This movie caught me completely off guard. The characters are fun. The environments, beautiful. And the directing and costume work is outstanding. Based on the world-famous children's book by the same name, which everyone in their parent figure has read, Where The Wild Things Are follows a young boy named Max who has a very active imagination. Through clever directing and hidden clues, the audience can decipher that Max's parents are divorced and that his household is a troubled one to say the least. Because of this, Max feels very alone and, after getting into some trouble with his mom, decides to run away. While he's running he is transported into a strange world run by the "Wild Things." He quickly declares himself king of the new world by convincing the creatures that he has amazing magical powers.

It seems very simple and even slightly cliché as everyone has at least heard of the material it is based off of but it is actually a very complex story with real character. The film lets you, the audience, experience just enough time with each monster and they all feel very unique with differing backstories and relationships with one another. It turns what was once just a basic children's tale to a very serious and even sometimes adult movie with themes that many younger kids won't be able to connect with right away. Themes of dealing with depression and anxiety, being afraid to express yourself, feeling that you don't have a say in anything. This is still a kids' movie at heart, though. There are a lot of fantastical scenes that can be done because of the audience's belief that all of this is taking place inside Max's mind. In this fictional world, there can be a desert right outside of a forest which is also right outside of a mountainous region which also happens to be bordering a beautiful beach. It gives the sense that anything is possible in this world and creates a great suspension of disbelief.

One thing that I personally loved about Where The Wild Things Are is the blend of practical effects and CGI. All of the "Wild Things" are just men in well-made suits but the facial movements are done with CGI to make the creatures look real. The soundtrack also fits perfectly with the theme of the movie and will stick with you well after you've finished.

Where The Wild Things Are is wild!
Monday, February 29, 2016
SPOILERS FOR Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls

I’ve noticed a very good trend that has been sweeping the world of American 2D animation. Characters now are just more varied than five or even ten years ago. When you take a step back this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The kids who watched the cartoons of the nineties, which were taking their own leaps in technology and inclusiveness, are now old enough to get into the animation field themselves and make a difference based on the world that they have lived in. That world, our world, is more accepting of the LGBT community, other religions, races, and of a diverse community. The first show that I can remember that became diverse was Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. The setting of this show is a fictional universe based on the culture of various Asian countries, mostly China. Though my five-year-old self didn’t realize it, I was learning about a culture that I had never encountered up to that point in my life. It has story arcs, characters, and locations taken straight out of ancient Chinese and Japanese lore. Compare this to Xiaolin Showdown which aired around the same time. This show can only be described as well… racist. The Chinese characters speak broken English, have yellow skin, and slanted eyes. It might have been funny to older parents watching with their kids in the early 2000’s but now it is just appalling. Avatar, however, treats their characters of differing races with respect. For example, the Northern and Southern water tribes are based on the Natives of colder climates such as Alaska. Even their cultures take inspiration from both those Natives and of the Chinese lore surrounding the entire series. The Earth kingdom is reminiscent of ancient China while the Fire Nation is taken straight out of Japan. The Air Nomads are even based on Buddhist Monks. A much younger me didn’t realize it that a show that I love so much to this day was teaching me of cultures all around the world.

This show is still hailed to be one of Nickelodeon’s best shows they’ve ever aired.
In 2012 Avatar: The Legend of Korra aired. Being the sequel to Avatar gave the fans what they have wanted for a long time: more of this great world that they had come to love. Something was different this time. The scenic Chinese-inspired landscapes were replaced with bustling city streets reminiscent of New York City. Some fans were upset, some were indifferent. I saw this as something amazing. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, all of the cultures were separated by oceans or walls. In The Legend of Korra, however, all of those cultures merged into the melting pot of New York, named Republic City in the show. Because of this, the plot became much more political and adult that opened a lot of people’s eyes. It didn’t explore its new diversity too much until the very last episode. The last five minutes of the series finale, Korra, our main character, and Asami, our main character’s best friend, are hinted at to being gay. Because Nick has very strict guidelines as to what their shows can show, whether the two characters were in fact in a relationship was really up to interpretation, at least until about a month after the release of the finale. The two creators of the show went to Tumblr and confessed that Korra and Asami were in fact in a relationship. I could be wrong, but from what I’ve heard this is the first American animated show made for kids to have a lesbian relationship. And then came Adventure Time.

