Endearingly strange.

Rating: 6/10 (16 March 2019)

'Howl's Moving Castle (2004)' is certainly a strange film. It's an endearingly strange film, though. It's filled to the brim with interesting ideas, inventive visuals and inspired animation, which makes up for its somewhat scattershot central story and slightly strange pacing. The characters are all very well realised - and beautifully dubbed, I'll add - but the titular Howl is ever so slightly inconsistent (or, at least, presented inconsistently). Of course, his enigmatic nature is a part of his appeal, but he seems to lack a solid motivation - as do several of the other side-players - and the more we learn, the less it makes sense, in a way. Even our protagonist loses her drive part-way through, putting aside her quest simply to spend time as a housemaid. In her case, however, her character always shines through as she's constantly a wise, kindhearted person who's willing to forgive even those who have done her the most wrong. The narrative she finds herself caught up in isn't quite as strong-willed, but it's suitably tumultuous and charmingly off-beat. It keeps you engaged through its duration and is certainly unique, allowing Miyazaki and his team to play around with their intriguing designs and animation techniques. I especially enjoy the tar-like henchmen that pursue our heroes; their bulging bodies squeeze through small gaps, twist together as they struggle to stay upright and merge with one another to form huge, undulating masses. Overall, though it has some issues and doesn't hit home as hard as it perhaps should (in its more emotional moments), this is an entertaining affair throughout. It's a visual treat, too. 6/10