New Miyazaki / Ghibli: "The Wind Rises" trailer

[Cactus]

"It’s dark material for an animated film—in addition to the war, the movie will also touch on poverty, disease, and the Great Kanto Earthquake—and the movie, which is already a huge hit in Japan, has attracted its share of controversy. It won’t premiere in North America until the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and it doesn’t yet have its U.S. release date. But for now the mix of that sad story with Miyazaki’s gorgeous imagery and Yumi Arai’s tender pop ballad (“Hikoki Gumo”) is haunting."

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/...share_blogpost

[EricJ]

...So THAT"S what the dad from Totoro did for a living!

[cinemaphile]

Disney will release Hayao Miyazaki's THE WIND RISES on 2/21/14 w/ a 1 week LA/NY Academy run 11/8/13.

[Jasonic]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Disney will release Hayao Miyazaki's THE WIND RISES on 2/21/14 w/ a 1 week LA/NY Academy run 11/8/13.

Good to know. Hopefully a second Oscar is on the way for Miyazaki. From what I've seen thus far, I don't see anything else really being competition as far as quality/critical reception goes, as most people seem to say MU isn't to Pixar's normal quality. But unfortunately all the academy can vote, and unfortunately that includes morons who vote without seeing everything, so thats where it going to run into problems.

[celticmoon]

Since the film is not really aimed toward children and it will be releasing under the touchstone banner, hopefully we will get some subtitled showings during its wide(er) release in February.

I'd have liked to catch this when going to Japan in October, but I'm afraid that it will probably have been pulled from most if not all theaters by then. (And I'd also be too early for Takahata's Kaguya-Hime, unfortunately.)

As for the Oscar business, I think this will be a strong contender for the Oscar win, due to Miyazaki's retirement news and the relatively weak field of films from the major US animation studios.

My guess for nominations (I think there will be enough eligible films for 5 noms):

Monsters University
Frozen
The Wind Rises
Ernest and Celestine
The Croods or Despicable Me 2

[L-Rouge]

that looks incredible, on my list!.

[Monterey Jack]

Hope this gets a wider release than From Up On Poppy Hill, which I missed in theaters.

[dag]

I saw The Wind Rises on Wednesday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As I tweeted immediately upon exiting the theatre, it is a beautiful and evocative film, directed by a mature artist at the height of his genius.

There are some stunning images in the film. While there were some themes in the movie that Miyazaki frequently highlights (anti-militarism, the inherent beauty of nature), I thought it had a different feel. Except for several dream/reverie sequences, there are no fantastical elements present. While there are clearly some political undertones, these minor plot threads aren't directly tackled, and I did think this should have been further developed. The characters were very real. The film is very grounded in the real world, and very violent events (natural and man-made) occur. I found The Wind Rises to be a very thoughtful, patiently told story. Very rewarding.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by dag

I saw The Wind Rises on Wednesday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As I tweeted immediately upon exiting the theatre, it is a beautiful and evocative film, directed by a mature artist at the height of his genius.

There are some stunning images in the film. While there were some themes in the movie that Miyazaki frequently highlights (anti-militarism, the inherent beauty of nature), I thought it had a different feel. Except for several dream/reverie sequences, there are no fantastical elements present. While there are clearly some political undertones, these minor plot threads aren't directly tackled, and I did think this should have been further developed. The characters were very real. The film is very grounded in the real world, and very violent events (natural and man-made) occur. I found The Wind Rises to be a very thoughtful, patiently told story. Very rewarding.

Thank you for the review! Anxious to see this one.

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Golden Globe-nominated film is probably the last for famed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki.

The Wind Rises looks to be Hayao Miyazaki's final film, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt wanted to be a part of the famed Japanese director's 50-year legacy in animation.

Gordon-Levitt headlines a top-notch voice cast for the American release next year of The Wind Rises, which has already garnered a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign film and could be in line for a nod in the same category or even best animated feature at the Oscars.

"What I love about acting is becoming somebody else, and when you're just doing the voice and the animation is providing the visuals, you can really become someone else," says Gordon-Levitt, a fan of Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke (1997) and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away (2001).

The Wind Rises, which had an Oscar-qualifying run in Los Angeles last month and was named the 2013 best animated film by the National Board of Review, will be released in theaters Feb. 21.

The historical fantasy casts Gordon-Levitt as Jiro Horikoshi, a young Japanese boy in the early 20th century who dreams of flying with the birds and meeting Italian plane designer Giovanni Caproni (Stanley Tucci). Jiro can't become a pilot due to his poor vision, but as he grows up he becomes an aeronautical engineer who designs the fighter planes that the Japanese would ultimately use during World War II — and has to deal with the emotional consequences of his role in the destruction.

For producer Frank Marshall, it's a "remarkable" ensemble cast that also includes Emily Blunt, John Krasinski and Mandy Patinkin. "We credit the beauty and magic of Mr. Miyazaki's final film for bringing together this phenomenal group of performers."

The Wind Rises is a family affair for Blunt, who plays Nahoko, Jiro's dying love interest afflicted with tuberculosis. She commuted to the recording studio with her husband Krasinski, who plays aircraft designer Honyo, and Tucci is married to Blunt's sister.

The actress calls the movie Miyazaki's most complex work to date. "It's that dreamlike idea of thinking for one's self," she says. "My character represents that idea, that purity of dreaming for a better world, and that's partly because she knows she hasn't got long in this world."

Gordon-Levitt feels The Wind Rises is "clearly the work of someone who's a master at their craft" but also strikes a different balance between fantasy and reality than the 72-year-old Miyazaki's other films.

