Tractor Thoughts: Episode 2 Miyazaki

Another week of mowing and I thought about Miyazaki and his films. Well the three films of his that I have seen.

There really are no films quite like Miyazaki films. The only films, to me anyway, that can measure up to Miyazaki films are the Disney/Pixar films, but thats another blog, maybe.

Each film is imaginative, completely unique yet familar, and full of heart. For example:



Spirited Away

While this one is not my favorite Miyazaki film, I do enjoy it. It has the most imaginative creature design I have seen in a movie. The film created the perfect new and old, familar and unfamilar, balanced settings in any film I have ever seen. I personally don't really like any of the characters, even at the end when they have life changing experiences. It was admorable to make a film based off a little girl Miyazaki knew to create Chihiro and Sen. I know this film is held in very high regard, but I really didn't love this film as much as his others.

I guess the reason this films works, for me at least, is that this film is something not only children can enjoy, but adults as well. It has that magical other worldly fantasy that children can enjoy, while the story of wanting to explore and experience an adventure can be relateable to adults.

If you haven't seen this film it is a good recommendation for all ages, but more for children that adults.



Howl's Moving Castle

Firstly, I know this film is based off of a novel. Secondly, I have never read this book so I cannot make judgments about how close it follows the story. I liked this film a lot more than Spirited Away. While it may be that I like Steampunk more than Japanese bathhouses, I just liked this universe more than Spirited Away's. I find rivaling nations at war that use magicians for battle more interesting, and exciting, than a spoiled girl working at a bathhouse.

I loved the characters in this film because they are some of the most real characters I have seen in a movie. Every character, even the Witch of the Waste and Madam Suliman, were likeable to a certain extent.

Why this film works is that it tells a simple romance while being unique enough to stand out. Your main characters aren't just some love starved idiots, they are a girl who views herself as ugly, and a self-absorbed wizard. Slowly you see that both of them are the exact opposite of what they initially start as and end up being able to save eachother at the climax.

I recommend this film more toward the adult who is still a kid at heart because some of the film is a bit too deep for a child, but some kids will enjoy it and understand the message the film gives.



Princess Mononoke

Arguably Miyazaki's best film. This is also one of my favorite movies.

This film has the perfect setting for fantasy: Feudal Japan with demons, warriors, and magic.

Why this film works is how much conflict there is in this film. Ashitaka's conflict starts with Lady Eboshi trying to get resources out of a forest. But Eboshi's conflict started by the boars and wolves fighting and killing people for invading the forest. The movies conflict is also much more complex than this, that you need to watch the film at least twice to understand everything. The film also works because there really is no other film like this. It really has no genre, apart from it being in the category of animation.

This is also one of the most perfect films ever created. Anyone who likes movies needs to see this film.