DECEMBER: "Howl's Moving Castle" - Hayao Miyazaki
The story centers around Sophie, a young woman working in her mother's hat shop, who happens to run into the legendary wizard, Howl. After he literally sweeps her off her feet, she finds herself under a curse by the jealous Witch of the Waste, who steals her youth and turns her into an old woman. Determined to fight the curse, Sophie sets off into the Waste itself, looking for a cure. On her way she accidentally rescues an enchanted scarecrow who helps her find shelter in return, guiding her to Howl's castle as it passes by. (Yes, it really is a moving castle.) Once inside the castle, she meets Calcipher, a fire demon charged with keeping Howl's somewhat filthy castle running smoothly. He promises to help her break her curse if she will help him escape from Howl's control. She agrees to try. After passing herself off as the new cleaning lady, Sophie finds herself in for a humongous adventure as she tries to save herself, and Howl, from forces that threaten to destroy them both and potentially their home kingdom as well. I won't spoil how the story ends, but if you haven't seen it yet, rent it today!
High Points: The film is so imaginative it keeps you riveted, both with the interesting world Miyazaki creates and with the incredible visuals. There's some family friendly humor and a little romance mixed in as well as a good portrayl of a strong young woman who doesn't let much of anything get in her way.
Low Points: The story is a little on the recycled side, what with the heavy emphasis on the power of love, but it manages to not to interfere with the enjoyment of the film. Some viewers might get confused with the many plot twists that litter the movie, but if you pay attention you shouldn't have too much trouble.
Rent it, Buy it, or Trash it: If you've enjoyed previous Miyazaki's, buy it, no question. If you're new to Studio Ghibli, a rental might be the best way to start out until you're sure you really like it enough to get a copy of your own.