Adventure Time is an entirely different beast of a show. Though it has an overarching plot, the focus is on its episodic based comedy. And it is hilarious. The show does know when to get serious. The two female characters of Marceline and Princess Bubblegum have been hinted many times in the past of having a past relationship; mostly through song. After years of fan speculation, at a Q&A panel for the show, the voice actor of Princess Bubblegum finally stated that her character and Marceline had once dated. Again, this is a kid’s show. Cartoon Network continued to show its diversity in the fairly new We Bare Bears. The show is simple enough. A group of bear brothers go out and do human things because they can. It’s a comedy so I didn’t expect much of it. There is one passive character, however, that did peak my interest. This character, to put it bluntly, is Muslim. In our Islamaphobic country this caught me entirely by surprise. She isn’t even main character. Rather, she is just in the background in some scenes and nobody pays mind to her. Not in a ‘I’m scared so I’m not going to talk to her’ sense but more of a ‘she’s a human being so I should respect her as such’ kind of a way. This, at least to me living on the boarder of the North and the South, is awesome! A show that doesn’t care what their characters’ race, religion, or sexuality is. Again, this is a kid’s show. Finally, Steven Universe. Don’t mind that this show is great and kids and adults can enjoy just fine. The diversity in this is off the charts. In this show, all the super-powered aliens known as gems are women. Not just this, but they also have relationships with other gems. Therefore, not only does this show support an almost entirely female cast, but all of those women are also gay… kind of. The show does say that because the gems can shapeshift, they can choose whatever form they want. That doesn’t matter. The creator, Rebecca Sugar, is trying to say ‘who cares that the characters are women; have, what we would see as, gay relationships; and are of varying races’. The important thing is that they are people first. The latest of this great trend is in Disney’s Gravity Falls where two male police officers have been hinted at in the past to be in a relationship. At the series finale, however, it was more or less confirmed by the show itself and later confirmed by the show’s creator, Alex Hirsch, and Disney.

I love that I live in a time where not only the shows made for adult audiences are getting a treatment of diversity. Shows like Avatar, The Legend of Korra, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears, Gravity Falls, and Adventure Time are all shows made for kids that are respectfully diverse to all kinds of people. These shows are teaching kids to be more open to those who aren't necessarily the majority. That is awesome.
Sunday, February 28, 2016


Best Ghibli Movies ('Worst' to Best)

Tales From Earthsea
Interesting world and visuals but   confusing plot and bad pacing.

Porco Rosso
Fun characters and action but slightly boring plot.

Pom Poko
Fun characters and story but a tad too long.

Howl's Moving Castle
Interesting world and characters and great animation but confusing plot.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Great characters and good story but not quite enough exploration of the world. Also Shia Labeouf...

From Up on Poppy Hill
Great, likeable characters with clichéd story.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Great characters, story, and visuals but an underwhelming story and predictable last act.

My Neighbors the Yamadas
Funny, likeable characters in funny situations but a little too long as a movie.

Ponyo
Good story with fantastic visuals. The story is just good though.

Whisper of the Heart
Great story and characters but very clichéd story.

Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Stunning visuals with great story and characters but a third act that goes way to fast.

The Cat Returns
Clichéd characters. Clichéd story. But I love it.

My Neighbor Totoro
Great characters and visuals but not enough substance to hold my attention the whole time.

The Secret World of Arriety
Great characters and visuals with a fantastic soundtrack but an underdeveloped villain.

The Wind Rises
Good characters and story with beautiful visuals and genius sound engineering but poor romance and lack luster voice acting.

Princess Mononoke
Great characters and beautiful world but 10 minutes too long.

Grave of the Fireflies
Heart-rending story with a fantastic story.

Spirited Away
Great everything bit it's visuals aren't used to their full potential.

