Howl's Moving Castle
Alright, I have wanted to see this movie ever since it was first released theatrically in English. In fact my quest to see Howl's was one of anguish and torment. I show up at the god*** theater and what does the clerk say, "No this is a special screening, you have to have a pass to see this." What the hell, I was never told of this pass. So I say to the clerk, "Listen theater-slave, this is America, a free country, if I want to see this movie I can!!" To which the clerk replies, "You f***ng idiot, this is England". So I left dejected, and suicidal, and had to wait for the DVD release.
So after a couple of months the DVD came out, and I watched it, and all I have to say is WOW.
Hayao Miyazaki, the master animator has returned to film-making, after another brief retirement, to direct what may be his final production, and he pulls no punches in this installment. So how did it do, huh, huh, HUH!!!???
Visual Quality- 23 points. Now I know what you all are thinking, "HEY RABBIT-MAN VISUAL QUALITY IS ONLY WORTH 20 POINTS, AND YOU GAVE THIS 23. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?" TO WHICH I WOULD REPLY "SHUT THE HELL UP, I'M IN CHARGE OF THIS NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" So if anyone has read vicious dreamer's review (it's right below this one go ahead, after you read this), you saw that extra points can be given, if the reviewer says so, TYRANNY DAMNIT TYRANNY. This movie looks awesome, everything moves so smoothly, and the castle looks amazing. This, quite possibly , could be Hayao Miyazaki's last film, and Studio Ghibli wanted to pull out all the stops for his swansong. The character designs are awesome as usual, and the main female character, Sophie, happens to look different from the classic Miyazaki female character (which is a good thing, creativity, nothing wrong with the original character designs).
Plot-28 points. This is where the whole movie falls apart. I was digging the beginning, and as the time began to pass by, I wondered, how the hell are they gonna finish this. Well shortly after I thought this all hell broke loose, and every plot point was solved, IN LIKE 3 SECONDS. What the hell? The ending is pretty much the only flaw in this movie, because it was freaking rushed, and it just didn't make sense. Also some relationships could be explored, possibly to explain the sudden romance that popped out of nowhere.
Characters- 28 points. I have no faults at all with the characters in this movie. They are all pretty cool, and developed about as well as they can be in a movie, DAMN TIME CONSTRAINTS. Wow I am really using some foul language, all right from here on in no more. So why did I take off that one point...Oh yeah, that scarecrow guy, I just didn't like him, it would be a spoiler if I said why though.
Music-9 points. Yeah I liked the music, it was pretty cool, I don't have much else to say about it.
Overall score-88
So I have graded this better than Mononoke, before you all attack me remember, that the gorgeous visuals are what gave Howl's such a good grade.
Edit: I changed the grade on this movie, it wasn't sitting well with me, it was a 92, and I think I misadded originally. I HATE YOU BASIC MATH!!!!
Edit: The mononoke grade has been increased, ignore the previous comment, and read the mononoke review
posted by Rabbit-man @ 3/12/2006 08:49:00 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
So was it robbed at the academy awards? Personally I haven't seen the other 2 nominees, so I can't say......
This comment is actually on your Akira comment (do you comment on a comment? I guess you do). Anyway, you're right on. Some freaking anime don't make any sense to me. You watch them, appreciate the prettiness of them and then say what the heck is with the plot. Not so for Miyazaki's though. I love each and every one of his movies.
I agree, it was robbed of the acedemy awards. Not that the freaking awards mean anything to loyal fans though.
Love your blogs. Btw, you can comment on my comment on your comment anytime (lol)
Yeah Akira was pretty messed up, when I first watched it, I was so excited. I had read all this great stuff, the music's great, the animation is excellent, etc..
When I watched it, I couldn't keep myself awake, (un)luckily for me, that awful music kept waking me up. Seriously all the music was, was a chorus of people going "DAAAAA". Come on even I can do better than that.
I spent a long time reading stuff about those old crufters who vote in the academy awards. They have some sort of system, and the lesser awards are given out to people who are nominated multiple times, but the voters don't like, (Ex. George Clooney). Since Miyazaki already won an award, they might want to give it to Wallace and Grommit (a newcomer in the feature length animation category). Now this may not be the case with Howl's, I have not seen Wallace and Grommit, (the claymation looks too unapealing to me) but it was pretty much guaranteed to win. I'll always like Howl's better though, and I would have given the award to it.
