TheShootingStar wrote:
STAY AWAY FROM:
Kiki's Delivery Service (it was the worse display of miyazaki-san's talent and was waaaay too childish. if your a five year old girl then get it if not don't bother! you have been warned)
Well, I have to say Panda Kopanda (of Takahta-san) and Totoro are much more childish than Kiki. Yet I enjoy all of them as much as the titles you recommended.
I really cannot see the point of dismissing a movie completely just because it is aimed at children. To me, the only thing that matters is the quality of the movie itself, be it a children movie or an adult one. If I am in a position to make an assessment, I would focus on the presentation of the story, the development of the characters, the way the plot unfolds, the level of details, etc, rather than the target audience of the movie.
In fact, there are quite a lot of underlying messages in Kiki, esp on self-actualization and interpersonal relationship. And according to Miyazaki-san, he made the movie for "young working adults that are torn between freedom and dependence" (instead of 5-year-old girls, unless they are preparing to live on themselves). Any Ghibli fan site has tonnes of info on these, so I am not gonna go deep into them. But anyway the best way to know more about the movie is to put down your predjudice, open your heart, and spend some time to watch it again seriously.
Okay back to the topic...
Base wrote:
I have a question for anyone who has seen at least three of Miyazaki's or Studio Ghibli's movies. The question is this: which is your favorite? I'm trying to decide which one I want to rent tonight (if my parents let me) because I wanted to see Howl's Moving Castle, but my parents are going to be out and about and can't take me. So, if you have suggestions, I'd like to hear them.
I have watched all of the Miyazaki feature movies, and I would recommend Spirited Away to anyone who is new to his movie works. It is a charming and imaginative film that can appeal to audience of any age and any background.
My personal favourite is Kiki. You will love it (as well as Totoro) if you like stories about life experiences. But if actions and excitement are more of your taste, you may consider the epic titles of Nausicaa and Mononoke, or intense movies like Cagliostro and Laputa.