Another amazing film by Miyazaki Hayao, Howl's Moving Castle is a fantastical journey with great amounts of war and destruction. This is one of the more popular and higher grossing films made by Miyazaki, the above this being Spirited Away. This is loosely based off of a novel of the same name written by Diana Wynn Jones. Again, many people have watched these Studio Ghibli movies, but they are anime and I will post about them.
The story follows Sophie, the daughter of hatter, who plans on taking over the business being the eldest. She somehow becomes entangled with Howl, a famous womanizing wizard, and thus an adventure ensues...
(SPOILER WARNING! START)
Sophie makes her way across town to try and visit her sister Lettie, to check in and make sure she's okay. There is currently a huge parade or festival happening because of a war with a neighboring country. While she tries to make her way she bumps into two soldiers, who are about to set off to war, and she tries to deny their advances towards her when a handsome blonde man appears to her rescue. He uses his magic to send the soldiers on their way and proceeds to escort her to where she needs to go due to the fact that he is being followed. They end up in the air, sky walking towards the restaurant Lettie works at. The man drops Sophie off on the second floor balcony and leaves her to draw off their pursuers.
Sophie ends up being able to talk to Lettie, who is concerned for her older sister. Lettie doesn't think that Sophie should take over the hat shop but should go out into the world and so what she wants to do. Sophie heads back to the hat shop and it's late. Unfortunately for Sophie, the Witch of the Waste, the one who sent her goons after her and the mysterious stranger, curses Sophie into becoming an old woman, telling her to "give my regards to Howl." Sophie doesn't believe it at first when the spell doesn't wear off in the morning, she goes on an adventure to the Wastes to try and find the witch and break the spell.
As this happens, she ends up on an adventure in Howl's moving castle as the new cleaning lady! Sophie sticks around for a while, bonding with Calcifer, the demon fire, Markl, a cute little apprentice, Turnip, a magic scarecrow, and none other than Howl himself, the man who steals women's hearts and live to tell the tale.
(SPOILER WARNING! END)
I'm not going into too much depth because, once again, I'm most certain that most people have seen this movie, so I'm going to move on. I love this film, I love all Miyazaki films, but this is one of the only ones where the main characters actually end up together in a relationship. Pazu and Sheeta from Castle in the Sky are insinuated to be together at the end, but there's no kiss. In Ponyo, the kids are too young, although I know most of you have most likely shipped them, I know I do. Chihiro and Haku are shipped in Spirited Away but they don't get together. This happens a lot in Miyazaki's movies, so the fact that it's established that Howl and Sophie do date it a big deal.
This film is very well done, and the soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi is magical, love him. There's nothing bad I can say about this movie, but if I just keep saying good things, I'm going to get repetitive and I don't want to do that. This review will be short and sweet. I love the movie, not my favourite Miyazaki film but definitely can't say anything bad about it, it's really enjoyable.
What do you think of this film? Love it? Hate it? Not your cup of tea? Tell me in the comments below, I love to read your thoughts on the matter. Thanks so much for reading! The next post may be a Miyazaki film again, it may not. It depends on what I finish reading or watching first. See you guys next week!
The story follows Sophie, the daughter of hatter, who plans on taking over the business being the eldest. She somehow becomes entangled with Howl, a famous womanizing wizard, and thus an adventure ensues...
(SPOILER WARNING! START)
Sophie makes her way across town to try and visit her sister Lettie, to check in and make sure she's okay. There is currently a huge parade or festival happening because of a war with a neighboring country. While she tries to make her way she bumps into two soldiers, who are about to set off to war, and she tries to deny their advances towards her when a handsome blonde man appears to her rescue. He uses his magic to send the soldiers on their way and proceeds to escort her to where she needs to go due to the fact that he is being followed. They end up in the air, sky walking towards the restaurant Lettie works at. The man drops Sophie off on the second floor balcony and leaves her to draw off their pursuers.
Sophie ends up being able to talk to Lettie, who is concerned for her older sister. Lettie doesn't think that Sophie should take over the hat shop but should go out into the world and so what she wants to do. Sophie heads back to the hat shop and it's late. Unfortunately for Sophie, the Witch of the Waste, the one who sent her goons after her and the mysterious stranger, curses Sophie into becoming an old woman, telling her to "give my regards to Howl." Sophie doesn't believe it at first when the spell doesn't wear off in the morning, she goes on an adventure to the Wastes to try and find the witch and break the spell.
As this happens, she ends up on an adventure in Howl's moving castle as the new cleaning lady! Sophie sticks around for a while, bonding with Calcifer, the demon fire, Markl, a cute little apprentice, Turnip, a magic scarecrow, and none other than Howl himself, the man who steals women's hearts and live to tell the tale.(SPOILER WARNING! END)
I'm not going into too much depth because, once again, I'm most certain that most people have seen this movie, so I'm going to move on. I love this film, I love all Miyazaki films, but this is one of the only ones where the main characters actually end up together in a relationship. Pazu and Sheeta from Castle in the Sky are insinuated to be together at the end, but there's no kiss. In Ponyo, the kids are too young, although I know most of you have most likely shipped them, I know I do. Chihiro and Haku are shipped in Spirited Away but they don't get together. This happens a lot in Miyazaki's movies, so the fact that it's established that Howl and Sophie do date it a big deal.
This film is very well done, and the soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi is magical, love him. There's nothing bad I can say about this movie, but if I just keep saying good things, I'm going to get repetitive and I don't want to do that. This review will be short and sweet. I love the movie, not my favourite Miyazaki film but definitely can't say anything bad about it, it's really enjoyable.
What do you think of this film? Love it? Hate it? Not your cup of tea? Tell me in the comments below, I love to read your thoughts on the matter. Thanks so much for reading! The next post may be a Miyazaki film again, it may not. It depends on what I finish reading or watching first. See you guys next week!
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