Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle

Starring Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Emily Mortimer

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

The Story:
Sophie (Emily Mortimer) is a young hatter, who isn't very beautiful or memorable, but runs into trouble on the street.  She is rescued by a young, handsome wizard named Howl (Christian Bale), and is soon turned into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall) in a jealous rage.  Now older, Sophie (Jean Simmons) sets out to find Howl and discovers his fantastical moving castle run by the fire demon Calcifer (Billy Crystal) that sits atop a dark mountain but can transport its inhabitants anywhere.

As she takes residence at the castle as its cleaning lady, her town is besieged by war and Howl - who is much more immature than Sophie first thought - is recruited to fight for both sides since he has multiple aliases.  He sends Sophie to act as his mother and tell the king that he's too cowardly to fight, and along the way runs into the Witch, and soon discover that they have a common enemy.  Sophie, in a desperate desire to save Howl, risks everything to pull him back from the edge of his own destruction.

The Synopsis:
Hayao Miyazaki is a visual, directorial genius.  There's no other way to put it, as he is in a league all his own.  He's delivered such beautiful, marvelous cinematic masterpieces such as "Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke," and with "Howl's Moving Castle" he continues his legacy of delivering a vivid, colorful story that will delight the young and old alike and tells an underlying tale of social issues that hit close to Miyazaki's heart.

The film is a beautiful tale of the joys of aging, as opposed to pretty much every other film out there that glorifies youth and demeans old age.  Sophie is a beautiful young woman, but when she's turned into an old lady due to a witch's curse, she doesn't rue and lament her current state but rather learns to appreciate it.  "Well, the nice thing about being old is you've got nothing much to lose," she says at one point, followed by "when you're old, all you want to do is stare at the scenery. It's so strange. I've never felt so peaceful before."  Miyazaki celebrates the way we age and sees it as a peaceful transition rather than a time closer to the end.  This is shown in even starker contrast between old Sophie and Howl, as old Sophie appreciates life and shows a certain elegance while Howl - while outwardly beautiful - struggles with insecurities, temper tantrums and infantile thinking.  Miyazaki shows us growing up isn't something to be feared, but something to be celebrated.

The biggest social theme Miyazaki tackles here is war, showing it as something that destroys everyone and everything, no matter what side you're on.  Sophie and Howl are walking among the most beautiful flower-filled fields when warships are seen overhead.  "On its way to burn cities and people," Howl remarked.  Sophie replied, "The enemy's?  Ours?"  Howl answers, "What difference does it make?"  We often see war as something necessary, and something we want our side to win, but ultimately there is no winners, only years - even decades - of rebuilding and putting the world back together.  Miyazaki, a pacifist at heart, was openly against the 2003 Iraq War, and made "Howl's Moving Castle" to oppose it, even though it was based off a novel by Diana Wynne Jones.  In stark contrast to the beauty Sophie and Howl experience, we're thrust into the world of war as we see bombs falling from the sky, cities lit up in red glow, and an overcast, dark sky that brings about eventual doom.  It's not as much a hidden message as one that pretty much exposes itself in great neon lights.

The story, as most of Miyazaki's tales, are often blurred between good and evil.  Here, there's no really evil person (save for the war itself) - even Howl (in all his immaturity) and the Witch of the Waste have redeeming qualities - and that's the most beautiful part of his tale.  Everyone is capable of doing good, and everyone is capable of being redeemed.  It's a beautiful, poetic symbolism being told here through the actions of the characters in an otherworldly - yet oddly worldly - backdrop.

Much like his earlier work, the animation here is absolutely spellbinding.  There is such meticulous details (such as the beautifully intrinsic castle itself, along with Howl's bedroom which is a hoarder's paradise) that you're left in wonder as to how animators could bring it to life, but they found a way.  It's as much a feast for the eyes as the story is food for your soul, a perfect blend that leaves you feeling better after watching it.

The Summary:
Much like his other work, Miyazaki once again tells a beautiful, poignant story with vivid, lively animation that encompasses the whole of the viewer in a way very few films - animated or otherwise - are capable of achieving.

The Score: A+