Howl's moving castle - Affection, Magic, Senile

Back to criticism the animation again. Today's animation is named Howl's moving castle, certainly created by the Studio Ghibli again :D But, this animation is based on an English youth novel by Diana Wynne Jones. This animation is nominated for Oscar and another 7 wins & 13 nominations but regrettably that can't win Oscar award. Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Brimming with a blend of imagination, humor, action, and romance, "Howl's Moving Castle" recently played to great acclaim at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, and has become one of the biggest blockbusters of all time in Japan. The film has already earned more than $200 million at the international box office.

Brief story- The story has begun in the world that accepted in magic, wizard, sorceress or even devil. During the war in Ingary territory, a girl named Sophie Hatter who is the oldest sister of Hatter's family inherits her father's job. At that time, many girls in the town are warned for an evil wizard and a moving castle that always catching a pretty girls, stealing their soul. His name is "Howl". At one night, an ugly sorceress from Waste is visiting Sophie's hat shop and Sophie make her upset. Therefore, the sorceress curses on Sophie becoming a senile with 90 years old and then the sorceress leaves. Sophie can't forbear to face people in her condition so, she is going to meet her sister who is a sorceress and wish that her sister can help her to cure the curse. During the journey, she meets and helps a scarecrow named Kabu. So, Kabu rewards her by giving her a cane and finding a shelter for her. The shelter which Kabu discovered is Howl's moving castle. In the castle, Sophie meets a strange fire, it has eyes, mouth and it can even speak. Its name is Calcifer who is a fire demon that always keep the castle moving. Calcifer promises with Sophie that if Sophie can help him to set him free from Howl, He will cure Sophie's curse. Beside Calcifer, Sophie also befriends a little boy named Markl who has practiced magic with Howl. Then, she establishes herself to be a cleaner of this old and dirty castle implicitly. When Howl comes back, he meets Sophie and feeling little doubtful that Calcifer obeys to Sophie because Calcifer will not obey everyone except Howl. Howl is not kicking Sophie out of the castle and he also discovers the curse from a Waste's sorceress. Then, the king has the order to collect all wizards and sorceresses, preparing for the war. The order is transmitted to Howl in his fake name "Jenkins and Pendragon" also. With the feeling in Sophie mind and Howl goes higher day by day and in the dark door, Sophie meets Howl's past and a lonely secret of howl yet.


Trailer^

Criticism- Many scenes not only towns which created in English style but fields, flowers, lakes were created in English style too. Designing the weapons, demons, magic and the moving castle are suitable with the plot, making this movie verily fantastically. Because of Miyasaki loves England so, designing is not really hard for him. Some plots is not describing the details too much so, many things must guess by yourself but it's not important thing of the movie then, you can look over that. In the part of Sophie, when she is not cursed to be a senile, she is only a little tractable girl. She accepts her destiny like she inherits her father's job. It's not mean she doesn't like making the hat but she discovers that created hat is not fitting with her face. But, when she becomes to a senile, she discovers that she can solve the problem better. She can destroy her obstacle by her bravery that when she was young she never thinks to destroy it. One point that this movie emphasis is decrepitude isn't bad all the time. Howl's personality is strange because of he is more kind to Sophie than the others but the reasons will answer at the end. Beside of these two, Calcifer (a little fire demon) is the star of this movie because of his cuteness and his character. The most annoying character is an ugly sorceress from Waste who loves to agitate the others but she is still an important character yet. The interesting part is the plot of castle's door that can spin to 4 colors and each color will lead to each place. Affection between Sophie and Howl seem to be tightness because of limited time. Maybe, see it again will help to profound understanding about the relationship of these two persons.

Summary- Howl's moving castle was the last movie which Miyasaki produced. His son will produce next movie instead of him. Even though, however, this is the last movie but the quality of his work is not reduced. Howl's moving castle in his imagination is fantasy than I think because the novel is not clearly show the concrete object yet (I guess). But Miyasaki can make the fantastic castle, romance love in a divisible without a remainder fantasy movie.

Credit : http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=dreamland&month=05-2005&date=10&group=2&blog=1

story 8/10
picture 9/10
amusement 6/10 because of I don't like romance movie : p
worth 9/10
overall 8/10 give the score by myself : D



Ending Song-The Promise of the World (Sekai no Yakusoku) Music: Chieko Baisho