Another Miyazaki Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2008)

I was flipping channels last night, and stumbled across "Howl's Moving Castle": The description said "Anime" so I flipped it on, and as I saw the first scene I originally recognized Miyazaki's/Stupdio Ghibli's unmistakable work, so I immediately hit the "record" button. I was disappointed that I'd missed about the first 20 minutes, but it didn't matter: The story immediately pulled me in, and as the story progressed, I was able to piece together what had gone before.
Many other reviewers have written about the look and the content of the film, so I'll just note on how the movie made me FEEL: Howl's Moving Castle, like all the rest of Miyazaki's films, alternately evoked feelings of awe (I mean, the mouth hanging-open type), wonder, sorrow, and indescribable joy: His works are as much a labor of love as Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Even in the English version, the depths of warmth and respect for this work shine through on the part of the actors. Stellar!