Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Visual storytelling, masterful Miyazaki

So for this week's posting I wanted to just point out one movie that's received some really good accolades abroad that (I believe) is making it's way to US theaters and homes soon. This last installation by legendary  Miyazaki and renowned Studio Ghibli portrays Japan in the 1920's amid their own social strife from a disastrous earthquake, and war abroad. This story is set to a more serious tone than previous works, somewhat along the same lines as Grave of the Fireflies, with hopefully a not-so-melancholy ending.

I just wanted to draw attention to the story-telling that Studio Ghibli brings to their animated worlds - storytelling that blurs lines of good and evil, makes us as the viewer at times despise ourselves and our inclinations as humans, and expose undertones and themes left out of the light and kiddish animated films we have grown up with here in America.

Some great films to watch include:
  • Castle in the Sky
  • Whisper of the Heart (realistic unlike most of their movies, motivational)
  • Spirited Away
  • Howl's Moving Castle
  • From Up On Poppy Hill (realistic, really good movie!)

Here's the trailer: The Wind Rises


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1 comment:

  1. Connor WhiteApril 13, 2014 at 11:51 PM

    It's a shame that Miyazaki won't be making films anymore, but this one looks like it will be fantastic. My favorite film by Studio Ghibli is Princess Mononoke. It's another one of the darker Miyazaki films but it's visually gorgeous and superbly explores the role of nature in our lives through its moral grayness.

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