10s Movie Review - The Wind Rises

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Animation/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, John Krasinski, Mandy Patinkin, Martin Short, William H. Macy, Werner Herzog, Mae Whitman, Jennifer Grey

Description: A look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designer Japanese fighter planes during World War II.

 
Review: Director Hayao Miyazaki based his last full-length film on a true story that seems strange at first glance. The Japanese filmmaker is famous and loved for his imaginative and fairytale style, shot with so much detail and feeling that strange worlds seem completely logical and familiar. “The Wind Rises” based on the life of aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi, is something else entirely in that regard. The story in the film unfolds more like a conventional drama. And yet again Miyazaki again managed to touch deeply with it.
This is in no small part because everything is again made with visible love. Even in a fairly straightforward and realistic story Miyazakis creativity is still evident. In the beautifully drawn images of course, and sometimes in smaller things: how airplane engines, earthquakes and explosions sound organic and almost human for example.
Despite such playful inventions, “The Wind Rises”is mostly melancholy in tone. The story is set in the difficult years in which Japan had to contend with, among other things, a great depression, a tubercoloses epidemic and World War II that was about to erupt. In the midst of this misery we find protagonist Jiro Horikoshi, a man who has been fascinated by airplanes since childhood. When he learns that he will never get to fly because of his bad eyes, he sets on designing them. Miyazaki makes the fierce ambition synchronize with Jiros love life. Both are full of passion, but also seem headed for destruction.
Jiros fate takes wry turns. For example, when he comes up with the idea of removing machine guns from planes to make them lighter, this implicitly gives birth to the idea of using the planes for kamikaze pilots in war. that must be about the opposite of how a designer wants to see his work used. But that is of secondary importance, Miyazaki wants to tell us. What you can’t influence, you have to be able to let go of. What life is about is the pursuit of personal goals and loves.
Perhaps that is also the though of a filmmaker who looks back on his career and with this film leaves an encouraging message for the coming generations of animators and directors at the renowned Studio Ghibli. As a farewell film, “The Wind Rises” may not be directly indicative of Miyazaki’s oeuvre, but it does illustrate his powerful vision and loving work ethic.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - Kiki's Delivery Service

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Animation/ Adventure
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 1989
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Janeane Garofalo, Julia Fletcher, Barbara Goodson, Matthew Lawrence, Debbie Reynolds

Description: A young witch (Kirsten Dunst), on het mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.

Review: The word witch has always evoked a very negative image in both fairy tales and film. The wizard, on the other hand, was often a good person. If witches need an advertisement to change their images, this film might be the perfect choice. The broomstick and black cat are present, but any other stereotypical images aren’t present. “Kiki’s Delivery Service” is a studio Ghibli film and therefore contains the magical animations you expect from the company.
The opening scene already shows why Studio Ghibli animations are so amazing. Kiki, a 13 -year-old witch, lies in the grass listening to the radio. Around her, all the grass blades are individually moving through the wind. Already you can see the amazing eye for detail and craftsmanship.
In this world, when witches are 13 years old, they have to move away from their parents and live on their own to find out what they are good at and gain life experience. That moment has come for Kiki and together with her talking cat Jiji she flies off to the coast, a place she always wanted to go. When she sees a big city, Kiki decides to stay there and help people. She soon finds out that things are different in a big city. Luckily she meets just the person, Osono, a woman who runs a bakery and offers Kiki a place to sleep and her first job: helping out in the bakery and delivering parcels.
There are many reasons to love this film. The animations is one thing. I always loved Hayao Miyazaki’s style, soft colors and creation of beautiful landscapes. Second is the story, which is a beautiful tale of a girl growing up and dealing with feelings of insecurity and who she really is.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 15: Princess Mononoke

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Animation/ Adventure

Runtime: 134 minutes

Year: 1997

Starring: Gillian Anderson, Lewis Arquette, Corey Burton, Jennifer Cihi, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Keith David, John DeMita, John Di Maggio, Minnie Driver, Alex Fernández, Jack Fletcher, Julia Fletcher, Pat Fraley, John Hostetter, Leslie ishii

Description: On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.

Review: “Princess Mononoke” is an animation by Hayao Miyazaki, who also created “Spirited Away” and “My neighbor Totoro”. Those movies were also suitable for children. “Princess Mononoke” is not, due to the theme and the amount of violence. Ashitaka is a prince of an isolated tribe and is cursed after a fight with a demonic boar. To save his life, he has to leave his tribe and find the origin of the demon. On his quest he encounters a mine colony and several animal tribes that have been in war for a while. Both parties are led by strong women: the mine colony is led by Lady Eboshi, and San, also known as Princess Mononoke, leads the animals. Eboshi gives shelter to former prostitutes and tries to give her people a good life. San is raised by wolves and wants to save the forest. Ashitaka tries to get the two tribes together.

“Princess Mononoke” is a beautiful fairytale like story, with strong themes and many layers. I’ve always loved Miyazaki’s style and the music he puts with it. The movie has many things: humor, an original strong story, atmosphere, interesting characters, emotion and it’s all balanced well. The great eye for detail is something I admire in Miyazaki’s work. Another great film from this amazing director. For fans of the genre it’s a definite must-see!

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 124: My Neighbor Totoro

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Fantasy/ Animation

Runtime: 86 minutes

Year: 1988

Starring: Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto

Description: When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.

Review: A great Hayao Miyazaki film, fun to watch for both adults and kids. “My Neighbor Totoro” is a new favorite!
Two girls move to the country, with their father, because their mother is sick and is staying at the hospital nearby. In the house their live little dusty creatures and the youngest sister, Mei, sees a little critter outside. She follows it and meets Totoro.

“My Neighbor Totoro” is a great film about fantasy and imagination. Totoro is adorable, with his broad smile and funny whiskers. And then there is the cat bus, how do they think of this? I wish I had seen this when I was a kid.

The movie just makes me smile. It starts out happy and light, but gets a bit heavier towards the end. That’s okay, because it’s part of life itself. The character of Totoro makes it bearable for the girls.

The animation is of a high standard, as we are used to from Miyazaki. Beautifully detailed and wonderful backgrounds. The film isn’t that long, so it is an easy watch. An absolute recommendation!

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 59: Spirited Away

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Drama/ Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Rumi Hiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yumi Tamai

Description: In the middle of her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures.

Review: In “Spirited Away” we meet Chihiro, who is moving to the suburbs with her parents. Dad thinks he knows a shortcut, but get lost. They see a tunnel and decide to check out what’s on the other side. Within seconds they end up in a deserted amusement park, where they find a food stand with delicious food. Chihiro just wants to leave, but her parents start enjoying the food. Because of their gluttony, Chihiro’s parents turn into pigs and she has to make it on her own in the world lead by witch Yubaba.
How weird this synopsis may sound, that’s how comprehensible Miyazaki’s world is presented. A wonderful ghost world emerges around Chihiro, that is populated by talking frogs, river gods, a giant baby and other wondrous creatures. The style is fantastic and truly inspiring.
The director manages to make the characters look creatable. His specialty is child behavior, which you can see in the young Chihiro. Where she comes off as a pouting kid at first, she turns into an independent girl with an open mind and notion for others, without losing her childlike manners. In between the lines you can also see some of Miyazaki’s personal worries, like pollution, greed and apathy. His social commentary is pure and honest.
There are still so many movies of Hayao Miyazaki that I have to see, but I’m so glad this introduction was made. “Spirited Away” is mesmerizing.

Rating: 4,5/ 5