Reviews by Kyle Ellis

Anime: Princess Mononoke

Much like the Susuwatari, the Kodama are a mystical and imaginative species.

They are also personified aspects of the environment. However whereas the Susuwatari represent a lived-in environment (or a workplace environment), the Kodama are indicative of a healthy and prosperous forest.

They have an alien, uncanny design, with very few looking identical. Not to mention the odd glowing white bodies with oddly shaped oblong heads and small pebble eyes.

I love their design a ton, and so do Ghibli fans, as the Kodama have become some of the most iconic Ghibli characters to date.

Anime: Spirited Away

Yubaba is technically the main antagonist of Spirited Away, as the authoritarian owner of the bathhouse who’s consumed by greed.

She has all the renamed workers at her whim via sorcery, with their freedom tied to their original name, and refused to let anyone leave.

They live in relative squalor, driven to be obsessed with money and wealth, while she hoards her fortune in grander lodgings. She has a distinct, frightening yet motherly design, and is able to transform into a bird and throw fire.

Honestly, she’s a bit terrifying. And I’ve never forgotten her.

Anime: Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso wasn’t always a cynical bounty hunter pig-man.

He was once Marco Pagot, a human pilot with large dreams and a great love for the sky, sea, and his friend, Gina.

He’s competent, witty, and wonderfully voice acted. Marco headlines the under-watched Ghibli classic Porco Rosso, and carries the entire narrative on his shoulders.

Anime: My Neighbor Totoro

Catbus is the large bus-cat-shaped-creature from My Neighbor Totoro, funnily enough.

It’s one of the most iconic characters across the Ghibli-verse, being featured in his own spinoff OVA and exhibited in the Ghibli museum.

It screams imagination, with its large cat-eyes serving as headlights and a hollow body filled with seats.

It runs and bounces across the luscious scenery, and knows where you want to go before you do. It’s very similar to the Cheshire Cat, and has become similarly revered over time.

Quite the opposite. Admire both Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks, and honestly feel that 'Cast Away' is among the best work of both. It is long and the opposite of feel good, but utterly riveting, thanks to the bold risk-taking and Hanks giving a performance for the ages.

'Cast Away' has been criticised by some for having an unsatisfying ending. It is understandable as to why it is polarising, and why it is seen as inconclusive and depressing to some wanting something happy. Count me in as somebody who found the ending incredibly powerful and who cannot fail to tear up. Have been picky about endings recently and the inconclusive nature didn't bother me that much and actually appreciated that it was more downbeat rather than happy, who to me would have felt a little too on the pat side.

There are so many great things about 'Cast Away' that help make it quite a superb film. Zemeckis' direction is some of his boldest, there are some courageous risks taken like his use of camera work and done in an ingenious way and not overdone. Even better is Hanks' one for the ages almost one-man show performance, sometimes not saying much but expressing a lot in a nuanced way. He is instrumental in making the island and his resilience in struggling to survive riveting viewing and he does so phenomenally.

It is a very well made film too, beautifully and cleverly photographed, atmospherically lit and with a lovingly created island setting. They blend so well with the film's tone and with its boldness. The score avoids from being overwrought, while there is a beautifully constructed script that provokes a lot of thought and wide range of emotions. While deliberately paced, the story is an engrossing one, with a excellently harrowing plane crash and the very telling section on the island that to me didn't drag at all even with events being a little on the slight side. Plus there aren't many times when you feel so much for a volleyball, you do here.

While the other characters aren't as well written or as interesting as Hanks', it is not in a way to bring down the film in any way. Helen Hunt makes a moving impression even with limited screen time, her meeting with Hanks one of the film's most powerful moments.

In conclusion, a powerful, bold and superbly acted, directed and made film that is moving without the audience being forced or manipulated into feeling so. 10/10 Bethany Cox

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STORY-Story wise, other reviewers have gone into depth on that, but let me just say that this is an absolute MASTERPIECE, possibly the greatest manga and comic ever written in my opinion.
The animated film was great, but this blows the film out of the water, developing much deeper and wider and with Miyazaki's own, beautiful artwork, it is a truly remarkable work.
Great story, with rich, meaningful themes, masterfully told and developed thoroughly, in a fascinating world populated but great characters and tremendous action.
What more could you possible want?

EDITION- (For prespective - I have had the 'Perfect Collection'(also available on here) box set of Nausicaa for quite some time and it's a very nice collectors item, but it is printed on such delicate paper that I refrain from using it for fear of breaking it. It is also printed in quite a small format.)

This edition however is what I would refer to as the definitive 'readers' edition.

