Howl's Moving Castle 2004  PG, 119 min.
Genre: Animation / Family / Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Blythe Danner, Josh Hutcherson, Billy Crystal, Lauren Bacall, Jean Malone, Daijiro Harada, Crispin Freeman, Mark Silverman, Liliana Mumy
In this animated, English version of the story, after 18-year-old Sophie (voice of Emily Mortimer) is cursed by the Witch of the Waste (voice of Lauren Bacall) who turns her into an ugly old woman, Sophie (now, the voice of Jean Simmons) goes to a magician's castle where she meets Howl (Christian Bale) who sees beyond her ugliness and falls in love with her. The film received and Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
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Kiki's Delivery Service 1989 G, 103 min.
Genre: Animation / Family / Fantasy / Adventure / Comedy
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew Lawrence, Debbie Reynolds, Tress MacNeille, Edie McClurg, Kath Soucie, Jeff Bennett, Debi Derryberry, Corey Burton, Sherry Lynn, Matt K. Miller, Pamela Adlon, Eddie Frierson
In this animated, children's film, Kiki (voice of Kirsten Dunst) is a witch who is 13 years old–the age when witches must spend the year attempting survival on their own in order to find their future as witches. Kiki goes off on her odyssey. This nicely-made series of Japanese cartoons was dubbed in English by the Disney crowd in 1998 with a fine cast.
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My Neighbor Totoro 1988  G, 87 min.
Genre: Animation / Family / Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Toshiyuki Amagasa, Tanie Kitabayashi, Yuko Maruyama, Masashi Hirose, Machiko Washio
Sisters Satsuki and Mei's family has recently moved to a new home in order to be near their hospitalized mother. While playing, they see a pair of small, furry creatures and follow them deep into the forest. There they come across a giant who is king of the magical and playful creatures, called Totoros, that can only be seen by children. The mystical adventures begin for the girls who learn much about life in the process. Wonderful animation and a sure hit for the children. An English-dubbed version is also available.
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Princess Mononoke 1997 PG-13, 133 min.
Genre: Animation / Adventure / Fantasy / Thriller
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver, Billy Bob Thornton, Gillian Anderson, Jada Pinkett Smith, John DeMita, John Di Maggio, Keith David, Corey Burton, Debi Derryberry, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tara Strong
This is one animated adventure film that is NOT for children, but adults will be enthralled. Set in Japan during the Muromachi era, the story is about Ashitaka's (voice of Billy Crudup) search for the cure of a curse that a Tataraba has placed on him. Ashitaka travels far but arrives at his destination only to find himself amidst a battle between the forest animal gods and the iron miners whose work is killing the forest. Now, Ashitaka must attempt to bring peace between humanity and nature.
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Spirited Away 2001 PG, 125 min.
Genre: Animation / Family / Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Hayao Miyazaki, Kirk Wise
Cast: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, John Ratzenberger, Tara Strong, Mickie McGowan, Sherry Lynn, Jack Angel, Mona Marshall, Candi Milo, Phil Proctor
This Japanese animated film is about 10-year-old Chihiro (voice of Daveigh Chase) who finds herself alone in a world of ghosts and monsters, and her parents have been turned into pigs. She will need courage and allies to escape her nightmare, and she meets Haku (voice of Jason Marsden) who comes to her aid and finds a job for her in a bathhouse used by creatures. While working there, Chihiro tries to find the way to restore her parents into their human forms. The film received an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
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| 1. The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
2. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
3. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
4. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
5. Princess Mononoke (1997)
6. Spirited Away (2001)
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