Form more important than function? Spoiler

Rating: 2/10 (28 September 2005)

In this movie, form is more important that function. We go from one pointless subplot to the other just so that we can see these wonderful and enchanting images of worlds we have never seen. The movie never comes together because the creators (director, etc) are too busy making sure they create beautiful images and scenarios. I don't see it as a poetic anti war movie. The book may do that, but this movie is not about anything. In the UK version it is not clear why Howl gives his heart to calcifer. It is not clear why Howl, knowing all his problems would be solved by putting his heart back in, doesn't do it --hey, the heart was always there! It is not clear why the witch of the waste wanted Howl's heart. And it is not clear why the Sophie's mother all of the sudden appears in the movie in the place where she used to live. What happened to the hat shop that it was empty for them to move back in. Pointless. I hate it when artists think form is more important than communicating with audiences.