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GAKE NO UE NO PONYO Hayao Miyazaki Starring Noah Lindsey Cyrus Frankie Jonas Tina Fey Liam Neeson I don't know what it is about Miyazaki. Like most Westerners, I grew up on Disney and hated the overly saccharine and cliché elements they heavily relied on to tell stories. Then came the advent of Pixar, with their combination of endearing characters and mature story-telling without falling into the obvious Disney pitfalls. But Miyazaki (and the majority of Studio Ghibli productions) is different; not only are his stories rich with adventure, childlike wonder, moral backbone and genuine heart, they're also bloody entertaining films. As with most Miyazaki pieces, the plot is not really the prime focus of the movie, more the characters and the brief adventures they undertake. This particular tale focuses on the daughter of Fujimoto - a man who was once human but now controls life underwater, voiced by Neeson - of his many fish/girl daughters, Ponyo [Cyrus] is the strongest and most inquisitive. One day she escapes and makes her way to dry land, only to be discovered by a young boy named Sosuke [Jonas]. Sosuke decides to adopt the peculiar fish, naming her Ponyo. After taking her to school, Ponyo is reclaimed by her father only to escape again, this time releasing primal elixir that causes mass tidal waves and the presence of ancient sea creatures. Ponyo returns to Sosuke as a five year old girl and professes her innocent love for him. Fujimoto learns of this and despairs for if Sosuke does not return Ponyo's feelings, she will revert to sea foam. As stated, the plot is incredibly simplistic but it's the character's affability and good intentions shine through and create a story that is captivating, mesmerising and delightfully engrossing. Another unique feature that adds to this release is Miyazaki's animation style. In an age of computer-heavy animation, Miyazaki has opted for an image that gives the impression that every single frame has been hand painted with watercolours and pastels -- I say 'gives the impression' but I'm almost certain each frame was hand-painted in this manner. As with the visual styling, the other contributory technical factors (sound, voiceover work, editing, art direction, musical score, etc) are all extremely commendable. It must be said I'm a bit of a Miyazaki fan (so much so that I rate him as one of the ten greatest directors of all time) and this is by far one of his best achievements. A visually enthralling and significantly beautiful film of such grace and innocent glee, Ponyo is the perfect family film. Release Date: 12th February 2010 The Scene To Look Out For: Two moments in particular spring to mind. The first is Fujimoto's first attempt to retrieve Ponyo. Walking up from the sea, spraying his feet with the freshest sea water (to prevent him drying out on land), Ponyo's father confronts Sosuke and his mother, Lisa [Fey]. It may not sound like much but it was very amusing. In addition to this, on first waking Sosuke, Ponyo leans over him screaming his name. As the young boy wakes up to see her beaming face, he sits up and head-butts her; simple action, stupidly funny, remarkable filmmaking.. no, seriously: remarkable filmmaking. Notable Characters: Without a doubt, everything said and done by the adorable Ponyo is an absolute treat. Granted, each character is imbued with their own unique traits and fascinating qualities but Ponyo really steal the show with her determination and love of ham. Highlighted Quote: "I'd let a fish lick me if it'd get me out of this wheelchair" In A Few Words: "As with every Miyazaki release, Ponyo is a work of sheer heart-warming excellence" Total Score: 
9/10Matthew Stogdon |
