Castle in the Sky
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Movie Reviews of Castle in the Sky
Movie Review: Another charming story
Summary: 5 Stars
More than anything else, this is a delightful, gentle story, beautifully animated. It's exciting, but without [much] violence or dark edge that might upset younger viewers. Also, like at least two of Miyazaki's other animations, it centers on a resolute little girl separated from her family. That recurring character must have some personal meaning for Miyazaki, but I'm not sure what. Even though the girl appears in several of his films, she doesn't really repeat herself; she really is new each time. Miyazaki also has some fascination with flight in general and airships in particular. They appeared in "Kiki's Delivery Service" and have a central place in this movie. I admit, they're quite amazing: majestic, wallowing dinosaurs from the early age of human flight. Maybe that's enough.
The only thing that left me puzzled was the floating island of Laputa itself. The sky-city with that name appears in "Gulliver's Travels." The former lords of Miyazaki's Laputa risked becoming tyrants by strength of their weaponry. Gulliver's Laputa was also known to crush, literally crush rebellion among its vassal territories. Any other connection between the two Laputas escaped me, though.
This is another cute movie from Miyazaki. It doesn't get by on just cuteness, though. It's not especially deep, but adults shouldn't be bored watching it with their kids. Or, like me, watching it without them.
Movie Review: Winsome fantasy
Summary: 5 Stars
"Castle in the Sky" is a masterpiece of one of Japan's finest filmakers. There is a simple artistry to Miyazaki's stories. This is a children's film, but it is in the tradition of children's stories that appeal to all ages. A rare, pure fantasy, the film has the same magic as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" and other early Disney films.I first saw this movie when it was released in US theaters as "Laputa the Floating Island." The mythical floating island of Laputa is taken from Swift's "Gulliver's Travels." Like Swift, Miyazaki cloaks a political statement with a fantasy, giving deeper meaning to his story. Environmentalism has always been central to his films, and "Castle in the Sky" is no exception.
Visual, the film is a literal flight of fancy. Much of the film takes place in the air. Air pirates travel in unwieldy flying machines. Giant dirigibles sail the skies. Travel by kite is an acceptable option. The animation is of the highest quality, as is the sound and acting.
The story may seem familiar to followers of animation. Miyazaki also work briefly on the script of "Nadia: Secret of Blue Water" using some of the same concepts. The story was also adapted by Disney as their film "Atlantis," sending the characters underground instead of up to the sky. However, "Castle in the Sky" is the story in it's original, best form.
I cannot recommend this film enough.
Movie Review: AN ANIME ACHIEVEMENT
Summary: 5 Stars
Castle in the sky is a true Anime masterpiece. A sumptuous, and breath-taking feast of visuals that stands out as testament to the genius of Hayao Miyazaki. And I think it's even better than Miyazaki's spirited away. Miyazaki brings his wonderful drawings, smooth-textured animation and background pictures to life.
The story follows a young girl named Sheeta (voiced by Anna paquin in the English dubbed version) that has a crystal that she wears around her neck that can show the owner the way to a mythical and powerful city in the sky. Sheeta finds herself on the run from the military including the voice of mark Hamill as Gen. Muska, as well as a group of pirates who all want the crystal for their own evil ends. The Pirates are led by Dola, voiced by Cloris Leachman. Sheeta is aided in her quest to find the castle in the sky by a boy named Pazu (James Van Der Beek) who lives in a mining town when Sheeta literally falls from the sky. The pair would later gain the Pirates as allies to find the city of Laputa.
I know Anime purists certainly prefer the Japanese version to the English dubbed version, but to those of us who are somewhat newcomers to Anime, I think it's still a great help to have them in English. And I do think that all of the voice talent did a great job, especially the two leads, Paquin and Van Der Beek. A true treat for Anime fans!
Movie Review: An Exciting Adventure from Beginning to End!
Summary: 5 Stars
Castle in the Sky, from acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, is one of the most colorful and imaginative animated adventures ever. I have seen 4 of Miyazaki's films now, and this one is the best I have seen so far. Air pirates, floating islands, and the mystery behind a special crystal make this a fun movie to watch for people of any age.
The story starts when Sheeta floats mysteriously down from the sky into Pazu's arms. Thankful to Pazu for saving her life, the two become friends. After a gang of air pirates come looking for a mysterious stone that Sheeta was given by her grandmother, Pazu and Sheeta run away. Also, Pazu is determined to find the legendary floating island/castle of Laputa, of which his father found but no one believed. So this is the basic of the plot but there is more to it than this. It is a great plot, and also one concerning man's destruction of the environment, a theme that shows up in many of Miyazaki's films.
This dvd set is wonderful. Not only do you get the movie, which clocks in at a little over 2 hours, but there are plenty of good extras that make this set a must-own for anime fans, Miyazaki fans or any fan that enjoys a good adventure. I highly recommend it, along with Princess Mononoke, Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind and The Castle of Cagliostro.
Movie Review: A well written story about peace and violence
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is one among many of Miyazaki's motion picture masterpieces. The storyline follows a young girl named Sheeta who is the descendant of an old royal family that once ruled an empire of flying palaces. Among the flying palaces, legends say that the largest and most technologically advanced one, called Laputa, still exists within the eye of an impenetrable storm. She is befriended by many people, including a young boy named Pazu that joins her in her adventure. However, air pirates that seek Laputa's legendary treasures and government officials that seek Laputa's advanced military technology pursue Sheeta throughout the movie. The story's characters are complex and well-developed, and the dark themes about war and peace are presented in ways that both children and adults can appreciate. The artwork is among Miyazaki's best, as the movie features many of the creative flying machines that Miyazaki's movies are famous for. The only problem I have is that the English translation (or at least the subtitling) obvoiusly changes some minor portions of the dialogue. This is most apparent when subtitles are displayed during brief junctures where no dialogue is heard from the Japanese soundtrack. However, the plot remains unaltered. This should definitely be watched by both children and adults.