Kiki's Delivery Service
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Movie Reviews of Kiki's Delivery Service
Movie Review: Better than I remember!
Summary: 5 Stars
Here is yet another of master film maker Hayao Miyazaki's films finally released in the U.S. by Disney. I had a chance to see this many years ago after the success of My Neighbor Totoro allowed this film to get the quality Disney dub treatment as well. For some reason, this film which actually made it into a few theatres disappeared into obscurity. The success of Spirited Away prompted Disney to get off their butts and let the world see another of Miyazaki's magnificent films.When I first saw this film, it didn't leave the same impression on me as any of Miyazaki's other films did. Sure, I felt it was good, but I think I found it too girlish for my taste. Of course, I was younger then (probably still in high school), and seeing it now allows me to have a better appreciation for the film. In all honesty, I do still expect this film to appeal much more to women and girls; it is a coming of age story about a young girl after all. However, I wouldn't compare it to a "chick flick".
I was pleasantly surprised to discover I liked this film more than I remembered. Kirsten Dunst (who was much younger when this film was originally dubbed) perfectly portrays Kiki, the films main character, and Phil Hartman brings a lot of charm and personality to the film as Kiki's cat.
This film has all the magic you'd come to expect from Miyazaki. For guys, I recommend checking out Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, and Spirited Away first as you will probably like them more than this film. Girls, I'd recommend Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away before seeing the rest. I recommend anyone see all of Miyazaki's films, but everyone's gonna have favorites. Some of his films appeal more one gender than another, but they are all great films that everyone should enjoy.
Movie Review: Key to watching a Miyazaki film.
Summary: 5 Stars
From watching a lot of foreign films, I always find dubs very distracting because they make me think more about what the characters were really saying; I've always been a bit suspicious of dubs because it's of small consequence who actually did the film translation, unlike in books. As a small example, Robert Fagles' translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey shine in comparison to others. I would recommend watching the subtitled version because even if you don't catch the text, there's always the nuances in the tone of voice and the animation itself: Miyazaki's characters have a personality beyond screen presence; their expressions, body language, and unspoken emotions provide plenty of subtle subtext and this is another on the long list of reasons why Miyazaki is one of the best animators in the world.Kiki's story is more than simply about hard work, it's also a story about overcoming doubt within oneself. It's about a thirteen-year-old suddenly realizing that failure is a very real possibility and that the world and some of the people in it may not be as nice as she thought. It's about her taking that self-doubt and knowledge of the possibility of failure and rising to the occasion in spite of it all. Thinking in the context of the film and the character, who wouldn't be shaken if at the the age of thirteen, they suddenly met with doubt about who they were and what they were doing in a large, strange town with what they thought were very modest resources (even if one of those resources is witch magic)? In the end, no amount of magic can compare with what's in the heart, with carrying on in the shadow of doubt.
Yes, it takes some thinking to read subtitles and catch all the subtlety in the animation, but I think it's worth the effort.
Movie Review: my favorite Miyazaki
Summary: 5 Stars
A Film by Hayao MiyazakiAs great as some of his other works are, this is probably my favorite of all the Miyazaki films that I've seen. It is one of the simplest stories, but I think that Miyazaki tells it extremely well. This animated movie is about a young witch who must move to another town to practice her craft as a solo apprentice witch.
Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) is turning 13 years old, and it is a tradition that when a witch turns thirteen she must go out on her own to practice in another city. She takes along her cat Jiji (Phil Hartman) and flies off on her broom to find a city by the ocean. After seeing a little bit of the town and interacting with some townspeople, Kiki doesn't know where to go or what special skill she has. All she can do is fly on her broom. In exchange for minimal help around the bakery, Kiki is taken in by a kind woman named Osono (Tress MacNeille). While living with Osono, Kiki decides that since her one skill seems to be flying on her broom she should open a delivery service. She does, and runs it out of Osono's home and bakery.
Kiki's Delivery Service is a beautiful, gentle movie about a young girl trying to find her place in the world as well as trying to figure out who she is as a witch and as a person. As I mentioned earlier, this is my favorite of all the Miyazaki films I've seen. It is just an easy going movie that is a lot of fun to watch, and is very engaging. All of the English voice acting is fantastic. I don't know if this movie is as technically proficient as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke, but it is a very enjoyable movie to watch.
Movie Review: Miyazaki Also Delivers Excellent Daily Life Drama
Summary: 5 Stars
1989 production. This animation drama originally titled "Majo no Takkyuubin (Fast Delivery Service by a Witch) based on Japanese children's literature of the same title reminds me his World Masterpiece Theater days during 70s.
Particularly the first opening scene with beautiful landscape and vivid description of the grass swinging with the wind truly is the extention of World Masterpiece Theater. And the characters and the European-like location reminds me Anne of Green Days era WMT. In 1974 animation drama Heidi, the Girl In The Alps, Miyazaki contributed a lot with his scene cuts so well described that we feel as if we were watching the real ones.
Such toils he experienced during WMT days were much well paid to convert fairy tale like original story to easy-to-believe daily drama. Just like say, Harry Potter series. For many Miayzaki fans who expect fast-paced drama like the others this may be a bit boring but the last dramatic sequence might quench such thirst. Only one thing I do not like about this English version is that sub version and dub version is so much different and confusing if you want to have both. So choose either option of Japanese voice with English subs or English dub alone.
Verdict: Much like the taste of WMT and Miyazaki's friend Takabata but excellently done.
Rating: 93 out of 100 3 points taken from sub-dub confusion.
Recommended for: World Masterpiece Theater fans, Takabata fans and wide range of movie fans.
Movie Review: Just beautiful!
Summary: 5 Stars
The story of a young witch out in the world to earn her broom, so to speak; another beautiful movie from the incomparable Hayao Miyazaki.
Fans of this director will need no introduction, nor even a review to buy this movie. My review title just says it all. The plot of the movie is benevolent, but the main thing about his movies from this period of his work is just that they are all so beautiful. This movie, and others are set in a romantic European-esque period about the turn of the last century. The buildings are stately, the people are beautiful and well dressed and for the most part well behaved, the scenery is wonderful. if I were a cartoon character this is the type of movie I would choose to inhabit too. It's just a real fairytale setting that you would imagine that a later date Cinderella would settle in, and something the polar opposite of Tim Burton.
The plot is nice and fun too, with just the right ingredients, benevolent witch folk, a young witch out to make her way in the world where witches are part of the ordinary world, just like doctors or postmen. She is befriended by a friendly baker, and is given a base from where she embarks on her career and makes new friends.
The dubbing is just great as well and provide just the right feel for the characters. They include the young Kirsten Dunst and the late Phil Hartman. A thoroughly enjoyable movie for the young and old.