#Ghibli films are also a masterpiece

[perryelornitorrinco]

Yayyyyy thanks for the tag Spooks!!!! <3 THIS WAS REALLY FUN AA!!

No pressure :·3!!! @poposusz @zolanort @starwolfie @citywaavee @raycatz @off-mozzarella @turdofanerd @rebornofstars @summaryscar @punsandcoookies

Movie Tag Game

Rules: Without naming them, post a gif from ten of your favorite films, then tag ten people to do the same. Tagged by @queenofmoons67

I want everybody to know how hard it was not to pick multiple ghibli movies. I also realized how little live action movies I watch

Tagging (no pressure no stress no worries): @alicewritingstories @anthemxix @perryelornitorrinco @vaathnaos @links-in-time @st0rmyskies @clancycosmic @nowlibi @givemeafuckingbreakorurgay @maesonc @luna-loveboop @crazylittlejester

[teddytheartist]

Shizuku my beloved

[crazylittlejester]

What kind of movies/shows do you think the modern boys would like? I personally think Sky would LOVE Studio Ghibli and War and Wild would enjoy movie musicals

OOOH!!

You’re absolutely right Sky would love Studio Ghibli, and he’d like those older animated disney movies like Cinderella and winnie the pooh. He’d also love those plotless lifetime and hallmark movies, because it’s really just people walking around and its always the same five actors doing the same 2 plots over and over again and he’d love making fun of them and ‘predicting’ what comes next akdmdkd. I think he and Sun would like watching the christmas themed ones together. Also you can pry his nature documentaries out of his cold dead hands

WARRIORS DRAGGED TWILIGHT TO SEE WICKED WITH HIM, BAWLED HIS EYES OUT, AND THEN MADE HIM GO SEE IT WITH HIM AGAIN. He’s a theater kid in theory, he’s not the worlds most talented singer (if you ask Twi he’d say War can’t sing at all and that him “screaming to lady gaga” is “the most horrific sound ive ever heard in my life, War, you’re gonna make my ears bleed”) but he has the passion and borderline obnoxious energy, he just never had the time to do musicals in school. War also really likes dramas and reality tv. When he’s really sad he’ll throw on something like Dance Moms and then just scream at the tv or sit there in absolute shock because how in the name of the gods did this air

Twilight LOVES weird mystery/thriller shows, which is hilarious coming from the guy who at age 11 was so scared of muppets most wanted he broke down sobbing when his dad stuck a picture of kermit the frog on the fridge (and also several other locations in the house) and now has a lifelong fear of the muppets (though its simmered down to more of an anxiety now, he can watch the muppets but he WILL jump if he unexpectedly sees kermit). He’s a big film guy, he really appreciates looking at how frames and scenes were shot and how that adds into storytelling, he doesn’t have a genre he sticks to he’s just biased towards mystery stuff. He loves Knives Out, and does genuinely think the first Twilight movie is a cinematic masterpiece (hence the nickname, ‘Twilight’), and he appreciates a good movie musical as well

this was a fun question to answer!! thanks for asking it :)

[nayucristal]

6 studio ghibli movies for beginners ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

hello! ^^ this is my first text-post here so i decided to write about a topic that i am totally obsessed with!! but before we begin, here is a brief introduction:

i think it's important to balance between the more complex and simple Studio Ghibli films so that you can have access to both facets of Ghibli. after all, not all of them are extremely complex and metaphorical, sometimes you can just choose a lighter movie to watch!

what is the difference between studio ghibli's movies and other movies? studio ghibli has the mastery of dealing with everyday and essentially human issues (as well as environmental ones) that we are all familiar with seeing in films.

but what makes it unique is the delicate, engaging and accurate tone of humanity and intimacy that studio ghibli brings to the films, making them all special and capable of generating a unique connection between the viewer and the work.

so let's get start it!

p.s.: everything mentioned here is based on my opinion and preferences! feel free to kindly & respectfully disagree <3

Kiki's Delivery Service (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ

one of my favorite studio ghibli movies! i believe it has the most relatable protagonist of all the studio's movies. the film deals with several subjects such as burnout, identity, "what is my talent? what makes me unique?", among others!

the soundtrack is unique, catchy and memorable (sometimes i find myself humming the main theme throughout the day lol)

i think it's a great film for those who are just starting to get to know Studio Ghibli and might fall in love with it!

