Not quite perfection, but very close...

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 2006)

The critics were not too kind to this latest offering from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, so I wasn't expecting too much. The critics were wrong (what a surprise!), this is well up to the standard we expect from Miyazaki Sensei; I watched it (the DVD that is) over and over, just can't get enough of it....
The animation is excellent, a welcome return to the standard we expect from Studio Ghibli after the unfortunate "The Cat Returns" (which was not directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahati). On the DVD version I have there is a feature on the use of CG; it is incredible the lengths they take to match the CG and hand-drawn animation together - well worth watching! Although I prefer to watch films in their original language, the English dub is very good, I particularly liked the casting for Sophie (Emily Mortimer for young Sophie and Jean Simmons for old Sophie), their very precise enunciation suited the character exactly.
The film departs substantially from Dianne Wynne Jones' book, but if she doesn't mind (and she doesn't seem to) then it's OK with me too...