Absolutely Magical

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2006)

Howl's Moving Castle is absolutely magical, as is Hayao Miyazaki's style. I had read the original book before the movie (me being the book worm and all...) and I love how Miyazaki kept the essence of the book but added his own twist/style to his movie version. I've been an admirer of his art ever since I had seen Kiki's Delivery Service when I was 7 yrs. of age, and his unique style always seems to capture me in the world of the movie. Also, the way that Miyazaki always gives life lessons to each movie without being too obvious is a show of his experience as a director. Miyazaki gives all of his characters such life-like qualities (including the negative qualities), and I'm sure each of them would redefine the meaning of a hero or role model once you've seen his work. I'm sure many reviewers might say " A 9/10! That's absurdly too high!" Yet, Miyazaki has a way with weaving stories into brilliant tapestries unlike many of the other animators in his time.