Ponyo (B or 3/4 stars)
Yeessss! I finally got the chance to watch a Hayao Miyazaki animated film on the big screen. This is 'Ponyo'. We begin under the sea where Ponyo (voiced by Noah Lindsey Cyrus), the goldfish daughter of a sea goddess (Cate Blanchett), & a magical sorcerer named Fujimoto (Liam Neeson), longs for a look at the human world above (I know, sounds like Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid, right? That will change, a bit). When her dad isn't looking, she kisses goodbye her hundreds of siblings & makes a break for the surface of the ocean. Meanwhile, we're introduced to Sosuke (Frankie Jonas), the 5 yr. old son of a sailor-at-sea (Matt Damon) who lives a quiet life on a cliff with his mom, Lisa (Tina Fey). Ponyo is then found at the seaside by Sosuke. He breaks her out of the bottle she's caught in, puts her in a bucket, brings her home, & strikes up an adorable, unlikely friendship.
All this while, Ponyo's dad gets wind of what's happened & sends some enormous crashing waves to reclaim her. She is taken. And an utterly heartbroken Sosuke is comforted by his loving mom; telling him that it's best for a goldfish to be in the sea with her kind. But Ponyo is completely enamored by Sosuke, & is determined to turn herself (via her father's magic) into a little girl. She makes it back to dry land (in the most beautifully imagined cinematic sequence that I've seen this year). But the powerful sorcery that she used to get herself to dry land affects the balance of nature (as her father predicted), and as the moon drifts closer to Earth, the tides begin to rise. As the waters continue to rise over the Earth, the 2 newfound friends embark on an incredible adventure to save the world & fulfill Ponyo's dreams of becoming human. Can Sosuke & Ponyo find a way to restore the balance? Will their love be genuine enough to impress the sea Gods?
What can I say that hasn't already been said about Miyazaki's hand drawn animation. It's simply wondrous. What makes it even more impressive is that, while the technique is incredibly old-school (like taking a trip back in time), the imagery that comes forth from those hand drawn scenarios is, in some ways, even more creative than most other computer-generated forms of animation. You can tell the effort that's put into crafting the kind of animation that Miyazaki represents. And for that, I am extremely grateful. It's just that much more immersive. Speaking of visuals - this is not Miyazaki's most original work, or his most detailed, or his most textured, but it IS gorgeous. And the underwater sequences here surpass anything I've ever seen, even in such works as Finding Nemo or The Little Mermaid. I also love the use of color in 'Ponyo' - lots of pastels. I'm usually accustomed to bold, vibrant colors in animated films. So, I liked the change.
This movie is loaded with strange delights, & offers some nice themes: a subtle environmental message (as Miyazaki usually includes). It also speaks to parent-child relationships (and how differing they can be from one child to the next). The story has some scary moments. But 'Ponyo' IS geared towards young children; much more so than Miyazaki's other works. That could be a drawback (for some folks). But I honestly think that most little ones (and their gape-mouthed parents) will appreciate what they're watching, here. Miyazaki's previous works were more for kids who dig "the bizarre"; and for adults to marvel at. The narrative AND the visual were part & parcel to the story. In 'this' film ... the narrative is somewhat separate. All that said, Ponyo & Sosuke make up a charming duo. The voice-acting is spot on by all. My favorites being: Liam Neeson's gravely-voiced sorcerer, & Tina Fey as Sosuke's mom, Lisa. 'Ponyo' is an outstandingly drawn, poetic, well scored, sweetly told movie that I won't mind popping into my DVD player years from now; won't mind it one bit.
All this while, Ponyo's dad gets wind of what's happened & sends some enormous crashing waves to reclaim her. She is taken. And an utterly heartbroken Sosuke is comforted by his loving mom; telling him that it's best for a goldfish to be in the sea with her kind. But Ponyo is completely enamored by Sosuke, & is determined to turn herself (via her father's magic) into a little girl. She makes it back to dry land (in the most beautifully imagined cinematic sequence that I've seen this year). But the powerful sorcery that she used to get herself to dry land affects the balance of nature (as her father predicted), and as the moon drifts closer to Earth, the tides begin to rise. As the waters continue to rise over the Earth, the 2 newfound friends embark on an incredible adventure to save the world & fulfill Ponyo's dreams of becoming human. Can Sosuke & Ponyo find a way to restore the balance? Will their love be genuine enough to impress the sea Gods?
What can I say that hasn't already been said about Miyazaki's hand drawn animation. It's simply wondrous. What makes it even more impressive is that, while the technique is incredibly old-school (like taking a trip back in time), the imagery that comes forth from those hand drawn scenarios is, in some ways, even more creative than most other computer-generated forms of animation. You can tell the effort that's put into crafting the kind of animation that Miyazaki represents. And for that, I am extremely grateful. It's just that much more immersive. Speaking of visuals - this is not Miyazaki's most original work, or his most detailed, or his most textured, but it IS gorgeous. And the underwater sequences here surpass anything I've ever seen, even in such works as Finding Nemo or The Little Mermaid. I also love the use of color in 'Ponyo' - lots of pastels. I'm usually accustomed to bold, vibrant colors in animated films. So, I liked the change.
This movie is loaded with strange delights, & offers some nice themes: a subtle environmental message (as Miyazaki usually includes). It also speaks to parent-child relationships (and how differing they can be from one child to the next). The story has some scary moments. But 'Ponyo' IS geared towards young children; much more so than Miyazaki's other works. That could be a drawback (for some folks). But I honestly think that most little ones (and their gape-mouthed parents) will appreciate what they're watching, here. Miyazaki's previous works were more for kids who dig "the bizarre"; and for adults to marvel at. The narrative AND the visual were part & parcel to the story. In 'this' film ... the narrative is somewhat separate. All that said, Ponyo & Sosuke make up a charming duo. The voice-acting is spot on by all. My favorites being: Liam Neeson's gravely-voiced sorcerer, & Tina Fey as Sosuke's mom, Lisa. 'Ponyo' is an outstandingly drawn, poetic, well scored, sweetly told movie that I won't mind popping into my DVD player years from now; won't mind it one bit.