PRO'S - The A4 size lets the artwork shine in bigger format. It's great the read this story again in such a comfortable format. The larger size is truer to the original artwork and definately suits Miyazaki's style more than a compresed format. The story feels like it breathes more on the page and suits the epic nature of the subject matter.
The stable binding makes this paperback a reliable one, and one that you won't be afraid to read and bump around a bit.
The artwork is also printed with a 'sepia' tone to it, which is a nice touch and there are full colour maps included too.
The story is presented in its original left-to-right format, with japanese sound effects left as they were. For me this is a plus as I dislike images being flipped or rearranged as this was not the original vision of the artist, leaving it like this makes it truer.

CON'S - The ONLY con, is that the paper quality is not the highest, if it was higher grade this would be the 'Perfect' edition. It does not however diminish the enjoyment of the work, and for the cost, the paper is fine.

As a long time fan of the work, I can say that this is my preferred edition.

Studio Ghibli have been responsible for some of my favourite animated movies, especially Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, Castle in the Sky and My Neighbour Totoro. In fact I haven't seen a Ghibli I dislike, even their weakest Tales from Earthsea while problematic is worth a viewing. Arietty is not one of Ghibli's best, but that doesn't stop it from being a truly charming film. As with all Studio Ghibli's work, the visuals are stunning, with the colours especially having such an ethereal quality to them, and the music has a pleasant Celtic lilt making the movie even more beautiful than it already is. The script amused and touched me, and the storytelling doesn't rely on wisecracks and action(not that it's a bad thing as such) but instead it is subtle and gentle with a lot of charm and heart, letting us bond emotionally with the characters and their world. True, the ending is a little bittersweet, but considering the storytelling it worked I felt. The characters, especially Arietty, are likable and engaging, and the voice work is terrific, the standouts being Olivia Colman, Geraldine McEwan, Mark Strong and very talented child actress Saoirse Ronan. Overall, a very charming film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Like I said with Nausicaa, Kiki's Delivery Service for me isn't quite a top 5 of my favourite Ghibli movies, it makes for a solid position in my top 10. It is a beautiful film, light-hearted and entertaining with very little to criticise really. The story is simple yet very imaginative, the dialogue is good and the pacing is well judged. My favourite assets of Kiki's Delivery Service are the animation, music and characters. The animation as you would expect is gorgeous especially in the colours, and the music is stunning. The characters are unique, likable and always engaging, I have to say Kiki is one of my favourite protagonists ever in a Ghibli movie and I mean that. Overall, lovely and delightful. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

I am a huge Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki fan, and My Neighbour Totoro is no exception. In fact it is one of my favourites from them. There are so many wonderful things about My Neighbour Totoro. It is very simple in story and character but it is all very beautiful, charming and touching. The animation is typical Ghibli, ethereal-looking and just ravishing to watch, while the music is one of my favourite scores in a Ghibli film. The story is simple, but I loved the simplicity, it had such a pleasant atmosphere to it, and the characters are engaging with great chemistry together. I have very little to complain about the voice acting either, everybody did a fine job. In conclusion, in my opinion this is an animated classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox

When I first saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I wasn't expecting to love it, let alone like it. What a surprise when I saw it! I think this film is wonderful in every aspect, truly beautiful and packs a full emotional punch. In fact, if you don't mind me saying so, it is one of my favourite films of the 2000s.

I especially loved how Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was shot. The whole film looks beautiful, not only with the cinematography which is indeed spellbinding but also in the scenery which was nothing short of amazing. Another impressive asset was the soundtrack/score. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind doesn't have the best soundtrack/score I have ever heard in my life, but the score makes the film all the more moving, while the soundtrack is well selected and appropriate.

I was also very taken with the story. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has one beautifully constructed story I can tell you, with an almost poignant message about it. It is strange and bizarre yes, but neither of those are bad, quite the contrary. Then there is the script which is both poignant and funny, not to mention very deep. The pacing very rarely feels boring if at all, and the direction is adept.

I have very little to complain about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind's performances either. As good as the supporting performances are especially from the always splendid Tom Wilkinson, I have to give the real kudos to the leads. Jim Carrey has done some good performances in some good films, The Mask, Liar Liar, The Cable Guy and Bruce Almighty showcase his comedy talents wonderfully, but this and The Truman Show show he is perfectly good at drama too. He is very understated here, but it works as he still manages to be likable all the same. The real star though is Kate Winslet. A beautiful and captivating actress, Winslet is absolutely perfect in her role.

Overall, wonderful film. Bizarre yes, but very tender and poignant helped by the exceptional performances and cinematography. 10/10 Bethany Cox