2. Whisper of the Heart ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱₊˚⊹

this is usually one of the first Ghibli movies i recommend to someone (also is one of my favourites)! it has a light and human romance; "no magic, no enchanted beings, no spectacular plot, just the appreciation of life"

the film also features a completely relatable protagonist, shizuku, who searches for a sense of identity, albeit in a different context than kiki.

shizuku is a teenager who is about to start high school but still doesn't know very well what the future holds for her and what she plans to do with it. she ends up meeting her great life partner, seiji, who has a great dream and life goal.

3. Howl's Moving Castle ⋆˙⟡ —

one of the classics! you've probably heard of this masterpiece before or come across the soundtrack online.

unlike the last films mentioned, this one has a much more elaborate, deep and even certainly confusing plot as it contains a lot of symbolism (in addition to being an adaptation of a book!).

however, i think it's a great movie to recommend when you're starting to watch studio ghibli because even though it's slightly complex, it's mesmerizing and engaging. in addition, it shows the purest essence of studio ghibli, which is to portray humanity, human insecurities and feelings with the complexity and subjectivity that they have.

i'm absolutely sure you'll fall in love!

4. My Neighbor Totoro ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

another extremely classic that you've probably heard of! my neighbor totoro will take you back to sweet childhood memories, even if you didn't live in a country house or encounter a mystical forest creature!

this is another story that doesn't have a crazy plot, but it is wrapped in nostalgia, comfort, animation and soundtrack, which makes the experience totally immersive.

my neighbor totoro is without a doubt one of Studio Ghibli's biggest brands, even forming part of the studio's logo and selling several products. it's a film you can't miss!

5. From Up On Poppy Hill ✮⋆˙

maybe this one will generate some disagreement but HEAR ME OUT!!!!!!!!! this was the first Ghibli film i showed my father and he simply fell in love with everything: the animation, the story, the soundtrack, the characters; and all of this made him want to see more of Ghibli!

unlike the other films on the list, this is the only one that was not directed by Hayao Miyazaki but by his son. the film has a curious and incredible story, focusing on one subject: the preservation and veneration of the past so that there may be a future.

the characters are delicate in their essence and each of them tells their own life story and how it built who they are in the present. a great movie for you to watch on a Sunday afternoon!

6. Spirited Away ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

did you think i wouldn't talk about it? simply the most emblematic movie from Studio Ghibli and i believe the most popular too!

this is another film full of metaphors and symbolism as well as a fantastic protagonist. it's a super fantasy film but it deals with extremely real themes of our world, based on the adventure of an 8-year-old girl: "the world will not be kind to you at any time, but you will need to find the strength within yourself to grow and face it"

completely addictive and charismatic in its own way i'm sure you'll love this studio ghibli masterpiece!

[thinkingfandoms]

An accurate list of the best movies I've ever seen

This list also includes reasons that are all too objective and nonsensical. Avoid asking too many questions. And share what you think in the comments!

Hercules

Hercules is probably my favourite Disney movie. And I also think that's where my interest in Greek mythology started. Hades is my favorite villain from this company and he's such a mood.

The Prince of Egypt

Oh dear you don't know how much I love this movie. I know every song by heart and was lucky enough to sing them with my choir. I'm a big fan of animation and despite how old is this movie, I think it remains one of the best ever produced. I cried more times over this movie than over all the others on this list combined.

Friends & Family

I only discovered this film this year but it quickly became one of my favorites. I have never laughed for so many consecutive minutes at a movie. I approached it because it's unusual to see a gay mob-themed movie, but I immediately fell in love with all the characters and the final scene remains one of the most comic I have ever seen.

Treasure Planet

I have a soft spot for animated films about great adventures and self-discovery. Jim has been my only animated crush for years, and his story has always resonated with something inside of me (maybe the desire for adventure and his recklessness, idk). Plus, of course, "'I'm Still Here" is one of the most beautiful soundtracks ever created.

Howl's Moving Castle

One of the first films I saw by Studio Ghibli and my absolute favourite. The love stories created by this Studio are always wonderful, and this one is no different. Plus I always saw myself in Sophie (especially about the crush on Howl) and, well, there's Calcifer, what more do you want?