Kiki's Delivery Service
Fantastic characters and story.

When Marnie Was There
Beautiful relationships and story. I cry every time I see it.

-------------------------------

Best Action Award
1. Princess Mononoke
2. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Best Story Award
1. Kiki's Delivery Service
2. When Marnie Was There

Best Visuals Award
1. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
2. The Wind Rises

Best Miyazaki Film
1. Kiki's Delivery Service
2. Spirited Away

Best Music Award
1. Secret World of Arriety
2. Howl's Moving Castle

Best Atmosphere/Pacing
1. When Marnie Was There
2. Spirited Away

Friday, February 26, 2016
Honestly, I wan't expecting to like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as much as I did, especially since it is Miyazaki's first theatrical animation. I do have my problems with the film and I don't agree with some calling it Miyazaki's best one, but it is a good time with a lot of really great things going for it.

First of all, the story of the movie is surprisingly full. By that I mean there seems to be a lot of plot happening at all times with not a lot of "meaningless" downtime. Most of Miyazaki's later films have a lot of parts where the viewer can just take a break from the film but this one doesn't have that. I do like all of his other movies all the same and they are not worse because of it, I just think that it makes a movie of this nature flow really well for what it is: a fun adventure. The adventure feeling of this movie is done very well but, in my opinion, not quite as well as his next film Laputa: Castle in the Sky. I say this because in Laputa, the adventure came from the locations that they visited and the amount of time spent in those places. In Nausicaä, however, I felt that there was too much time spent in some locations and not enough time spent in others. For example, there is a scene where Nausicaä meets a boy and they talk in a magical place beneath a poisonous jungle. This scene has so much depth and great scenery that I was surprised not a whole lot of time was spent in it. The plot of the film isn't exactly straightforward but I'm not sure if I'm okay with that or not.

The film also takes a lot of twists and turns that I wasn't exactly expecting it to take and caught me a little bit off guard. There is a character named Kushana, who serves as the antagonist of the film. I found her as a very interesting character and just when I though they were going to explore her and maybe giver her some backstory or perhaps set up some kind of rivalry relationship with Nausicaä, they just never seemed to go through with it. It didn't necessarily take away from the movie as I thought the overall plot was done very well, but definitely was room for expansion.

The music, though good, was a little disappointing. The tracks did fit the mood of the scenes they were in but weren't very memorable in the long run. Something I would listen to, just not buy. I don't blame this on Joe Hisaishi. After all, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was his first film score and it definitely shows based on the overall quality. A phrase to describe it: generic adventure.

The voice acting was very good and Disney had a lot of talent come in for the roles. These voices include Uma Thurman, Patrick Stewart, and even Shia LaBeouf to name a few. They all did a great job of portraiting their characters. Except Shia LaBeouf. I don't know if it was the performance or just that he's become a living meme in the past year, but it just didn't click with me. It might be because the character looks a lot younger than LaBeouf sounds. It isn't too distracting; just kind of strange.

Overall, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a very well done first film for Miyazaki and, though not one of my favorites, I'm sure it has a place in many fans' hearts.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is very good with minor problems.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
When I write reviews I usually try to be pretty formal with just a hint of my own 'flare' and try to relate the film to my own experiences so I can share my personal feelings with the film. For When Marnie Was There, I just need to gush. There are very few films that I can call an experience. Honestly, the only other Studio Ghibli film that I feel comes close to this is Grave of the Fireflies, which I love. This film, however, is something a bit more. I do have my problems with it which I will state, but I just have to say this: When Marnie Was There is one of my favorite films of all time. Time to gush.

This film is absolutely beautiful. It manages to tell a great mystery and a great relationship while keeping the Ghibli type of great soundtrack and visuals that will blow anyone away. First of all, this movie is one of the most visually striking Studio Ghibli movies I've ever seen. The animation isn't movement-based like in a film like The Wind Rises. Instead, it's more focused on a still. The still marsh or the still feelings of a character. That doesn't mean that when the film goes into a lot of movement it's bad as it's the exact opposite. Everything about the animation, the color choices, and the backgrounds are just beautiful. Just look at this still from the movie. 
Though the animation and art is brilliant, what really gets me is the relationships between the characters. Anna is a blatantly depressed pre-teen with a lot of social anxiety. She comes to her foster-mother's sister's house to get away from everything and to fix her asthma problem. When she arrives she meets her eccentric 'foster-aunt' and her husband that bring her in with open arms. Though these two characters don't get a whole lot of screen time in the grand scheme of things, they are still very fun people who know how to get along with people.

