Beautiful and lyrical

Rating: 10/10 (9 October 2002)

This is a truly beautiful movie, both in terms of the story it tells and in terms of the visual feast that awaits. Like all of Hayao Miyazaki's work, the images on the screen in and of themselves are worth the price of admission; and like all of Miyazaki's work, the characters who inhabit his world and the lives they lead are fascinating.
There are some disturbing moments which might make the film inappropriate for small children, and some older kids may find the film too "weird" (meaning too unlike mainstream fare) to enjoy; but this tale of how a sullen girl finds power within herself to face the world is worth seeking out and watching.