highly entertaining.  The Fire Demon is extremely likable and a source of many of the films humor.  The American Disney dub has Billy Crystal as the voice and he does a fantastic job in the role bringing a sense of comedy and likability to the role.  The other characters such as Hauru and Sophie we relate to and root for just as much.  Miyazaki is brilliant at creating young, relatable female characters and this film is no exception. Since Sophie is cursed most of the film she is an old woman, but her personality really still shines through in an honest and intelligent way.

My last review was for Laputa: Castle in the Sky, which was made many years before this and you can tell the difference in the style of the animation and most obviously in the techniques used to animate this film. The animation in this is very crisp and colorful and quite beautiful. It has been said that in every one of Miyazaki’s film it takes a moment to breathe and lets the audience soak in the animation. There are many moments of quietness where the beauty of this animation really shines.  I would love to see what it looks like on blu ray but as of right now there is no blu ray release planned. You can still find it on DVD though (here on Amazon).

Overall Thoughts

This is not my favorite of his work. I think since he did not write the story it did not have as big of an impact on me. That being said I still really adore this film. Saying I don’t like it as much is like saying I don’t like Inglorious Basterds as much as Pulp Fiction. This film is still a brilliant example of his craft as a filmmaker and the work he pores out onto the screen. I admire Miyazaki and this film is another example of his brilliance, which in all honesty I am jealous of. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves some adventure, comedy, and beauty.

Score

4 ½ out of 5

Look out for a surprise review as Miyazaki Month comes to a close this week. See you next time!

Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) Movie Review (Month of Miyazaki)

 

 Miyazaki Month continues with a review of one of Miyazaki’s most under appreciated films called Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Background

Even though Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is considered a Studio Ghibli film it was not created under the Studio Ghibli title. The studio was created shortly after the release of Nausicaa and the first film produced by Studio Ghibli was Miyazaki’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky. The film contains references to popular works such as Gulliver’s Travels and Treasure Island. Since technically being the first Ghibli film I felt it fitting that I review this in celebration of the Month of Miyazaki.

Plot (Taken from IMDB)

A young boy stumbles into a mysterious girl who floats down from the sky. The girl, Sheeta, was chased by pirates, army and government secret agents. In saving her life, they begin a high flying adventure that goes through all sorts of flying machines, eventually searching for Sheeta's identity in a floating castle of a lost civilization. Written by Tzung-I Lin

Review

This film has a very different tone than Totoro had.  This film is more in the vein of Nausicaa and by that I mean that this film breathes adventure.  It is meant to be a fun and lighthearted adventure inspired by the great adventures of classic literature.  It doesn’t really explore any deep themes or meaning as Totoro did, but it does bring the sense of beauty and wonder that Nausicaa did. Miyazaki knows how to handle animation and this film carries on the tradition of Ghibli films and their animation.  This film came out over 20 years ago and it still looks gorgeous.  I don’t feel like it is dated and to me this style of hand drawn animation that is shown in these films look so much better than even the best looking animated films using CGI. 

The characters do not take a back seat to the animation.  Both the boy and the girl in this film play off of each other very well and have chemistry that is difficult to capture in animation.  In my opinion Disney always does a great job with their English dubs. James Van Der Beek and Anna Paquin are the two leads and even though they sound older than their characters they still bring a great performance to this film.  This film is more about the adventure and less about a lesson more so than any of the other Ghibli films, which in this case is a good thing.

Overall Thoughts

This is just another example of what an animated film can be in the very capable hands of Hayao Miyazaki.  The film is a fun adventure that not only captures the sense of thrill but also a sense of heart that a great adventure should have. I highly recommend that if you have not already seen it that you go out and check it out especially since it has just been released on blu ray (here on Amazon).  It is a beautiful film that should not be missed.

Score

4 ½ out of 5

Look out for next time as I continue with the Month of Miyazaki by reviewing Howl’s Moving Castle

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Movie Review (Month of Miyazaki)

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Miyazaki Month begins with a film that is hugely inspirational and is often ranked as one of his best and most influential work. A children’s film called My Neighbor Totoro.

