Heyo!
I am feeling pretty meh, but have been powering through with a good night's sleep, lots of tea and good books to read! I feel that after this weekend is over I will spend the next week gently recovering and allowing illness to hit my body and to get over it before Matt comes to stay - I'm one busy bee these next couple of weeks!
I thought today would be a nice opportunity to talk about some films that I feel are starting to gain more popularity and recognition, but deserve way more than what they have received, so today's post is all about Studio Ghibli films. I'm not entirely sure how we stumbled onto them as children, but all I remember is that it took all three of us one film to get hooked! My sister has all of them to date, whereas me and my brother have gone about slowly but surely building our collections of our favourites in DVD format. I want them all, but they are quite expensive and as a student that doesn't have loads of money, I find comfort in buying the ones I adore and saving up for the other ones I love but don't hit me the same way my favourites do.
I have a top 3, and these don't really ever change for me, because they're all significant and I can pin-point the first time I watched them, my initial reactions, and also how and why they have helped me when I've needed them. I didn't fall for ones that were so unknown people hadn't heard of them for the sake of being indie, or for the popular ones because they are so widely-known to have a conversational starter, I just like them because they resonate with me and make me feel things that I need to feel in that moment. I need to stress here that My Neighbour Totoro would be in this top 3, but I have already talked about it
on a previous post. I love them all, but these are my top 3 Studio Ghibli films (in no particular order!)
Howl's Moving Castle
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| Image credit: http://film110.pbworks.com/w/page/12610201/Environmental%20Issues%20in%20Howl%27s%20Moving%20Castle |
This is such a brilliant film, and one I love to watch regardless of my mood. The plot follows young Sophie who works as a hatter in her shop, who has a spell/curse put on her by a witch, where she is turned into an old woman. Young Sophie falls for a wizard named Howl, and she gets involved in the resistance fighting for the king along the way. Howl is a man everyone wants to have for numerous reasons, his magical abilities, stereotypically handsome appearance but also his castle. With strong themes of anti-war, love, loss and of finding home, the film tackles issues other animated films I saw as a child failed to do. Instead of teaching kids about princesses, horses, princes and villains, it shows the effects of war, how to be kind, and where home truly is. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney as much as the next person, but this film made me feel many more things, and made me question things Disney didn't dare tackle. The animation is, as in all Ghibli films, is breathtakingly beautiful. I remember watching it for the first time, and loving every second, especially anything with Turnip Head! Hayao Miyazaki said in 2013 it was his favourite creation, and I don't know if that has changed, but I can really see why - it covers everything he wanted it to and is visually stunning, it is faultless in my eyes, and writing about it makes me want to watch it tonight!
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| Image credit: http://mentalfloss.com/article/85069/13-crowning-facts-about-princess-mononoke |
I feel a special connection to this film, not because it was made the same year I was born (fun fact, so was Mulan!) but because it is about being caught between two worlds and being unsure what to do. This is how I have felt a lot in life, stuck between two huge things and unable to make a decision without feeling guilt or responsibility if it should go wrong. The last Emishi prince, Ashitaka has to defend his people and is attacked in the process. The attack leaves him cursed, and he has to go and find a cure and not return to his homeland. Along the way, he meets several others, including the self-titled Princess Mononoke (San), and they encounter numerous problems along the way. The film again, is animated to perfection, and I find it rather sad in some parts, but it is timeless and I feel everyone should watch it because it is beautiful, and hasn't aged at all with its message or meaning.
Kiki's Delivery Service
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| Image credit: https://entropymag.org/brooms-moving-and-growing-up-an-essaylove-letter-to-hayao-miyazakis-kikis-delivery-service/ |
This is another classic Ghibli film, and I know to people who haven't seen Ghibli they might not understand but this film is what Ghibli is about. Much like fan-favourite My Neighbour Totoro, the film is inoffensive, simple in plot, and a beautiful journey the audience can experience alongside the characters. Kiki is a young witch, who must fly to another town or city and live there for a year to complete her training. She can bring minimal supplies, her skills, trusty cat Jiji and a radio from her father. Kiki is good at flying, and soon sets up her very own delivery service where she resides in the town. Along the way, she makes new friends young and old, and is welcomed eventually by the community who had never seen anyone like her before. This film is all about acceptance, leaving the nest and forging a life for yourself with your skills and whatever you have, and I really relate to this. Having moved to a brand new city just over two years ago, I felt so anxious about finding my footing and fitting in, and now I can look back at this film as helping me find my friends and finding my way, much like Kiki did!
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These are my top 3, again there are so many more films so if you are a Ghibli newbie or novice I implore you to go and dive into the brilliant world of Studio Ghibli and immerse yourself in animation that takes your breath away and storylines that make you feel a variety of emotions.
B x
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