Whisper of the Heart
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Movie Reviews of Whisper of the Heart
Movie Review: Not what I expected
Summary: 2 Stars
As this movie has the Baron in it, I expected a child-friendly adventure. This is more of a romance/soap-opera sort of movie. We watched it once and will probably never do so again. The Cat Returns we watch fairly frequently. I am pretty disappointed.
Movie Review: "If You Listen Closely"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Whisper of the Heart" (1995), animated coming-of-age story was scripted and storyboarded by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by the Yoshifumi Kondo. Hayao Miyazaki (Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke) saw in Kondo his successor as Studio Ghibli's film director. Unfortunately, Kondo was only able to direct a single Ghibli film, "Whisper of the Heart", before his untimely death in 1998. As magical and beautiful as the rest of Studio Ghibli feature films I've seen, gentle "Whisper of the Heart" focuses on the dreams, feelings, insecurities, and search for life's meaning of two teenagers - middle school students Shizuku Tsukishima and Seiji Amasawa in modern Tokyo. We also meet Shizuku's and Seiji's friends and families. We will follow a smart and curious cat that likes to ride the subway train by himself and one day would lead Shizuku to a magical shop run by Mr. Nishi, a kind, wise old man whose teenaged grandson Seiji Amasawa checks out from the local library the same books Shizuku does. The boy dreams of becoming a violin master. There are untold stories behind the beautiful objects in Mr. Nishi's store that wait to be told, but it would take a talent to capture and to write them down. In the shop, Shizuku meets her first love and starts the long road on becoming the writer.
The beauty of the film lies not in the mythical worlds or the fantastic creatures from the fairy tales. It is in the little film's universal appeal, in the way all viewers, the children and their parents, can relate to one girl's search for place in life, for her determination to follow the dream , and for support, guidance, and approval she so desperately needs and receives from her busy but loving and understanding parents. My favorite scene in the film is the conversation 15-year-old Shizuku has with her mother and father at the kitchen table about her future. It was so realistic, filled with the warmth, love, and understanding that children need from their parents. "Whisper of the heart" reminded me the films of the great Japanese film director, Yasujiro Ozu. While watching this new Tokyo story, I felt the same warmth, soft tenderness, power of human emotions and moving simplicity as in the Ozu's films from over than 50 years ago.
Movie Review: Great Miyazaki Film
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of Miyazaki-san's greater films in my opinion. It is a story about almost every girl.
Shizuku thinks that her boring life is never going to get any better, until one day she decides to follow a cat home and finds a wonderful antique shop. Inside lies more than just treasures from long ago, but treasures for the future, too.
Also, for any of you fans of The Cat Returns, the Baron makes a suprising "visit".
Personally, I think this film was better off left in Japanese and subtitled. It was painful to watch Dubbed, since the voice actors never seemed to match the mouth animantions.
Over all, as a movie, it was great. It was just not a great movie for dubbing.
Movie Review: Miyazaki does it again!
Summary: 5 Stars
The beauty of this film is breathtaking. It is definitely one of my favorite Miyazaki films. As usual his themes and messages familiar yet communicated in a unique way. I found this film to be personally inspirational. Also, the love story's ending is much more satisfactory than it is for several of his other films. I recommend this to every Miyazaki fan. Movie Review: Simply Wonderful
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a big fan of Studio Ghibli movies, and this is my current favorite. The visuals are wonderful. Yes, they can seem to move slowly, as another reviewer pointed out. That suited me just fine - more time to indulge in the mood they so beautifully create. The story, too, is delightful and pure.
As for the "girl movie" accusation, well, I'm a 47 year old guy and I definitely "get" this movie.
Enjoy!