The main pull of the film, obviously, is the relationship between Anna and Marnie. Without spoiling anything, their relationship growth is extremely well paced and has a very natural feeling. At the start of Anna's vacation, she feels alone and Marnie is there to fill a gap in her life that she doesn't have: a friend. As the plot progresses, however, Anna learns of Marnie's past and soon has to comfort her. It's a constant push and pull that feels very natural. It feels very natural when the voice acting isn't getting in the way, at least. This is the only minor problem that I have with the film. I don't know if the voice actors were just directed badly or if it was just some of the actors phoning it in. It isn't too bad or too distracting; just noticeable.

The music of the film is, obviously, amazing. When Marnie Was There was Takatsugu Muramatsu's first score for an animated film and he hasn't scored too many movies but it is still absolutely beautiful. And to anyone who has seen the movie, I want to hug whoever chose the song for the end credits.

Is the film about a young teen trying to get over her anxiety and depression? Yes. Is it about a young teen secretly wanting to forgive someone that she loves? Yes. Is the film secretly about Anna accepting her sexuality? Well, that's a story for another day.

When Marnie Was There is a beautiful, wonderful, fantastical experience.


Monday, February 22, 2016
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya completely caught me off guard. I was second guessing the story throughout the majority of the film and it was an immense amount of fun. The story starts out with a short narration about a bamboo cutter who comes across a glowing bamboo shoot while he was working. When he cuts open the bamboo shoot he finds very small girl who he believes was destined to be a princess. His wife convinces him to take care of her and the small girl immediately transforms into a baby. The couple takes the child in and begins to raise it as there own. When the baby starts aging rapidly and the bamboo cutter finds "gifts from the gods" in some of the bamboo shoots, he decides that when the child is old enough he needs to have the her become royalty. Already the film has a crazy set up if you don't know the lore behind it. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is very heavily taken from Shinto myth (among others) of "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" which is a great story alone but is expertly transcribed for the film. A great story told in words isn't always the best expressed on the big screen. For example, I found that the pacing in the movie was a little slow for my taste at times. I get that the story takes place across many years, but there are a lot of unnecessary scenes. It doesn't bother me too much, however, as the animation and music is just so great. The animation in the film is very unique and fascinating to look at. The animation is beautifully hand drawn with a great variety of colors depicting gorgeous landscapes and wonderful character animations. One scene that I love in particular is one where Kaguya is very angry at the world and she just runs. The entire scene is her running and it is gorgeous. Even without any context the audience can see the struggle she is going through as the usually detailed areas and lines turn into jagged and messy scribbles the angrier she gets and the more emotional walls she breaks through.

Past this scene, however, they didn't utilize this as much as I thought they did. They did use the art style very well but there could always be a bit more. The music in the film is also great, of course. Though not the most varied of soundtracks, it sounds like what you would (stereo-typically) expect from a film rooted deep in eastern tradition and some of the tracks are very memorable. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a slightly strange, slightly magical take on an old tale with a wonderful art style and great music.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a marvel. It also has one of the most emotionally jarring endings I've ever seen in a film.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Everyone has those movies that, despite its flaws, they unconditionally love. The Wind Rises is definitely one of those films for me. The film is not only a marvel by a technical and sound engineering standpoint, but because of the tone that it gives off. Throughout the entire picture there is an almost sort of melancholy feel because of the situation that these REAL people are in.

