Nice review, makes me feel that its a good movie, I havent seen the movie, so this review helped me to know more about
it, oh and you recommend to read the book first, thats a good idea, sometimes in the book version its momre detailed or
are some things that in the movie versions doesnt appear ^_^
And so, is Hayao Miyazaki, I dont think that this master could make a bad movie, so Ill follow your advice and read the
book first, I hope Ill like this movie and the book too.
Nic review!
thanks!
bai-cha!
Howl's Moving Castle tv Review
Sophie is a diligent teenage girl working in her family's hat shop, but her life is thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by the handsome-but-mysterious wizard named Howl. This innocent encounter enrages the vain and conniving Witch of the Waste, who transforms Sophie into a 90-year-old woman.
Sophie's efforts to break the curse bring her to Howl's magical moving castle where she befriends Michael (known as Markl in the Disney translation), Howl's apprentice, and the hot-headed fire demon Calcifer. Her love and support for this strange new family have a major impact on Howl, who can be maddeningly self-indulgent and singularly noble. He defies royal orders to participate in a meaningless war and risks his life to bring peace to the kingdom, but the more he uses his power the more he transforms into a monster.
With Howl and Sophie each looking for their own true identity and a secret contract between the wizard and his fire demon, they're drawn together despite the raging war around them.
Written by melissa-clyne.
Story & Characters
Another one of my favourite animes by Hayao Miyazaki. The story was originally from Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones in which i had read 2 years before it came out as a movie - i was so surprised. Anyways i really thought this was one of the oddities of Hayao because its not exactly Japanese folklore or even related to Japan but i was still pleasantly surprised about it. So this story and movie is really quite European and set in a futuristic yet old fashioned time where there were mixes of old and new machinery, the fear and acknowledgement of magic - quite confusing isn't it? Anyway the main characters in this movie were Sophie, Howl and Calcifer well i think so anyway. Sophie is a very sensible girl who works and looks after her family's hat shop but her life suddenly changes when she meets Howl, the very handsome yet vain wizard, Howl. Howl is a coward yet very noble in trying to bring peace to the kingdom and risking his life in the process. Calcifer is a mysterious fire demon who controls Howl's castle and claims that he can help Sophie in regaining her original form but in return, wants Sophie to break his contract with Howl. This story is very emotional and the audience can really feel the despair, happiness, etc of what the main character is feeling.
Rating:
Art
The artwork in this movie was really stunning because of the colours and the vividness of all the objects and characters really stand out. The detail is really amazing and i simply fell in love with Howl when i first saw him. The style is very unique and really draws the attention of the audience. The art is pretty much the thing that keeps the movie alive, i mean, if the artwork was crappy, even if the story sounded good, no one would really want to see it now would they? Anyway, back to the subject, i really think that the best parts or scenes that highlight the artwork was in the hat shop, with all the different designs and colours of the hats and the place Howl showed Sophie with all that grass and flowers and the reflection of the sky in the ponds, lakes, whatever it is...
Rating:
Sound
I reckon the sounds were really good and the theme music was really quite original because i've never heard anything like it. Hmmm i guess that's why it's original isn't it? But then again who would expect anyting but original stuff from Hayao Miyazaki? Anyway, i watched both the Japanese and Chinese versions of Howl's moving castle and there wasn't much difference except for the language and the characters' voices. The voices and the music really suited this movie because... well it sounded right, for one and it suited the theme unlike some other anime that i would not name where the voices were just plain weird and badly done and the music was crappy and wasn't in time with the scene its supposed to go with. So i think that the sounds were really very good.
Rating:
Presentation
This film is one of my first favourite animes mainly because i've read it before and all the above techniques were really quite good. There was a bit of humour in there to lighten the mood but not so much that makes it a comedy. The concept of this story might be a bit confusing to some people though whether of not you have read it (mostly its people who haven't read it, of course) but oh well... don't let that bother you ok? I would really recommend this movie to the people who have read it and even if you haven't read it ... watch it! I can't really guarantee that you will enjoy this though because the story can be quite... weird if you get my meaning. So... if you are planning to watch this, it's better if you read the book first, that's my advice. So... that's it for now. Bye peoples hope this review helps! ^-^
Rating:
Final Verdict
9.5000 (excellent)
Reviewed by syeung321, Nov 24, 2006
Comments
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Angi Retired Moderator Nov 24, 2006
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eonir Dec 30, 2006
I have seen the movie(but not read the book - now I'm going to do something with that :) ), and I totally agree with you about the final verdict :)
The movie has maybe one bad trace of Disney's lobby - the ending is overly happy :)
On the other hand, Miyazaki managed to make a great contrast. When nothing was going right, everything suddenly changed thanks to a kiss :)This is a remarkable masterpiece :)
It shows us that
1)a human without a heart eventually becomes a monster(figuratively, not literally)
2)Your body can be old, but you are as old as your heart is :)
3)Love can defeat every monster
4)Even if you're weak, old, and an army of blobmen and two witches are against you - you can change everything
5)single does not mean alone
6)Like in that song - "All you need is love!" (and friends, luck, a scenario with a happy end...)Nice review! See Ya!
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loliness Jan 03, 2007
Actually I found the movie .......boring^^.
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syeung321 Mar 07, 2007
I agree with eonir the ending is an overly happy one but i like happy endings so it works for me ^-^
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nemunemu Restricted Member Sep 10, 2007
I am probably on of the few people who reliogeousely followed the original manga version of howls moving castle. So when studio ghibli released the film I rushed to the cinema to watch it. To be truthful I was Incredably dissapointed. The story, art had alot to be desired. Now I usually adore studios ghibli's work but I felt that they could have done so much better with this film. Ah well
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SchRita Jan 15, 2010
Thanks for the review!
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Akaneko21 Jun 18, 2010
really nice review *-* I loved. Do you know any site that have the story to be read? Even if its in english no problem...Thanks at all \o/
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angelxxuan Banned Member May 23, 2012
I probably wouldn't give howl's moving castle such high ratings, but I sure enough would give it some pretty high scores. it's hard to do a review, but there's just something about this anime which cultivated me greatly. well done on the review.
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Drakill Jul 25, 2012
Nice review! I'd have given the movie a 8.5/10 overall :)
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