Yet another Miyazaki masterpiece (surprise)

Rating: 9/10 (2 November 2003)

It almost sounds demeaning to call this one of the most enjoyable animated films I've ever seen; it is, in fact, one of the most enjoyable films of any kind I've ever seen. Anyone familiar with the work of Miyazaki will find a lot of familiar territory here: the rural setting, the preoccupation with aircraft, the mythic themes. What separates this (along with the hilarious "Porco Rosso") is its playful brand of movie-serial cliffhanger action. There's much more to smile at here than in its more serious cousins such as Mononoke and Nausicaa. It's one of the handful of films that one can point to when trying to demonstrate the heights of which animation is capable.