Howl's Moving Castle
2005 ‘Hauru no ugoku shiro’ Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Synopsis
When Sophie, a shy young woman, is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.
Cast
Studios
Popular reviews
More-
Despite its obvious qualities this has always been my least favourite Hayao Miyazaki film. Yet with the recent high-definition release I thought it a good time to give it another try. Sadly, whilst the gorgeous imagery has never been prettier my problems with the film remain. Although based on a Diana Wynee Jones story, Miyazaki’s influence is evident in every frame from the rich world that is both strange yet strangely familiar (interestingly Europe has always been a point of reference for his work) and the menagerie of magical characters that populate these beautiful and detailed environments.
Although I fear this review will be negative in tone I would like to make it clear that this is still a very…
-
I'm currently reading the book for the first time and it was giving me major cravings to watch this. Yes, it has basically nothing in common with the book but outright its a lovely (if terribly confusing) film.
-
An in depth film that depicts war and friendships and relationships. Breathtaking fantasy world that takes you beyond any type of adventure. Miyazaki at his very best in animation.
-
The perfect fairytale.
-
There are still a few Miyazaki films that I'm yet to see, but Howl's is probably one of my favourites, and has been since I first watched it. Films such as Totoro have such a gorgeous simplicity that naturally tends to an easy high rating, whereas Howl's, arguably one of Miyazaki's most complex and challenging films, is far harder to become conceptually attached to.
It's a difficult film for a number of reasons. The narrative is both disorientating and sprawling, and it definitely doesn't run smoothly, there are many angles and directions that the screenplay heads down simultaneously. In some ways this is really surprising on the first viewing, Howl and his story are extremely dynamic creations, which actually may… -
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Miyazaki’s “Howl’s Moving Castle“, a fairytale set in a world of witchcraft and wizardry, following the adventure and crucially the development of a simple, shy hatter called Sophie.
I’m a huge fan of Studio Ghibli, as is everyone who appreciates fine art, and this is my favourite of their impressive filmography, closely followed by “Whisper of the Heart” and “Princess Mononoke”. The world Miyazaki created in this is one of their most detailed and richest. The sight of the towns is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. The sheer scale of this film is overwhelming and easy to get lost in, but the real triumph of “Howl’s Moving Castle” as with any other Ghibli are…
Recent reviews
More-
Although the movie’s anti-war framework naturally lends itself to good guys and bad ones, Miyazaki avoids drawing clear lines.
www.avclub.com/articles/my-neighbor-totoro-howls-moving-castle,98046/ -
Not my favorite Miyazaki but still entertaining, especially from a visual perspective.
-
Still gorgeous; still my least favorite Miyazaki. That means it's pretty darn good, though. The Blu-ray looks fantastic.
Full Blu-ray review for Screen Invasion forthcoming.
-
As usual it's a very beautiful movie, the animation is gorgeous and the character designs are interesting and inventive. The story on the other hand is simple yet convoluted which is not a compliment, I was confused about a few things, maybe it's the western side of me that makes me want to have clear rules about what's going on, while this movie remains more fluid and non specific.
-
i've never read the book and i don't care
-
It's been so long since I last saw this, I've forgotten how magical this movie is.
Disguised as a children's cartoon it's full of symbolism and life lessons, clearly meant for deeper thinking than the average cartoon with strong and diverse characters and beautiful artwork. -
I just like the story and I love all the characters.
Sophie, Hauru, the grandmother, the little boy and this cute little dog makes me laugh everytime it's coughing and walking in circles.
Beautiful movie. -
idiotic garbage
-
MEH