WRITER'S NOTE: The following is a collection of reviews posted on my Instagram page @film_freeq. They’ve been organized by their initial theatrical release dates, and have been slightly edited.
The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
Based on Mary Norton's beloved children's book The Borrowers, and adapted and planned by Hayao Miyazaki, Arrietty tells the story of a family of tiny people who live under the floors of an old country home. To get right to the point, this is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen--and I don't say that about a lot of films. The detail alone is worth a viewing, including the way the feisty and courageous heroine runs or clips her hair up in a pin, or as in a scene where Arrietty and her father walk through a dollhouse. You can really feel this world.
There are worthwhile themes about the temporary comforts of home and the importance of discovering the world with bravery and understanding (themes that author J.R.R. Tolkien used in The Hobbit), even the fact that some of the greatest lessons can come from the smallest of actions, including kindness towards those that have so little or are in need of life-affirming morals. What a wonderful world indeed.
TRIVIAL FACT: A British dub was released in 2011, featuring the voices of Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, and Olivia Colman.
From Up On Poppy Hill (2011)
An engaging coming-of-age period piece, set in post-WWII Yokohama in the early-1960s, From Up On Poppy Hill follows a group of prep school teenagers who renovate an old philosophy building while the country is preparing to host the summer Olympics. Philosophical and political debates are present on school grounds while a romance blossoms between two students (Umi and Shun), until secrets from their pasts are revealed.
Director Goro Miyazaki made an improvement here over his 2006 feature, Tales from Earthsea, directing Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa's screenplay based on the graphic novel by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsuro Sayama. Poppy Hill recalls one of Ghibli's previous coming-of-age efforts, Ocean Waves, in terms of its more grounded story, with hardly any fantastical elements. Satoshi Takebe's score blends French New Wave with American jazz, while the country flags symbolize memories of Umi's late father.
Despite a few scenes where characters appear stiff (a montage of still-photographs, on the other hand, is quite effective), this is a well-made and lighthearted effort from Ghibli about the transitions, clashes, and lessons from the past for present and future generations.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)
An intriguing but mellow documentary on the history and legacy of Studio Ghibli, including insights into the work ethics of the company's founders--directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki.
Filmed in 2012 during the final stages of production on Miyazaki's The Wind Rises and Takahata's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, director Mami Sunada's footage reveals the organic process in creating and developing these films (as well as those that came before). Its creators even question the meaning of their work in current times, as well as "friendly competitions" over the years.
On the other hand, besides spending more time with Miyazaki-san than Takahata-san, this piece seems to present a pessimistic worldview that "the days of creative freedom are ending," culminating in the former's publicized "retirement" in 2013.
TRIVIAL FACT: If you want to see a more in-depth documentary, check out Kaku Arakawa's extraordinary 4-part series from 2019, titled 10 Years With Hayao Miyazaki, available on NHK until 2026.
The Wind Rises (2013)
Loosely based on the true story of aerial designer Jiro Horikoshi, who was responsible for conceptualizing and realizing fighter planes leading to the Second World War, Hayao Miyazaki's subtly-challenging but incredible film has less to do with politics and more to do with the pursuit and fascination of one's childhood dreams and the outcomes of inspiration and technology. It's also just as much a romance in more ways than one.
Stylistically, The Wind Rises takes a unique approach in its aural design (human voices are used as sound effects), echoing the story's dreamlike quality. Miyazaki's films have always had a great balance of fantasy and realism, so this unconventional visualization on a particular period in history is perfect for the medium of animation.
With themes ranging from war to loss and illness, this (along with Cagliostro, Porco Rosso, and Mononoke) is one of the studio's and director’s most mature films, intended for older audiences. It also marks Ghibli's 2nd project set around WWII (after 1988's Grave of the Fireflies). The experience is bittersweet and captivating.
TRIVIAL FACT #1: The Wind Rises was initially-but-briefly marketed as Miyazaki's last film. That is, until an announcement in early 2017 that he began work on a new project--the anticipated How Do You Live. (Lest we forget, he had considered "retirement" several times before.)
TRIVIAL FACT #2: Miyazaki has admitted in interviews that this was the first film of his that made him cry.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
There's an old Japanese folklore known as "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." In it, the titular character and his wife discover a tiny girl from a magical bamboo shoot, believing it's a sign from the heavens. Like that bamboo shoot, the child grows rapidly, and is eventually sent to a palace to learn and live the ways of a princess, much to the girl's chagrin.
Legendary animé director (and Ghibli co-founder) Isao Takahata made his first film in 14 years--and it would turn out to be his last, prior to his death five years later--with this exquisite, colorful, and beautifully-made adaptation (co-written by Riko Sakaguchi), renamed The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
Using the same animation techniques he did for My Neighbors the Yamadas (one sequence is even animated with chalk, resembling H.A. Rey illustrations, while another scene involving cherry blossoms is a joy), Kaguya has themes of identity, adolescence, love, free will, royalty, and country life. (There are a few non-gratuitous images of infant nudity, as well as a scene of breastfeeding.) The titular heroine's character and enthusiasm is genuine, infectious, and relatable, even as she struggles with the pressures of being "happy" or with signs of returning to where she truly came from.
Thanks to Joe Hisaishi's beautiful score and the extravagant artistry throughout, the film is both an epic and intimate journey. It also represents the cap of a long and incredible career for one of our most dynamic and underappreciated filmmakers.
When Marnie Was There (2014)
Based on the novel of the same name by Joan G. Robinson, When Marnie Was There is an evocative story about a shy, introverted 12-year-old girl named Anna, who visits her aunt and uncle at a seaside resort for the summer, due to an health condition. She soon discovers an age-old mansion and meets a mysterious girl named Marnie, who lives there and may or may not have an equally-mysterious link to Anna's past.
Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (who also made the splendid Secret World of Arrietty) crafted a bittersweet and challenging coming-of-age fantasy-drama about memory, friendships, and self-acceptance. The scenery (especially the lakes, whether at night or during the day) is breathtaking. The central repoirte and friendship between Anna and Marnie is kindred and full of understanding. And the overall tone of the film (including the epilogue) recalls cinema of the 1960s/1970s, capping off--at least, for the time being--an exceptional filmography from one of our great animation studios.
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