Hayao Miyazaki, writer and director of animated movies.
He is a wonderful story-teller (even if sometimes illogical). Several
of his movies are on the IMDb's
Top 250 list (by their Japanese titles).
The lead character in his stories is often a young girl, sometimes ten
or twelve years old. This causes some librarians to categorize his
movies as being for children. Some are (which children of all ages
will enjoy), but others definitely are not.
While his work is classified as anime, it is (according to my beginner's
knowledge) atypical of this genre. I've read that it's common for anime
to have high levels of bloody violence. This is not the case in Miyazaki's
work. His action movies are similar in terms of "violence" to the Indiana
Jones movies. Others have no violence at all -- similar to some Disney
films.
Miyazaki is fascinated by aircraft, and many of his movies feature a
wide variety of highly imaginative airplanes and other craft which
fly through the air.
Walt Disney Home Entertainment has been importing and producing
versions dubbed in English (a lot of big names in Hollywood contributed
their voices) on DVD, which also include the original Japanese language
soundtrack; check your local public library (the handful I've checked
throughout the U.S. all have some of Miyazaki's movies).
I've watched the following of his films, which I recommend (with
varying degrees of enthusiasm). They range from being suitable for
children up through being suitable probably only for teens and adults
(only because the themes will not be comprehensible to young
children). I enjoyed watching them all.
In alphabetical order:
- Castle in the Sky (1986). Similar to some aspects of Nausicaa,
especially the main characters, who are young girls, and the unusual
airplanes and other flying machines.
- Howl's Moving Castle (2004): This was very good. The animation,
especially of the backgrounds -- cities and landscapes -- is gorgeous.
Also liked the way all the sections of the moving castle articulated
as it walked along.
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989): Very cute story of a young witch
who leaves home for her standard year-long residency training, in
which she's expected to come into her own, and the adventures she
has meeting new people. Like Phil Hartman as her black cat familiar.
- Miyazaki's Spirited Away (2001): Story of a young girl and her
parents. They get trapped in the spirit realm, and it's up to the
girl to save them. Oddly enough, the English dubbed soundtrack
changes the plot of this movie, especially in how it ends. I watched
it twice in two days. First in English, second time in Japanese with
English subtitles. The Japanese version is darker, more threatening,
in keeping with events and the nature of the spirit world. I found it
more satisfying than the English version. On the other hand, the
animation is so well done that it's a shame -- at least on your first
screening -- to continually distract your eyes from this visual feast
by scanning subtitles.
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988): Enjoyed it, especially the human
characters, particularly the father and two young daughters. Not wild
about the idea of forest spirits who need to be placated or prayed to
by humans.
- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984): Cautionary tale about
living in harmony with the Earth (ie, Gaia). Set 1,000 years in the
future after the collapse of technological society following a
world-devastating war which caused an ecological upheaval. No
explanation of how people still have guns and airplanes after all that
time (where do they get ammunition and petrol?). Or how they can
make mechanical or bionic limbs to replace lost arms and legs.
- Princess Mononoke (1997): Entertaining, but don't understand it's high
rating, such as its inclusion in the IMDb's Top 250.
- Porco Rosso (1992): Entertaining, worth seeing. Feels a fair bit
like a romance-adventure movie from the 1940s (would probably feel
even more like that if viewed in black and white). Title character
is a middle-aged male.
- Whisper of the Heart (1995): Miyazaki was executive producer and
wrote the screen play, but did not direct. Charming story of two
junior high teens following their dreams for what they want to do
with their lives.
Any with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly....Wow can they dance!