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View Profile MagicalSarai
I have multiple personalities... and they all say you're an idiot. ^.^

Age 38, Female

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Joined on 6/29/09

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Sarai the critic... again

Posted by MagicalSarai - August 20th, 2009


Ok! So I'm a lover of Hao Miazaki!! I love Studio Ghibli films... first one I EVER saw was Princess Moononoke... then My Neighbor Totorro... then Spirited Away... Nausica and the Valley of the Wind, Kiki's Delievery Service, the Cat Returns... Howl's Moving Castle... love all of their films and Miazaki is a bloody genius!!

So since Howl's... we haven't had a new Studio Ghibli film in almost four years... so I was quite excited to learn the Miazaki's new film Ponyo... not only had been released, but a theater in my area was showing it!!! I don't normally go to movies by myself... I don't normally pay to see movies in theaters (I let other people take and pay for my movies)... but this is one of those rare exceptions (like Star Wars).

I went to see Ponyo and now I'm going to give you my thoughts... here's me with my critic's cap on.

Ponyo - 4.5 out of 5 stars
Thoughts: Yes... it's a children's movie... don't expect it not to be. However, in a world where hand drawn animation is slowly vanishing... this is a masterpiece of artwork. It's drawn beautifully and it's a cute story. The art is adorable and it not only fits within the Japanese "chibi" fetish that is going on at the moment... but Miazaki has changed his art form to encompass the feel of this timeless fairy tale... (it's based loosely on the japanese version of the little mermaid).

The voice talent (because it was english dubbed) was phenomenal!! Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon... it was such a great cast and the story was never boring. I found myself sitting their looking in awe at the screen... because it was such a complexity of art and story!!

Now it was a great story that ended... rather anti-climatically, but I have to take into account that Miazaki was making a children's film this time. He didn't want a complex and ambiguous ending (like spirity away) and he didn't want a central conflict that devided audiences (Princess Moononoke and Howl's) and there wasn't a "villian" so to speak... but that doesn't detract from the movie's message or it's adoration. Yes, the adult audience will be somewhat like, "Well that just ended to easily." However, it's not a feeling of unfulfillment so much as it is... a warm happy feeling that you know... these main characters will live an good life... and it's nice to see a truly HAPPY ending in today's film society!

Go... turn off your brain and enjoy this movie if you get the chance to see it in theaters. You will be pleasantly surprised and you will enjoy it. If you don't get the chance... rent or buy this movie... it's classic and it will become a staple of your movie library!

Sarai out!


Comments

OMG I LOVED SPIRITED AWAY! It was the first one i saw. then i saw My negbor Totoro and i can't even remember if i saw any others but i know i did. any ways let me read the rest of this...

Spirited Away was amazing... Howl's was perfection!! Princess Mononoke was beautiful... this one was amazing!!