Background

My Neighbor Totoro is the 4^th film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki as well as the 4^th film under Studio Ghibli (the previous being Nausicaa, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and Grave of the Fireflies).  It is also known for creating the iconic character of Totoro, which has gone on to become the symbol for Studio Ghibli.  Even if you have never seen the film I am sure that most of you have seen Totoro in some capacity. Totoro was even popular enough that he can be seen making a little cameo in Toy Story 3.

The film is extremely popular and now you will get a chance to see what I think of it and how it stands up against the gorgeous Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Plot (Taken from IMDB)

“Two young girls, Satsuke and her younger sister Mei, move into a house in the country with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. Satsuke and Mei discover that the nearby forest is inhabited by magical creatures called Totoros (pronounced toe-toe-ro). They soon befriend these Totoros, and have several magical adventures.” Written by Christopher E. Meadows

Review

The film is without a doubt one of the most beloved and most popular of all of the films of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.  It is an innocent tale of childhood, but it also adds a level of maturity. The 2 sisters actually behave like little girls act and they feel real which makes the audience immediately understand and relate to them.  The characters discover the Totoros and become friends with them. However, there is more to this than what appears at first glance. On the surface this film looks like a sweet and innocent family film but it actually has a lot of depth beneath its child-like surface. The Totoros can be interpreted as being a part of the children’s imagination and this element adds so much more weight to the story as the film progresses.  The film also has no central goal and just decides to show life, which I think, is brilliant.  It does not need a complicate or central conflict to move along at a good pace and connect with the audience.

The animation in this film is gorgeous and I myself cannot wait until I get a blu ray copy of the film to really see all of the time and detail that has been put into this animation.  This is not only one of my top all time favorite Ghibli film its one of my favorite animated films of all time.  Miyazaki does things differently from any other director and you can tell when you are watching one of his films.  Totoro takes its time in telling a very human story of family and growing up, which most films have trouble doing. Disney has done a fantastic job with dubbing the film into english and I recommend watching that version especially since the blu ray will be hitting shelves on May 21^st 2013. (Available on Amazon)

Conclusion

This film is a brilliant example (Like Nausicaa) of what an incredible visionary Miyazaki is and how influential he has become. I highly recommend Totoro to anyone who can enjoy a film that takes its time.  I think I still enjoy Nausicaa a bit more but I think that may be because it was my first Miyazaki film. Nevertheless it is a fantastic film that should be watched not only for its beauty, but also for its ability to connect to its audience in a very emotional way.

Score

5 Out Of 5

Month of Miyazaki continues with my next upcoming review: Laputa: Castle In The Sky. See you next time!

March: The Month of Miyazaki

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Hello Everyone! I know it has been a while since my last review but I decided to come back with something big. It is March, which means that I should review films based on one of my favorite directors whose name also starts with an M. Miyazaki.

A Little About Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

Hayao Miyazaki is a legendary filmmaker whose work I have already reviewed in the past (Nausicaa of The Valley of the Wind).  He is best known for his work in creating some of the greatest anime films of all time. He is also known for being the mastermind who started Studio Ghibli, which has gone down in film history as one of the most influential animation studios within the last 30 years. Ghibli is often called “The Pixar of Japan” because of Disney’s US acquisition of the studio alongside the legacy that the studio has not only in Japan but all around the world.. Miyazaki started Studio Ghibli in 1984 during the production of Nausicaa.  Before this he was known for directing the film “Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro”.

What to Expect from this Month

As this is the Month of Miyazaki there will be at least 4 Reviews and the one rule of this month is that all of the films had to have been directed by Miyazaki. 4 reviews will be at the minimum because I want to review as much of his work as possible. There is also the possibility of seeing a video review come around as well. I am a huge fan of almost anything Studio Ghibli and this month serves as a way to express my fondness for these films and the beauty that each one presents in the visual medium of film. 

 

By The way this is where Month of Miyazaki came from!