Jiro, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a young airplane engineer who's only passion in life is to make "beautiful airplanes" as he eloquently puts it. The only problem, however, is that he is making them for the Japanese military during WWII. It does seem like a very futile passion but the amount of heart that he has for his craft is astounding. So much so that I smile every time he talks about different types of rivets he can use or how the wind affects the pressure on the wings of the craft. His enthusiasm just seems so genuine. Because of his situation, Jiro feels a sadness for the downed planes that he designed and sometimes blames himself for the deaths in a war that he opposed in the film and in real life as The Wind Rises is based on a true story. This is partly the reason for the flaws that the film has. Because the story of Jiro Horikoshi is a real one, the pacing slows down considerably about halfway through when the romance is introduced. I don't have a problem with the romance with Satomi in theory but there is way too much time focused on it and not on where the movie truly shines: showing Jiro's passion for building aircraft. The overall story is very good, albeit flawed.

The thing I love about the film the most, however, is the technical side and the production. For example, the hand-drawn animation is hands down the best I've seen in any 2D animated feature. There's a particularly memorable and mind-blowing scene where a town is being ravaged by an earthquake. The ground rolls and the train tracks roar as the city of Tokyo is demolished somewhat beautifully because of the animation. Another astounding scene is a pseudo-montage of Jiro sitting at his desk designing a plane. Sounds boring in theory but the animation makes it something gorgeous. Jiro, and therefore the audience, feel the emotion, the wind, and the passion for the project. The Wind Rises also boasts an amazing score by the one and only Joe Hisashi. The music is purposefully Italian with light woodwinds and dark brass fluttering sixteenths to give the film a 'flighty' feeling; no pun intended. Another extremely fascinating technicality of the movie is the use of REAL sound effects. By that I mean that most of the sound effects, from plane engines revving up to the rising of the wind, are done entirely by mouth. At first it can be a little jarring, especially if you notice it during your first viewing, but you quickly get used to the genuine sound of it and appreciate it greatly. All of technical aspects aside, The Wind Rises is an exceptional, though flawed, movie. It has fantastic sound design, amazing animation, and a great true story.

The Wind Rises is extraordinary.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
I find From Up On Poppy Hill to be awkwardly enjoyable. The characters are cliché, the music is just what you'd expect, and the visuals are simple yet charming. Even so, this film is great in it's own way. Every critical bone in my body is saying that I shouldn't enjoy this movie but for one reason or another I smile every time I watch it. This is mostly due to the characters, cliché as they are. I feel that most critics believe that not breaking from the norm is a bad thing. From my point of view, it isn't always and this film is a great example of that. There is little to nothing 'new' that this film does but I love it. The characters have arcs that, though aren't terribly predictable, aren't anything new. The main relationship is between high-schoolers Umi and Shun. Their friendship starts out rocky but they soon realize that they have feelings for each other and it buds into something more. When Umi shows Shun a picture of her deceases father, however, Shun notices that he has the same picture and that their father may be one in the same. This is a semi-new idea, at least for American storytelling, but quickly becomes predictable with an ending that you can see coming near the end of the second act. One sub-plot that helps build the relationship of the two lead characters is also very predictable. An old building that houses most of the school's clubs is soon going to be demolished and it is up to the members of the clubs to stop it from happening. With the help of Umi, the club members decide to clean up the building in order to look presentable enough to be saved. We all know where this goes: the company head who wants to take it down has a change of heart and decides not to tear it down. The entire film is like this but I don't seem to mind. It might be the simplicity of it all or maybe even the voice acting but I just can't dislike this movie.

