Howl's Moving Castle
1 Oscar Nominations
Rent/Purchase
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
What critics thought
Miyazaki's visual imagination draws near-universal admiration — the castle itself, the landscapes, the fire sprites — but the film's plotting is where critics genuinely split. Many found the second half loses the propulsive energy of its opening, with Sophie's passive stretches and a wandering narrative undermining what begins as one of his most enchanting worlds. Fans of his work tend to forgive the sprawl; newcomers and Ebert-style skeptics found it a step below his best.
“At its best, 'Howl's Moving Castle' offers a rich fantasy of adolescent escape, of romance in the old and epic sense. At its worst, it's the most amazing 12-course meal you can't bring yourself to finish.”
Ty Burr·The Boston Globe
“Youngsters and Miyazaki fans will coo at the world's depth and rich surreality, but opaque plotting, and a tendency to mope with Sophie whilst Howl is off affecting events let the momentum of the first act vanish into thin air.”
Jonathan Trout·BBC
“the plot of Howl's Moving Castle meanders so listlessly that its details become less and less charming. Miyazaki's storytelling style resembles that of a breathless young tot who's fearlessly exercising his newfound powers of expression.”
Stephanie Zacharek·Salon
“Palaces and shimmering lakes, warplanes and fire sprites all come to life at the breath of Miyazaki's graphic genius.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“the narrative motor roars ahead in the opening hour and is more erratic thereafter”
David Rooney·Variety
Genres
Adventure, Animation, Family
Cast & Crew
DirectorHayao Miyazaki
StarringChieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki
ComposerJoe Hisaishi
Howl's Moving Castle
1 Oscar Nominations
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
What critics thought
Miyazaki's visual imagination draws near-universal admiration — the castle itself, the landscapes, the fire sprites — but the film's plotting is where critics genuinely split. Many found the second half loses the propulsive energy of its opening, with Sophie's passive stretches and a wandering narrative undermining what begins as one of his most enchanting worlds. Fans of his work tend to forgive the sprawl; newcomers and Ebert-style skeptics found it a step below his best.
“At its best, 'Howl's Moving Castle' offers a rich fantasy of adolescent escape, of romance in the old and epic sense. At its worst, it's the most amazing 12-course meal you can't bring yourself to finish.”
Ty Burr·The Boston Globe
“Youngsters and Miyazaki fans will coo at the world's depth and rich surreality, but opaque plotting, and a tendency to mope with Sophie whilst Howl is off affecting events let the momentum of the first act vanish into thin air.”
Jonathan Trout·BBC
“the plot of Howl's Moving Castle meanders so listlessly that its details become less and less charming. Miyazaki's storytelling style resembles that of a breathless young tot who's fearlessly exercising his newfound powers of expression.”
Stephanie Zacharek·Salon
“Palaces and shimmering lakes, warplanes and fire sprites all come to life at the breath of Miyazaki's graphic genius.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“the narrative motor roars ahead in the opening hour and is more erratic thereafter”
David Rooney·Variety
Genres
Adventure, Animation, Family
Cast & Crew
DirectorHayao Miyazaki
StarringChieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki
ComposerJoe Hisaishi
Rent/Purchase