Another Miyazaki classic!

Rating: 8/10 (4 December 2005)

OK, you'll have to bear with me, this is my first movie review...
Howl's Moving Castle continues Miyazaki's legacy of superb animation combined with an original, imaginative story. A wizard set in a future world of warring nations who uses magic to make his semi-industrial, semi-medieval castle move about on spindly legs? Brilliant!
Whilst being a romance first and foremost, the film still contains elements of the comic and the sinister. Non-speaking characters such as the scarecrow and the dog are almost a given now in Miyazaki's films, whose actions bridge cultural differences when it comes to comedy, and we also see the return of the wrinkly old lady - another trademark of Miyazaki's recent films. The dark, mysterious side of Howl that the viewer learns of gradually through the film counter-balances the comedy well as to produce a film that has real feeling.
Billy Crystal really hits the character of Calcifer spot-on in his voice-over, which makes a refreshing change for those of you who are not fans of Japanese films being re-voiced into English.
Finally, although the film is a gem, I can't help feeling a little disappointed in the ending. I can't say too much about it, but it did leave me feeling that the genius Miyazaki is could have done better.