From Up On Poppy Hill is enjoyable yet cliché.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Out of all the Studio Ghibli productions I've seen The Secret World of Arrietty surprised me the most. The animated film has wonderful visuals and characters, a fantastic soundtrack (that I will buy shortly after writing this), and an unexpectedly melancholy theme. Though I've never read the book that the film is based on, The Borrowers, it feels like Studio Ghibli paid very close attention to detail with its scenes and visuals. It's hard to explain and I can only say that the Borrowers feel small but not weightless. When Arrietty is climbing a curtain or sneaking around the ledge of a vent, it gives the sense that we're with her; at least in the way the environments are portrayed. Speaking of which, these environments are beautiful and colorful. Not in the Spirited Away or Ponyo sense, but, again, they feel large and lush. The characters are also all well developed and each one is very likable besides maybe Arrietty's father, Pod, who is just a little bit stale. The story is predictable but the set-up is so clean and the ending so perfect that I don't have a problem with it. That seems to be a complaint with a lot of Studio Ghibli's movies but the characters in those films are just so likable that it doesn't seem to bother me so much. The soundtrack is something to behold. The main composer Cécile Corbel, does a great job portraying adventure and curiosity but in a sort of tribal tone that I can appreciate. Arrietty's Song alone is enough to watch the film and have a good time. The only real problem that I had with the film was the English performance of Sho, Arrietty's human friend. I can understand that his character is one that has in a sense given up on life, but near the end of the film his voice inflections seem very far and few between. Even he does show some emotion it seems just a little bit forced. The melancholy theme of the picture seems like it wouldn't fit but because of Sho and Arrietty's character arc it makes the takeaway feel so satisfying.

The Secret World of Arrietty is a great time all around.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Some of my favorite Studio Ghibli films are the ones that have the audacity to stop. In the world of high-octane action thrillers it's sometimes nice to see a movie, or really all of Ghibli's movies, that want to reflect on itself as the film goes. Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea is a great film that does this very well. I honestly don't know why I haven't seen much on this movie in the past five years that it's been out. I find this odd because this movie is, abbreviated, beautiful. Not in the Spirited Away "filled with magic" sense, though this film still has that, but in a "let's relax for a little bit" sense. There's no fights and the animation isn't used for fast-paced action, but that's not a bad thing. One of the most beautiful scenes in the entire movie is right at the beginning where the "antagonist" Fujimoto is dropping some sort of elixir into the water at the bottom of the ocean. The fish swirl around him and rub against the air bubble that he has enclosed himself in. It feels almost as if he's conducting the sea. In the scenes with a heavy emphasis on water, the animation is absolutely stunning with dark to light blues serving as a compliment for the colorful and diverse fish. Even when the scenes get a little bit intense, like on a certain stormy night, the viewer still has a clear understanding of what's going on. Honestly, the directing of this film in particular is some of Miyazaki's best work. Miyazaki can't take all the credit. Joe Hisashi, the man who has composed for every one of Miyazaki's films, shows off some of his best work in Ponyo. The fluttering melodies show the listener images of adventure and magic but also have a subdued "under the surface" feel that fits the theme of water so well. Unfortunately, this film doesn't have many problems. One that did bother me, however, was that some of the character's reactions to the mere existence of the creature known as Ponyo. Some might chalk it up to the character simply not believing it at all. It is really up to speculation. One sad thing about this film is that it's only great. The music is fantastic, the visuals are mind-blowing, and the story, though simplistic, is heartwarming all the same but I believe that it could have been even better.

Ponyo is simply wonderful.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this film. On one hand it is really enjoyable especially because I'm a sucker for mid evil fantasy stories but on the other hand it does absolutely nothing special. Though Tales From Earthsea doesn't do much that is spectacular, it's opening is great. Right off the bat you see an old ship in dangerous waters, two dragons fighting, and wizard accompanying the ship's crew. This screams mid evil fantasy and I love it when movie intros set up the setting so seamlessly. Right after this scene, however, is when the problems with the film are introduced. We see our first glimpse of the main hero, Arren (yes, that's how it's spelled), as he does a spoiler-free bad deed and receives a mysterious and magical sword out of it. This brings forth the problem with Arren. Until the end of the movie, his feelings about the bad deed he has are only slightly mentioned by the directing. Movies are supposed to show and not tell but at times I feel that the movie isn't showing enough of the character's emotions which make some of them come out at times bland and uninspired. I believe this isn't because of the writing or characters themselves. Rather, it is because of the slow pace of the film. Ghibli's films have always been slow paced but in Tales From Earthsea it seems like the pace is more of a hindrance to the experience rather than part of it. A way, I think, this could have easily been fixed is if the movie was given more action. The reason Princess Mononoke wasn't boring was because it had action sequences during the sections that could have been downtime. In this film, though I enjoy relationships between some of the characters and therefore enjoy some of the downtime, there is just too much of it. What I do love about the film I love. The music, though nothing groundbreaking, is very good and fits with the setting quite nicely. The varied environment are also very nice. The bustling town, the windy desert, and the farm by the cottage. All of these are very nice to look at and don't linger too much before the story progresses. Again, I am very torn on Tales From Earthsea. It is a fun adventure with good characters but the pacing can blind the average viewer from a lot of the good that this movie has to offer.