Instead of imaginary creatures and worlds, "this one is more grounded in human beings and a historical moment in time," Gordon-Levitt says. However, "there's still a flavor of magic in it as you go inside the mind of this aeronautics engineer and you see him walking on the wings of airplanes in his dream."

If Miyazaki does stay true to his word that he's retiring from filmmaking, The Wind Rises makes for a nice farewell, according to Blunt.

"We must live" is a line audiences will hear in the movie, she says, "and it's through our losses and our accomplishments, as if we're emboldened by our dreams, that we must live. That's a really deep message for a lot of people."

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CAST FOR THE WIND RISES

Joseph Gordon-Levitt — main character Jiro Horikoshi

Emily Blunt — love interest Nahoko Satomi

John Krasinski — Honjo, Jiro's college pal and fellow aviation engineer

Martin Short — Kurokawa, Jiro's grumpy boss

Stanley Tucci — Caproni, Italian airplane creator

Mandy Patinkin — Hattori, senior designer at Mitsubishi

William H. Macy — Satomi, Nahoko's father

Werner Herzog — the mysterious Castorp

Mae Whitman — Kayo, Jiro's younger sister, as well as Kinu, Nahoko's caretaker

Jennifer Grey — Mrs. Kurokawa

Darren Criss — Katayama, one of Jiro's engineering colleagues

Elijah Wood — Sone, another of Jiro's colleagues

Ronan Farrow — Mitsubishi employee

[Jasonic]

An excellent cast as always for the English adaption of a Ghibli film. I'm looking forward to it.

[Mandalorian]

That English-language cast is aces.

[Mandalorian]

I can't wait to go see this tomorrow. It'll be my first, and only, Miyazaki theatrical experience.

[FestinaLente]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

I can't wait to go see this tomorrow. It'll be my first, and only, Miyazaki theatrical experience.

Same here. I got into his stuff much too late. I'm very excited to see it this weekend.

[Jasonic]

Yep, be seeing it in about 12 hours can't wait

I saw both Spirited Away and Ponyo in the theaters. Unfortunately missed on Howl's Moving Castle's theatrical release.

[AdrianL]

This was actually the only Miyazaki film I've seen in theaters. I liked it but it's probably one of my least favorite by him.

[JavaJulien]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

I can't wait to go see this tomorrow. It'll be my first, and only, Miyazaki theatrical experience.

Same.

[BluLobsta]

I was surprised to see this advertised so much on TV. I think Disney probably had a lot to do with Miyazaki gaining some mainstream exposure in the US. Is Disney releasing this or Ghibli? I'm not a kid but I don't think you have to be to enjoy Miyazaki's work. I own Ponyo and Nausicaa currently.

[celticmoon]

Originally Posted by BluLobsta

I was surprised to see this advertised so much on TV. I think Disney probably had a lot to do with Miyazaki gaining some mainstream exposure in the US. Is Disney releasing this or Ghibli? I'm not a kid but I don't think you have to be to enjoy Miyazaki's work. I own Ponyo and Nausicaa currently.

It's produced by Studio Ghibli. Disney is distributing it in the U.S. through their Touchstone label.

I think most would agree that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy Miyazaki's work. Of course, I myself would argue that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy family-oriented animation in general. However, The Wind Rises is definitely Miyazaki's most adult-oriented film, and it's been a while since I've seen it (hope to catch it again during its U.S. run), but I don't remember there being too much that would seem appealing to kids. I mean, I would perhaps find Princess Mononke to be more "inappropriate" for kids than this film in many respects, but I think there's a lot that a kid would enjoy in Mononoke, whereas in this film, I think that would be pretty sparse.

Honestly, I was kind of surprised this got slapped with a PG-13 rating though. It got that certification for "some disturbing images and smoking." I really don't remember anything too disturbing--a few non-graphic depictions of war and a character at one point coughing up blood (also not all too graphic). And the smoking? Well, I don't think that alone would warrant a PG-13. Rango had a lot of smoking and got by with a PG. I guess it doesn't really matter though, since I don't think this really has any kid appeal.

[BluLobsta]

Originally Posted by celticmoon

It's produced by Studio Ghibli. Disney is distributing it in the U.S. through their Touchstone label.

I think most would agree that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy Miyazaki's work. Of course, I myself would argue that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy family-oriented animation in general. However, The Wind Rises is definitely Miyazaki's most adult-oriented film, and it's been a while since I've seen it (hope to catch it again during its U.S. run), but I don't remember there being too much that would seem appealing to kids. I mean, I would perhaps find Princess Mononke to be more "inappropriate" for kids than this film in many respects, but I think there's a lot that a kid would enjoy in Mononoke, whereas in this film, I think that would be pretty sparse.

Honestly, I was kind of surprised this got slapped with a PG-13 rating though. It got that certification for "some disturbing images and smoking." I really don't remember anything too disturbing--a few non-graphic depictions of war and a character at one point coughing up blood (also not all too graphic). And the smoking? Well, I don't think that alone would warrant a PG-13. Rango had a lot of smoking and got by with a PG. I guess it doesn't really matter though, since I don't think this really has any kid appeal.

Nice, thanks Yes, I kind of thought that Disney's relationship with Studio Ghibli would apply here as well. It's good to see Disney recognizing the importance of these films. I'm sure the potential for profit hasn't escaped them as well but Miyazaki's films must have influenced many people at Disney and Pixar at some point you have to believe. I own quite a few Disney and Pixar animated films and I enjoy them immensely. A good film is a good film. I have to pick up more Ghibli works, though. Soon...