Dainbramage thanks for visiting the blog, I will try to update it on a weekly basis.
Technically, Miyazaki's last film is Princess Mononoke. Spirited away was the first ghibli film that was co-worked with someone else. And also, the girl looks different from typical Mizayaki girl in Spirited Away, because it is actually BASED ON A REAL PERSON. Just for you info.
OOH look at me I'm vicious dreamer I know so much about Miyazaki.
Besides who cares about spirited away, it's not like it was successful, or won an oscar or something.
Well how about this for nerdocity.
-Miyazaki has 2 sons
-Goro Miyazaki his son is directing a new movie Gedo Senki. Hayao Miyazaki is not on speaking terms anymore with his son, because he's directing the movie.
-My Neighbor Totoro is based on Miyazaki's early childhood. He used two sisters, instead of his brother and himself, because he said boys would remind him too much of his childhood.
-Miyazaki was going to make a movie about a caterpillar instead of Princess Mononoke, but his producer Toshio Suzuki told him to make Mononoke (thank god).
How about that huh HUH who's the bigger nerd now fool. Let us see you pull some even more obscure trivia about Miyazaki. BET YOU CAN'T FOOOL!!!!!!
All right, here's some more!
-Miyazaki makes great salt flavored ramen.
-He calls it "binbo ramen" which
means "poverty ramen".
-He refused to go to the oscar's last year because of fear of flying.
-He has his own museum in Mitaka.
-He believes there are little imps in his workshop called "ghibli-blee".
-Chihiro's mom and dad are based on one of the writers in Ghibli.
-Chihiro is based on a 9 year-old daughter of his friend that he hangs out at the summer house.
-His favorite animal is a pig.
Beat that! In your face, FOOL! Can't handle me cuz I AM GOOD! Need ice for that BURN?
Dude Miyazaki is afraid of flying my ass. HALF OF HIS MOVIES ARE ALL ABOUT MOTHER F***ING FLYING!!!
hE GOT THE NAME GHIBLI FROM MISPRONOUNCING THE NAME OF AN ITALIAN AIR PLANE. IT MEANS HOT WIND IN ITALIAN. THEY WANTED TO BE LIKE A BLAST OF WIND TO THE ANIME INDUSTRY.
VICIOUS DREAMER, YOU ARE GOOD, I AM GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just cause he draws a shit load of flying random anime, doesn't mean he actually likes Flying! Read his reason for not attending the 2005 academy award! HUH?! DID YOU READ IT?! HUH? Miyazaki used to live in the country side when he was little, and so he loves putting scenery of nature! He is saddened by the fact that many of his young colleagues grew up in the cities and does not know how it goes in the countryside!!! You are just a rabbit-fetus, I am supreme-fetus! Boy I sure love using exclamation mark a lot!!!
Oh what is this you know the guys emotions all of a sudden. What are you psychic, or PSYCHO?!?!?!?!
I remember watching this thing where Miyazaki was all pissed off that his team of (young) animators didn't know what a dog's mouth looked like.
Here's some more trivia
Miyazaki worked with Hideaki Anno of Evangelion fame on Nausicaa of the valley of the wind. He animated that see where the god soldier/ancient warrior died.
And while you may be a supreme fetus, I have to admit that I am a fully developed Rabbit-man, and a fully developed anything is far better than even an ultramega supreme fetus, with extra cheese a small box of fries, and a double sized milkshake.
what the hell? I leave for three years and some guy advertises penis enlargement!?!? Well no sir not on my watch. You can't just advertise on MY site without giving me money!
By the way I hope nobody clicks on that it probably leads to viruses or something.
And what's up with having to get a g-mail account to use blogger anyway?
Hi
I enjoyed a lot your wisdom rabbit man and vicious dreamer since I really like the movies made by Miyazaki (tought I only have had the pleasure to watch the most comercial ones). Is there some more animated movies I should watch apart from the ones you have reviewed in the blog?
pasto khalo...don't think wrong this means be happy in greek...
Well Germen you could always watch Tokyo Godfathers or other works by Satoshi Kon. In addition to that you should check out Porco Rosso another film by Miyazaki that doesn't get much attention nowadays. I actually highly recommend Porco Rosso it's weird that I haven't reviewed it yet.
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