Tales From Earthsea is not great but worth a look. 
Monday, February 08, 2016
I don't love Howl's Moving Castle. The film has a lot of problems that some may see as nonredeemable to the movie as a whole. I agree with some of the complaints. First of all is the story or what one can assume is the story. Sophie is a young hatter who is turned into a ninety year old women by the evil Witch of the Waste. In order to reverse the curse, she sets off into the waste to find the witch and demand her vitality back. While in the waste, she comes across Howl, and infamous wizard; the power source of the castle, Calcifer; Howl's apprentice, Markl; and a wandering sentient scarecrow dubbed Turnip-head. When Sophie finds herself in Howl's moving castle, she decides to convince them to let her stay by pretending to be their new maid. They quickly accept her and their 'adventure' ensues. This is when the movie stops. Sophie wants to get back to normal but she seems perfectly content with her new life throughout half of the movie. Because of her acceptance in being a ninety year old non-paid maid of a wizard, I don't have any real feelings toward her character. After this point subplots just seem to happen. In my eyes, the film doesn't have a whole lot of focus. I know that most of the Miyazaki's films are just adventures with "things happening" but in his other films they happen mostly because of the main characters' ambitions. In Howl's Moving Castle no one has a whole lot of ambition. This doesn't mean I dislike all the characters; I don't. Calcifer is a lot of fun and Howl's backstory, though not shown a whole lot, is interesting. That's about it though. The Witch of the Waste is boring and her motive doesn't make a whole lot of sense and Sophie is simply a bland character. I know what the movie was trying to do with her: physically show her gaining more confidence by having her grow young the more she has. I did like this aspect of the movie but I didn't really like Sophie as a character. Turnip-head was really cute and fun until the end when (spoilers) he turned out to be the panacea for the entire war. I don't completely dislike the movie. The soundtrack is one of my favorites of any Studio Ghibli production and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous. Howl's Moving Castle is a good movie at heart that seems to get lost in itself very easily. The plots are everywhere and only some of the characters are likable but I kind of love it only for the Miyazaki quirkiness that it provides and Joe Hisashi score.

Howl's Moving Castle is a magnificent mess.
Sunday, February 07, 2016
This movie is just so brilliant and deceptively simple. On the one hand, the story is sort of predictable and there is nothing fantastic about the animation or music but the characters are just so great and relatable that I can't help wanting to go on this adventure with them. Haru starts off as an irresponsible high school student but with a brave mind but blossoms into a responsible adult with experience by the end of the film. Her journey starts off suddenly when she saves a cat from getting run over by a truck and the cat is conveniently a prince of a cat kingdom and wishes to reward Haru for her kindness. This movie is weird but I love it. After she is gifted various objects and treats that only cats would want, the cats' final step is to have her marry the same prince that she rescued. Wanting her life to stay the way it is, she seeks the help of the private-eye cat named Baron (the same one from Whisper of the Heart) and goes on an adventure to escape the cat kingdom. Very strange plot but it works for the message and adventurous style that the film is going for. Though The Cat Returns is only seventy-five minutes long, there is still enough time for every main character to get time in the spotlight and grow. Honestly there's not a whole lot to say about the film. There isn't any deeper meaning or mysteries. It's just a fun adventure that anyone can enjoy.

