Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli thread

[Jeffbiscuits]

I know this could be in the recommendations thread but I think it's deserving of an ongoing thread of it's own. I've seen a few Miyazaki movies but I'm interested to know other forumites favourites as I'd like to try to see some more. From what I've seen, his output appears for the most part to be very beautiful with great storytelling and charming characterisation and generally deals with very relevant themes except in very fantastical worlds and situations. I've seen Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service and The Castle of Cagliostro and I enjoyed them all. Anyone else have any favouritesthat they could recommend or is anyone anti-Ghibli? My favourite from what I've seen is Castle of Cagliostro for the solid adventure tale it tells but the charm and beauty of Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle still rate them very highly and despite Ponyo being a simple kid friendly love story, it's heart, wit and charm put it on a par with Disney and Pixar's best.

[Porkchopexpress]

I find much of that animation style an acquired taste, that being said I did watch 'Porco Rosso' the other day on Film 4 and was quite entertained, a fighter pilot becomes a pig, hilarity ensues, sort of.

I quite like 'Spirited Away' too, the story telling of those films is always decent, but the art style and almost in house way of drawing animation, leaves me disinterested.

Why is everyone drawn the same way? From the lowest budget to the highest budget? It's as if you must draw saucer eyed, pointy nosed people with no teeth, or face certain doom!

The emperor decrees it!

[morris]

Originally Posted by Jeffbiscuits

I've seen Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service and The Castle of Cagliostro and I enjoyed them all. Anyone else have any favouritesthat they could recommend or is anyone anti-Ghibli?

I respect the artistry and talent which goes into that exquisite and painstakingly detailed animation. The stories and characters are a matter of taste. I've seen Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. Spirited deserves accolades for its scope and imagination but Howl's is more accessible. But I'm feeling too old these days for those cute little faces, high pitched voices and Disney type stories so haven't seen Ponyo, it's not my thing.

[Jeffbiscuits]

Originally Posted by morris

But I'm feeling too old these days for those cute little faces, high pitched voices and Disney type stories so haven't seen Ponyo, it's not my thing.

Yeah Ponyo is very cutesy and sweet. It lacks the scale of other Miyazaki films but to be honest I liked it. The human faces in Miyazaki's films have always been kinda off. I think in aiming to make his work relatable to both Eastern and Western audiences, Miyazaki has gave most of his character's faces an odd mixture of the features of both.

[Jeffbiscuits]

I've just watched The Wizard of Earthsea. I know it's been all but disowned by the studio because Miyazaki's son couldn't measure up to him. I thought it was alright though and although not a scratch on other Ghibli films, it's a reasonably enjoyable film.