When Marnie Was There (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Adapted from a British children's book, and re-located from coastal England to Japan, 'When Marnie Was There' (Studio Ghibli's potentially final masterwork ... sad) concerns 12 yr. old social misfit Anna Sasaki (dubbed in English by Hailee Steinfeld). Anna suffers from acute asthma, so her foster mother sends her off to a seaside fishing village to stay with relatives to recover. Lonely, ill, & somewhat depressed, Anna views this as another form of abandonment. But when she spots a stunning, supposedly abandoned mansion across a nearby marsh, it seems strangely familiar to her and, the young blonde girl she sees in an upstairs window begins to haunt her dreams. Continually drawn to this Marsh Mansion, Anna meets & forges a secret friendship with the mercurial girl in the long blue dress -- this is Marnie.
Their friendship is fast & strong. Marnie brings Anna out of her shell. But still ... there's something "off" about there-she-is-wher'd-she-go Marnie, as well as the whole tone/nature of Anna's respite by the sea. When Anna meets a local artist, Hisako, who loves painting the Marsh Mansion, pieces of this mystery start to fall into place about Anna's past and, the parallels between the 2 girls come into tighter focus. Heartwarming melodrama ensues.
There is a quality of enchantment to 'When Marnie Was There' that cannot be denied. Watching this film unfold felt like experiencing a genial summer read on the beach; slow-moving, languid, deceptively moving. Now, I won't say that this Japanese animated film is Studio Ghibli's best offering. I wouldn't put it in the same echelon as Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, for instance. But if this WERE to be the last movie from Studio Ghibli, I'd say it goes out on an extremely high note. 'When Marnie Was There' {perfect, haunting little title there, as well} is a gentle story of friendship, memory, & even self-discovery. There's an element of mystery to it, as well -- and not without a goosebump-inducing moment or 2 (I'm reminded of one sequence set in a haunted lighthouse during a powerful rainstorm).
As would be expected from a hand drawn Ghibli film, the animation is simply stunning; with water, color, & light coming to life, and complex emotions rendered superbly on the characters' faces. Thinking on the animation, I'm reminded of the gorgeous sunset scene where Anna & Marnie row their little boat across the marsh. And I also must praise the animated art direction for giving us that Marsh Mansion; a beautiful, if also macabre-like edifice that acts as a character in & of itself. Now, young kids may not 'get' a lot of what's going on in the story. It is slow moving. And the friendship btwn. Anna & Marnie includes some intriguing homoerotic overtones {which don't really go anywhere} that will also go over the heads of youngens. That said, this movie cast a spell over me. It is light, wistful, beautiful, touching. And the original song which plays during the final poignant scenes is a lovely addition, to boot.
Their friendship is fast & strong. Marnie brings Anna out of her shell. But still ... there's something "off" about there-she-is-wher'd-she-go Marnie, as well as the whole tone/nature of Anna's respite by the sea. When Anna meets a local artist, Hisako, who loves painting the Marsh Mansion, pieces of this mystery start to fall into place about Anna's past and, the parallels between the 2 girls come into tighter focus. Heartwarming melodrama ensues.
There is a quality of enchantment to 'When Marnie Was There' that cannot be denied. Watching this film unfold felt like experiencing a genial summer read on the beach; slow-moving, languid, deceptively moving. Now, I won't say that this Japanese animated film is Studio Ghibli's best offering. I wouldn't put it in the same echelon as Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, for instance. But if this WERE to be the last movie from Studio Ghibli, I'd say it goes out on an extremely high note. 'When Marnie Was There' {perfect, haunting little title there, as well} is a gentle story of friendship, memory, & even self-discovery. There's an element of mystery to it, as well -- and not without a goosebump-inducing moment or 2 (I'm reminded of one sequence set in a haunted lighthouse during a powerful rainstorm).
As would be expected from a hand drawn Ghibli film, the animation is simply stunning; with water, color, & light coming to life, and complex emotions rendered superbly on the characters' faces. Thinking on the animation, I'm reminded of the gorgeous sunset scene where Anna & Marnie row their little boat across the marsh. And I also must praise the animated art direction for giving us that Marsh Mansion; a beautiful, if also macabre-like edifice that acts as a character in & of itself. Now, young kids may not 'get' a lot of what's going on in the story. It is slow moving. And the friendship btwn. Anna & Marnie includes some intriguing homoerotic overtones {which don't really go anywhere} that will also go over the heads of youngens. That said, this movie cast a spell over me. It is light, wistful, beautiful, touching. And the original song which plays during the final poignant scenes is a lovely addition, to boot.