The Cat Returns is fun and simple. And that's all it needs to be.
Wednesday, February 03, 2016
One word to describe this movie: fantastic. Dare I say that it's Miyazaki's best? Yes. I agree with most of the rest of the world that this film is Miyazaki's 'magnum opus'. Not just because it put the film director on the rest of the world's radar but of how down-to-earth this movie is. It has its own set of morals that some of his other works can only dream to achieve. Two of these that I see flung around the internet a whole lot and that go hand in hand is Chihiro's stumble into adulthood and the importance of names. When Chihiro first comes across the mysterious spirit bathhouse she is meek and has to heavily rely on others to find her path for her. Throughout her journey, however, she comes across characters and scenarios that challenge her both physically and mentally. When her parents coerce her into entering what they think is an abandoned amusement park she twitched at the idea of entering a world that was unfamiliar to her and, more importantly, a world that she could see as a potential threat; a basic human instinct. This all changes when she is cut off from her parents and has to see the world in a new light. Chihiro has to decide for herself what is good and evil and she soon finds out that it isn't as black and white as most people think. Yubaba is greedy but she also finds out that she has a troubled past and a surprisingly hard life. Boh, Yubaba's child, is selfish and unwilling to learn but is only like that because he has never gotten the chance to learn. This theme is most obviously expressed in the character of No-Face. No-Face is a dark and mysterious spirit. Chihiro unwittingly lets him in the bathhouse because she never truly believed in the push and pull of spirits in the first place. Though this causes havoc later in the bathhouse, the aftermath is something almost fulfilling. No-Face starts out wanting to please Chihiro. He wants to thank her for her kindness but becomes frustrated when she respectfully refuses. He ends up lashing out anger, gobbling up spirits left and right just so he can get satisfaction from anything. In the end, however, Chihiro forgives him and he receives a friendship, though awkward at first. The best scene in this ark of the movie is that of the train to Zeniba's house. They just sit there. Not scared of each other. Not even mad at each other. It feels like more of a mutual respect. Moreover, a break from all the tense action that had just taken place minutes earlier. Chihiro's multiple names comes to mind shortly after viewing the film. In Japanese, the name Chihiro can mean many things based on the Kanji used. In Spirited Away, 'chihiro' means 'thousand fathoms'. In short, her name means 'one thousand problems or trials'. In the bathhouse she has to go through many trials to get her name and her identity back. The symbolism intentionally gets very deep in this film. Chihiro's journey is one of love and loss and a search for something more. The only problem that I have with the film is that Lin, Chihiro's mentor, doesn't get any kind of resolve. Overall, though, it is a fantastic movie with a lot of substance.

Spirited Away is fulfilling.
Tuesday, February 02, 2016
This movie really took be by surprise. By the art style and tone of the film you wouldn't think that it would be this good and relatable. My Neighbors the Yamadas is a film of stories. It has different chapters of the Yamada's life split up into small short stories that make the film. This is the movie's greatest strength and weakness as at about half way through I checked the progress bar to see how much of the movie was left. Though I do enjoy all of the little stories, watching them all in one sitting is just a little bit overwhelming. I would have probably taken a break half way through if it weren't for the wonderful cartoon art style that the film is showing. The entire feature feels like it was ripped straight from a comic book and just looks great the whole way through. There were a couple scenes on the Yamada's TV that even look rotoscoped from real broadcasts, though it could just be that the animation team was brilliant. This is also the funniest Studio Ghibli movie I've seen with the comedy not coming from slapstick or action like with some of Ghibli's other films, but rather with just an interesting family being interesting and inherently funny. None of the situations that the characters seem to get themselves into are too far fetched from reality. All of them are relatable. How many times have you gone to school or work just to realize half-way through your trip that you had forgotten a crucial object needed for those activities. Or how many times have you fought with a family member over what you wanted to eat for dinner? That is the comedy that My Neighbors the Yamadas provides and it is always on point. The music in the film can be described in one word: happy. This word can really describe the whole movie. If I had one problem with the movie it's that the youngest sibling, Nonoko, didn't get as much screen time as I would have liked. The very first short story was centered mainly around her but I would have liked more from her because of how much I enjoyed her personality. In fact all the characters have personality and I loved each and every one of them.

My Neighbors the Yamadas was unique.
Monday, February 01, 2016
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