Howl's Moving Castle

[auburngrad82]

Just watched it this weekend. It's right up there with Spirited Away for me. I thought the castle was quite Pythonesque, ie reminiscent of Terry Gilliam's artwork with the Python crew. All in all a wonderful movie.

[cleofus1]

1. i will

get that today!

[cleofus1]

2. i just watched it with the wife and kids

just wonderful!

[annabanana]

3. I have been hinting for months

to the sons & hubby to buy me Spirited Away & Moving Castle..
(So far no luck.. I may have to treat myself)

There was also one. . . Three Sisters (or something) of someplace French sounding.... Can anyone help me with the title?

[daleanime]

12. The Triplets of Belleville?

I believe it's French, afraid to say it's still sitting in my 'to be watched' pile.:blush:

[GOPFighter]

4. This was even better than Spirited Away

The character, Sophie, was an inspiration. She took every hardship in stride, treated everyone - even those who would harm her - with respect, and opened her heart to someone who was deeply flawed without questions.

This is a superb movie for anyone who can let themselves get lost in a whimsical fantasy world. Six thumbs up (I had to borrow a few).

[moggie]

5. Your mileage may vary

For me, this was not Miyazaki's best. Of course, an off-par Miyazaki is still ahead of the competition, but there was something about this one which didn't click for me. Partly, I think, it's because I didn't find the relationship between Sophie and Howl convincing, and partly it's because there was less character development. In Spirited Away, Sen/Chihiro develops from a petulant brat to a thoroughly admirable person. In Kiki's Delivery Service, the development is more introspective, but no less real (and perhaps easier to relate to). In Howl's Moving Castle, Sophie starts as a level-headed and self-contained person, and apart from her brief (and entertaining) flap after her transformation, that's how she remains. Yes, she was a good person, in the usual Miyazaki-heroine way, but... not much depth, perhaps?

Still, I will definitely watch it again, and perhaps get more out of it the second time around. I have to watch it again, because of the dub. Normally I'm a massive sub snob, and ignore dubs completely, but with Lauren Bacall and Jean Simmons in this one, who can resist?

[sakabatou]

6. I agree, this was not Miyazaki's best

Plus I think Joe Hisaishi has run out of ideas. He keeps using the same themes previous films for his music.

[RiDuvessa]

7. Another vote.

I much prefer Spirited Away to Howl. The movie seemed to meander around. The plot did not seem focused. Also, it seemed like the romance between Howl and Sophie was just a bad reproduction of the relationship between Chihiro and the Dragon.

Still even an average movie from Miyazaki is head and shoulder's above most of the animated movies we see hear. I'm also a huge fan of Princess Mononoke. A great movie with a great environmental message. It's much darker then Howl or Spirited Away though.

[OwnedByFerrets]

8. Its in my top five.

[Kind of Blue]

9. I'm just in love with Hayao Miyazaki/Ghibli Studios.

I think in the past month I've been fixated on him and the studio. The most recent, "Laputa: Castle in the Sky," "Princess Nausicaa," "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Princess Mononoke," "The Girl Who Leaped Through Time," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea," "Whispers of the Heart," "Graves of the Fireflies," Talk about animation heaven! My next is "Tales of Earthsea," and anxiously await "The Borrower Arrietty" due out this year.

[sakabatou]

10. Grave of the Fireflies... what a tearjerker

[Kind of Blue]

11. Yes, I was not expecting that and

cried like it happened to me. I saw a documentary on Studio Ghibli and the animator of Grave of the Fireflies, Takahata, said that as opposed to Miyazaki who is moved by the fantastic and never before seen, he is moved by depicting ordinary life and how it instructs us. Takahata is a master in his own right.