The Secret World of Arrietty (2/17/12)

[Dubstar]

I thought this a mediocre Ghibli film - not a lot happens - it's a rather quiet film in tone and story structure.

a B- in my book.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

I thought this a mediocre Ghibli film - not a lot happens - it's a rather quiet film in tone and story structure.

a B- in my book.

Yes, but of the two non-Miyazaki "audition" films, it more fun to sit through than Earthsea--
This was directed by one of the main designers for Ponyo, and has the same Ponyo-like meandering feel for young audiences, if the same lack of compelling A-B narrative.

(And even if it rushes through Mary Norton's book with no time for anything but a quick synopsis, there hasn't really BEEN a good movie version of the Borrowers so far:
The 70's version with Eddie Albert is out of print, the 80's version with Ian Holm was way too dark for kids, and that 90's movie with John Goodman was a trans-Atlantic insult. )

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Yes, but of the two non-Miyazaki "audition" films, it more fun to sit through than Earthsea--
This was directed by one of the main designers for Ponyo, and has the same Ponyo-like meandering feel for young audiences, if the same lack of compelling A-B narrative.

(And even if it rushes through Mary Norton's book with no time for anything but a quick synopsis, there hasn't really BEEN a good movie version of the Borrowers so far:
The 70's version with Eddie Albert is out of print, the 80's version with Ian Holm was way too dark for kids, and that 90's movie with John Goodman was a trans-Atlantic insult. )

oh most definantly, 'Earthsea' was painful. I can see why Disney execs didn't even give it a theatrical release.

[MJW]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

oh most definantly, 'Earthsea' was painful. I can see why Disney execs didn't even give it a theatrical release.

Hopefully that doesn't mean we won't see it on Blu-ray in the US one day.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'd eventually like to own all the Studio Ghibli films on Blu-ray.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

oh most definantly, 'Earthsea' was painful. I can see why Disney execs didn't even give it a theatrical release.

I know "painful", friend--I saw Princess Mononoke in a theater.

So when I found Earthsea on Instant Netflix, I'd gone in hearing all the Miyazaki-Jr. bashing and expecting ponderous Mononoke-level pain, and just found sort of a harmless generic Nausicaa Lite without the bugs.
Yes, the talk of death near the end gets a bit dreary, but it's nowhere NEAR the neverending "Beware of the blob" last half-hour of PM, or the "Okay, now I just freakin' give up! " last third of Howl's Moving Castle.

As for why no theatrical release, it did get one, but only a limited-city run as contractual obligation for the DVD. Why go to the trouble?

[MegFitz]

They finally released a trailer!

The Secret World of Arrietty Official Trailer - YouTube

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/d...rldofarrietty/

[MJW]

Thanks for sharing! I've been looking forward to hearing what Disney's dub would sound like.

[EricJ]

Accdg. to IMDb, that's Amy Poehler as Arietty's mother, Disney Channel's David Henrie as the boy and Bridgit Mendler as Arietty, Will Arnett as Arietty's dad, and Carol Burnett as the nasty housekeeper.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by MegFitz

They finally released a trailer!

The Secret World of Arrietty Official Trailer - YouTube

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/d...rldofarrietty/

talk about a trailer that gives a lot of the story's plot.

[MJW]

Yahoo! Movies has an extended clip posted: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/the-se...-28053957.html