Possibly the best film by Hayao Miyazaki

Rating: 10/10 (9 April 2019)

I have a long history with this movie. When I was about 7 I caught it on tv late at night and was interested but didn't know what was happening. I was traumatized by the violence and scary images. I legitimately had nightmares! So I avoided this movie for years. But, nearly 15 years later and I am a big Studio Ghibli fan. I knew I had to watch it. I was not disappointed.
The story of the movie has the feel of a Tolkien epic. A prince goes on a journey to lift a curse off of him. He meets spirits, gods, a town of outcasts and more. The plot is brilliantly put together and tight. There is no wasted moment. The characters are all well written and developed. There's a lot of ambiguity in the film. No character is a stock character and their motives could be easily commended or condemned. I think this leaves the viewer to interpret how they feel.
The animation is so beautiful. Over 100,000 drawings were used in the film. It's colorful, vibrant and feels alive. It screams animated masterpiece.
There's something about Ghibli films that give you a certain feeling. Kinda like what you get when you watch a great classic Disney film. I can't quite put my finger on what the feeling is. Not quite nostalgic, but it's a good feeling nonetheless.
There's so much to talk about. If you love Japanese animation, or just animation in general, then this is a must see! Be warned though! This can be a very violent movie. If you want your younger kids to see a Ghibli film then try My Neighbor Totoro or Ponyo. But once their older, show them this film. Believe me, it's worth every moment.