Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio that has been around for decades and is known for making top-notch animated films. Some of their movies have been re-released in theaters this year for limited runs. I happened to see an article about it this spring, and have gone to see each one. These are the movies I've seen so far:
- Princess Mononoke
- Kiki's Delivery Service
- The Secret World of Arrietty
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Grave of the Fireflies
Of these, the best by far is Grave of the Fireflies. But my goodness, if it's not the saddest movie ever made, it is at least a very strong contender. Longtime readers of this blog, who also have an excellent memory, might recall I wrote about this movie in a blog post from 11 years ago. (That was in the second month of this blog's existence; I can't believe it's been that long!) The movie follows a boy and his young sister as they try to survive on their own after their town is bombed during World War II. For most of the movie, they battle hunger and malnutrition. It sounds grim, and it is, but it is also a powerful and well-made film.
In this year's theatrical run, there's a very short interview after the credits with director Isao Takahata that adds a lot of interesting context. The movie is based in part on the director's personal experience. He was 10 years old in 1945 when his hometown in Japan was bombed. His house was destroyed by fire and he and his older sister escaped but ran the wrong way -- towards the city. It took two days for them to be reunited with their family, and he said it was the most horrifying experience of his life.
People asked him why he wanted to make a movie about that experience. "No one will want to see it," they said. He understood that, but said he thought there was a place for the story in animation, and that it could help expand the horizons of animated film. Boy, did it ever! In my blog post I mentioned earlier, I quoted Roger Ebert who said the movie "is an emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation" and he goes on to agree with other film critics who compare the movie to Schindler's List.
On a MUCH lighter note, I was absolutely delighted with the movie Kiki's Delivery Service. I had never heard of it before and it is incredibly charming from start to finish. I liked it so much that I bought a copy of it I found at Half-Price Books.
Finally, here's the schedule of theatrical runs of Studio Ghibli movies for the rest of the year:
- Ponyo: August 23-27
- Howl's Moving Castle: September 20-24
- Spirited Away: October 18-22
- The Boy and the Heron: November 15-19
None of these are as serious as Grave of the Fireflies, thankfully. I'm planning to see each one in the theater, and I'm very much looking forward to Spirited Away. I watched it once many years ago and loved it. Check these out if you get the chance!