Totally Engrossing: If you liked Sprited Away, you'll love this!

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2005)

I drove for three hours to reach a theater that was playing this film, and it was worth it! The English cast was amazing, and I normally shun all dubbed films. It really seemed like they were the original voices. I never once wished I could hear the Japanese like I usually do, even on Spirited Away. Now that is settled!
This film deals mostly with the character of Sophie. I won't sum up the plot, you've seen that already. The heart of the film is at Sophie accepting herself, and accepting the affection of other people. That's pretty much the moral. The most winning character by far is Howl himself, at least for a girl like me. He is a really complex character, beautiful drawn, and voiced with precision by Christian Bale. He sounds really similar to his Batman voice in this, so get ready for that. Billy Crystal's Calcifer is refreshingly muted. I had worried about him being too flamboyant, but he is really a charming character. The entire cast of characters are so real, as is the world they inhabit, that it just draws you in. I smiled through the first half of the movie!
I saw the film with friends in their mid-twenties, one of which is not into anime, and we all enjoyed it. Many of the folks at the theatre brought children, but it seemed like the adults enjoyed it far more than the children. It is probably too dark for kids under 8, in my opinion. There is a lot of bombing in the second half, and it can be startling.
I all this is a really good film. The plot gets a little complicated in the second half, where it starts to greatly deviate from the book and become more Miyazaki, but there is plenty of action, comedy, romance, and fun to please every age group. I plan on taking my grandma to see it; I think older people would really get a kick out of "Grandma Sophie." Best Animated Film of the year, for sure!