I am one of those disappointed Miyazaki fans

Rating: 7/10 (10 December 2005)

I think I am one of those stark staring mad Miyazaki lunatics who owns a copy of almost everything he has made... but for me this movie was a disappointment for various reasons that have been already said by many others here. Lack of new ideas (almost every trick, character, face, music passage not to mention a style) and on the other hand lots more of syrup and pathos instead of openness and sincerity. It felt more like a "Hollywood Blockbuster" than any of his previous masterpieces - though some have had hints of it here and there. Laputa comes to mind.
Again, as others have mentioned, everything is relative. Regardless of its drawbacks, it is still Miyazaki with most of the greatness this inevitably implies. Disney still can't touch this and it still was great to watch.
It's just... that I will still prefer to watch Totoro or Kiki or Spirited Away all over again instead of this one. These three are and will remain timeless classics for me I guess.