a triumph and a joy

Rating: 10/10 (4 June 2001)

This movie is a triumph for animation, and for moviegoers who want that something that is missing from the Disney features we are all familiar with. Hayao Miyazaki has created a wonderful world of full and fleshed out real human characters in a world changing from one of magic and wonder to the more mundane. I've never felt so much emotion and wonder in an animated picture since watching a little-known animated flick called "Warriors of the Wind" (1984), which I'm now convinced must've been made by Hayao as well.
Besides the obvious quality voice-talents of Billy Crudup as Prince Ashitaka, and other notables such as Gillian Anderson and Billy Bob Thornton who also do surprisinly good voice overs for main characters, the story itself was in no way swallowed up by the star-power in this film. As a matter of fact, I was pleased that there were no opening credits... the movie just started right up and put me in it..and left me spellbound for the full 2+ hours. The movie is not about commercial "wows"; it's a a heartfelt story about the magic of the world fading in the face of humanity as they strive top quickly to "grow up". Of particular interest to me is the soundtrack; the music is absolutely wonderful and was responsible for instilling in me the sense of adventure and wonder that pervades this movie, as well as conveying the breadth of emotion this movie contains. While this movie can be enjoyed on a certain level by children, it's plot and theme are very much in the pervue of adults as all the characters basically are at least human in their nature... just trying to hold on to the kind of world they want.
Don't wait another second viewing this... it's a keeper.