Hayao Miyazaki for the win!

            What’s up everyone using the internet?  I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m still reviewing movies to make sure they don’t suck.  Now, if you recall my blog “15(ish) movies I'm geeking out about in 2012”, I mentioned a movie called “The Secret World of Arrietty” that is from the famous Studio Ghibli and the amazing Hayao Miyazaki.  It’s based off the novel “The Borrowers” which has been adapted many times in many ways.  Yes, this isn’t the first time it’s been animated, but for me, this one is the best.

            Now, for those of you aren’t familiar with anything by Miyazaki, I have some recommendations for you.  First off, check out Ponyo, which is a fairly recent film.  It’s about a young fish who becomes a girl and loves ham.  Another one I highly recommend is Princess Mononoke.  That one is a bit more complex, but the plot mixed with the sublime animation is perfection.  This was my first Miyazaki film, though I didn’t realize it at the time.  Now that I have more knowledge, I’m hoping to eventually see all the films he’s made. 

            If you still want more, rent My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away or even Kiki’s Delivery Service.  The last one isn’t my favorite, but it’s still worth seeing.  Anything Miyazaki does is amazing, in my opinion.  I love his work and he’s a very talented man.  The newest release did not disappoint me at all.

            So here I am, listening to some David Guetta remixes and looking up information about Hayao Miyazaki.  I’m ready to review.

           So, if you know anything about The Borrowers, you have a basic idea of what The Secret World of Arrietty is about.  Borrowers are tiny people, about four inches tall who live in houses.  They come out and take things from humans so they can survive.  Borrowers are very kind and only take what they need.  If a human sees them, they must immediately pack up and find a new home.  According to them, a being’s curiosity will always win out and it means the Borrowers are in danger.

            Got all that?  You do?  Good, because it will come into play later.

            As you’ve probably guessed, this movie is all about Arrietty.  She’s the only child of Pod and Homily.  At the beginning of the film, they believe they are the only Borrowers left.  Shaun, a young boy with a heart condition, goes out to the country to get some rest before his surgery.  While spending time out there, he meets Arrietty and they become friends.  Because of the Borrower’s rules, once they have been seen, the family moves away and Shaun never sees them again.

            Yes, the plot is very simple, but honestly, the visuals more than make up for it.  I know animation has some pretty cools things it can do, like computer animated stuff, but somehow, this made me think of a simpler time.  Everything is bright and detailed, almost like an oil painting.  The close ups are absolutely gorgeous.  You can tell the animators put a lot of thought and planning into the artwork.

            And you know what else I love about this movie?  It’s absolutely perfect for the little ones.  I would say you could take the children to see it because there is nothing objectionable or scary about it.  Then again, it has been distributed through Disney, which is famous for making family friendly films.  Say that one five times fast.  The only warning I can offer is that Shaun gives a little soliloquy about death and dying at a young age that does get incredibly depressing.  The movie is light hearted, but this one moment is so serious that it puts a damper on the overall happiness of it.

            I guess you could say this is sort about overcoming obstacles since Arrietty doesn’t let her size stop her.  She saves her mother from being trapped in a mason jar with Shaun’s help.  Everything happens as it should and has a happy ending. 

            I can’t help it.  The colors and the cheery overtones just make me love this film.  Knowing that Miyazaki wrote just makes it all the better.  Now, I know some people are not anime fans and I understand.  It’s sort of an acquired taste…like sushi.  Oh, speaking of sushi, I explained what it is to my five year old nephew.  His face was priceless.  I like sushi personally, but I also have fond memories of going to a place that serves it in Nacogdoches.  It was a tradition when I came to town, sort of a leaving feast.  The filias, some of our nerdy friends and I go out for sushi then I leave town on a four hour drive.  Plus, that’s the only place I have used a plate of sushi as a pillow.

            Yeah…it was finals week and I’d been awake for like…forty or more hours…that’s what I got for not finishing my linguistics project and my nonfiction portfolio.  I literally drank about a gallon of coffee.

            So there you go kids, procrastination is bad.

            And I’m wildly off topic.

            I do recommend The Secret World of Arrietty to everyone, even younger children.  It’s not scary, there’s nothing objectionable and it’s beautiful to look at.  Little kids will love it as well as adults.  The theme of being brave, overcoming obstacles and friendship come through clearly without being crammed down your throat.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I like saying wibbly wobbly.