From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” Already a box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by NOAH CYRUS) and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent, including CATE BLANCHETT, MATT DAMON, TINA FEY, FRANKIE JONAS, CLORIS LEACHMAN, LIAM NEESON, LILY TOMLIN and BETTY WHITE.
Absolutely Beautiful. Definitely a return to the simpler themes of his earlier works. No one does child-like wonder like Miyazaki. Can't wait to see it again.
Not nearly as epic as his most famous works, and somehow seemingly rooted a bit more in reality even amid all the fantastic sea creatures, it's still very commanding of your attention and the story still hits those emotional highs without being pedantic in usual Miyazaki form.
The voice cast is a little off, as they seemed to try and stick too closely to the mouth forms, and Matt Damon especially seemed to be phoning his bit part in. But the kids sound like kids and that's certainly the most important thing, as they're the focus of the movie.
Definitely recommended for parents and their kids, though I can see a 10 year old boy maybe getting bored without shit blowing up left and right. But there's no violence, and not really anything overwhelmingly creepy like in Spirited Away. Just one of those sweet parables that make you feel good.
13. "its good, but not great" In response to Reply # 0 Sun Aug-16-09 06:14 PM by zero
i kinda got lost in the middle with some of the imagery but the big miyazaki setpieces are generally hit/miss with me. i love his movies for those small intimate moments and there are plenty of them in ponyo.
of his recent movies, it's better than princess mononoke, about even with howl's moving castle, not as good as spirited away.
I mean I didn't like Ponyo, I never got drawn to the characters and I thought it didn't flow right. Certainly the worst Miyazaki for a long time (though not unenjoyable).
But you just said its better than princess mononoke, and then about even with howls?! Mononoke is a goddam classic. That and Spirited Away dovetail for the top spot. Even if you're positive about Ponyo, I'd say you're way off if you're comparing it to prncess mononoke. A general order:
(1) Princess Mononoke (1) Spirited Away (3) Nausicaa (4) Howl's moving castle (5) Kiki's Delivery (6) Totoro (I know, most people love it, I just think it's got a cuteness but no the depth of the others) (7) Castle of Cagliostro (8) Ponyo (9) Porco Rosso
I wouldn't say that's my definitive order, but that's how far down I rate Ponyo.
21. "Download it right now" In response to Reply # 18
Or if you're not inclined to law breaking, go buy/rent it. It's as epic as Spirited away or Mononoke. Maybe a bit too epic and long, and not quite as polished as the above. But still, it's monumental. I know people who say its their favourite.
25. "i saw mononoke first " In response to Reply # 21
and felt like naussica was more of the same, which is sad, because it definitely came first, but was not introduced to me first. the themes seemed about the same and claire danes bothered the shit out of me.
perhaps i was in a bad mood, but since i went about it backwards, i have never really felt the love for naussica that others seem to profess for it.
27. "Don't watch it dubbed" In response to Reply # 25
In fact don't watch any foreign language film dubbed...ever. Dialogue and pictures interact, you mess with that, you mess with the whole film. I reckon that might be part of the reason you've had problems.
Anyway, it's cool that peoples' tastes vary so much on Miyazaki films, it show how interesting his films are.
i typically don't watch the movies dubbed, but when you travel to the theaters, you don't get much of a choice. that said, depending on what i am doing, subtitles might not work, so i think naussica got that treatment the first time through. plus, i find miyazaki films easier to digest the first time if i don't have to worry about subtitles. gives me freedom to really take in the environments.
that said, i am a firm backer of spirited away as my/the top miyazaki film. i haven't watched too much of his more lighthearted stuff - i know, i know - but felt SA straddled that line perfectly as naussica & mononoke could get a little too heavy handed.
Mononoke probably is my favourite. Some of those scenes in the forest haunt me. But from an overall perspective, Spirited Away is his best. So polished in every way.
In fact, and this is based on the fact basically none of the best films I've ever seen have been in the cinema, Spirited is the best film I've ever seen on a big screen. I went in not having a clue what to expect, the first 10 minutes were boring as hell (deliberately), then suddenly my whole world turned upside down. It was like a sensual (wait...not erotic sensual, but experiences of senses) extravanganza. I remember walking out wowed.
I wish I could experience that again. It was a real epiphany moment.
31. "uh...where is Laputa?! " In response to Reply # 16
>(1) Princess Mononoke >(1) Spirited Away >(3) Nausicaa >(4) Howl's moving castle >(5) Kiki's Delivery >(6) Totoro (I know, most people love it, I just think it's got >a cuteness but no the depth of the others) >(7) Castle of Cagliostro >(8) Ponyo >(9) Porco Rosso
Ted Gee Seal Member since Apr 18th 2007 10091 posts
Sun Aug-16-09 07:40 PM
14. "PONYO, PONYO, PONYO Sakana no ko!" In response to Reply # 0
Saw it back in July, in Japanese with subtitles. Thoroughly charming. If you like Studio Ghibli stuff this will be enjoyable too, but like someone said, not the best one they've ever put out.
19. "Loved it. Voice dubs were really good, too. Dude still can't end a movie..." In response to Reply # 0
The way they visually treated water felt like it was plucked right out of dreams I've had but forgotten. The voice acting was so good, that sometimes it was jarring when a Japanese element would emerge. Why's spunky mom Tina Fey giving them japanese noodles? I actually mean that as a compliment, because none of it felt like translated dialog.
I think the thing with Miyazaki is he movies (the ones I've seen) operate on this wonderful dream logic where things don't really have to make perfect sense, because they feel right in the context of the film, but then he tries to wrap things up to neatly and conventionally right at the very end. I feel in most of his films a more ambiguous ending, in line with the rest of the film would serve better, instead of the music swelling, everyone is okay and has learned a lesson endings he tends towards.
---- I check for: Serengeti, Zeroh, Open Mike Eagle, Jeremiah Jae, Moka Only.
22. "I do know what you mean by the endings" In response to Reply # 19
Personally I don't have a problem with them, but they're never intriguing or striking. I suppose Mononoke is the best, it's all crazy like the others, but of all of them it needed a big closure type finish in that vein.
>I think the thing with Miyazaki is he movies (the ones I've >seen) operate on this wonderful dream logic where things don't >really have to make perfect sense, because they feel right in >the context of the film, but then he tries to wrap things up >to neatly and conventionally right at the very end. I feel in >most of his films a more ambiguous ending, in line with the >rest of the film would serve better, instead of the music >swelling, everyone is okay and has learned a lesson endings he >tends towards.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86673 posts
Thu Aug-20-09 10:32 PM
26. "I thought it was outstanding. One of the best movies I've seen this year..." In response to Reply # 0
Granted, I'm somewhat of a noob when it comes to Miyazaki. Still, I thought this was sweet, innocent, magical, earnest, inventive, and joyful. I loved it.
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