I watched this movie only once in my childhood and had hardly any memory left, so I just had to watch it again. Nostalgia feeling is not present in me, therefore I could watch the film practically for the first time without being prejudiced. Unfortunately, I have to say that all the hype about this film could hardly be more wrong.
Moving Castle is a tale of how an ordinary hatmaker gets cursed, involved in a little adventure story and a war. The majority of the film turns to present various spells and concepts of her magical world, and the second half revolves around the war and the relationship between the two protagonists.
I must admit that the animations are beautiful, as are the visuals of many scenes. Unfortunately, there is little else for me to say about this film.
The film suffers from typical problems, too little time, too little build-up, and a weak finale. It's always the same, due to the short length.
[Story 4]
The concept of this magical world is nothing earth-shattering, even though it was beautifully presented. The world itself had little buildup and accompanying explanations, you were just thrown into it.
And the whole aspect of the war felt really "out of context". The transition to it wasn't particularly good, let alone the tension and execution.
The overall chemistry and composition of this film felt tremendously questionable and unfinished.
[Characters 5]
I liked the characters, they were likable, especially Sophie in her grandma's guise was fascinatingly accurate. But aside from sympathy and light backgrounds, there was little to mention. Many characters were just left lying around without any particular build-up or relevance, in the end, I hardly cared.
The scarecrow alone whose plot was just resolved at the end like it was a joke was... odd. What was especially odd was that it wasn't outlandish for the film.
[Animation 9/ Music 6]
The animations were beautiful and captivating, making them carry half the movie for me. The beautiful and fluid scene changes made the flow of the film better lubricated and offered a beautiful visual work of art. However, the animations were a step behind those of "Spirited Away" for me.
The music was fitting and provided satisfying background to the scenes. Personally, though, I would say that I have heard better Osts.
[Conclusion 5]
For many, this movie is an unprecedented childhood experience, but for me, it is just another movie. Since I didn't grow up watching these films, I'll have to settle for what I received here.
Howl's Moving Castle is a film that had an interesting concept, but unfortunately didn't really do much with it. If I had to call one movie "The Most Average Movie", this would be it.
[Enjoyment 5]