Les Choristes

Another thing I love: movies about music. It may be that I've been playing an instrument for years and singing in choirs, but I've always cried watching kids rediscover a new side of themselves through music and songs. And these songs are composition's masterpieces. I still remember them all by heart even though French isn't my native language.

A Christmas Carol

I'm slightly obsessed with this story, with Charles Dickens and with Christmas. I was born on Christmas Eve so you can imagine how close this theme is to my heart. I have seen several versions of this story though, and for some reason, this one remains my favourite. It may be that it's different from other more colourful versions and really shows the darkness behind the original story, idk.

How to Train Your Dragon

I literally grew up with this saga: I was 8 years old at the first film, 12 at the second and 17 at the third. I watched Hiccup grow up with me as a friend and Toothless as a fellow adventurer. I'll forever be grateful to Dreamworks for creating the best-animated saga that cinema has ever seen.

The Three Musketeers

This movie is so random that it's perfect. I watched it again recently (after like 8 years) and realized that maybe my daddy issues come from this movie: Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom and the freaking Mads Mikkelsen together, seriously? I'm not surprised it was one of my favourite movies growing up.

A Monster in Paris

The love I have for this film is enormous. I could never get over the beauty of the songs in it. The characters are so well written and Francœur will always be in my top animated characters. It's too amazing to be real.

Rise of the Guardians

I could talk for hours about this film and have not even touched the tip of the iceberg. I have an insane obsession with all the characters, starting with and especially Jack, my top animated crush for years. It's all so perfect that I don't see how people never nominate it when it comes to top animated movies.

The Hobbit

Again, I have serious problems with films about fantasy adventures. I have always preferred The Hobbit saga to its sequel because the story has always fascinated me more. And the main character especially: for me Bilbo >>>> Frodo. And then there's Thorin and Luke Evans. You know, daddy issues.

Mune: Guardian of the Moon

Another French animated movie, another obsession, another adventure, another animated character in my top. This is an example of how to do good animation. There isn't a colour out of place. The settings are authentic, the characters are original, and the adventure they make gets me every time.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I'm maybe a Muggle, but I prefer Fantastic Beasts to the Harry Potter saga. That's not to say it's better, mind you, but it reflects me more. We all know how we Hufflepuffs (and Ravenclaws) have no real representation in the HP movies, so to be able to have at least one prequel saga starring a Hufflepuff (in which I also find myself far too much) as the protagonist is wonderful. And I have an unhealthy urge to become a magizoologist.

The Greatest Showman

It's the movie I have watched the most of these. I know every song by heart and every line too. It always manages to be a roller coaster of emotions. And it has Hugh Jackman in it.

The Boy Foretold By The Stars

I'm a big supporter of the Philippine's film company. This is one movie is gentle, funny, and not based on the usual drama between Christianity and LGBT+ people (which is what I thought when reading the plot at first). Moreover, another underrated thing, the Philippines' music company here has thrown in masterpiece after masterpiece of songs, perfect for this movie.

Bros

This is my top comfort film in the last year. It's like watching a Hallmark movie but hotter, much more sincere and gay. Very gay. And the relationship between the two main characters is so cute and sweet. And funny.

Top Gun: Maverick

I love this saga but especially love this particular chapter. I love Maverick and his relationship with Rooster, and all the other characters are so well-written. And don't get me started on the story... I LOVE it. There isn't much else to say except that Cruise is a great actor (and a terrible person).

Glass Onion - Knives Out

I love my silly little gay detective. And I have a little passion for movies and mystery series. I found this saga's chapter more compelling than the first one, and the characters gripped me more. Also I fell in love with the setting. Oh and then there are Daniel Craig and Hugh Grant.

[kdrawingblog]

Second part from this year's Inktober.

So, like the first third, these were also fanarts.

11. Wandering _ Seth and Horus from the BL manwha Ennead (Gods of Egypt), featuring Seth's favorite falcon.

12. Spicy_ Rock M. Sakura (Contestant from RuPaul's Drag Race season 12) from her interview on Maddy Morphosis' Give it to me straight.

13. Rise_ Brienne of Tarth and Jamie Lannister from the last season of Game of Thrones.

14. Castle_ interior of Howl's castle from the studio Ghibli movie, Howl's moving castle.

15. Dagger_ Rosiel and Katan from visual key masterpiece manga, Angel Sanctuary.

16. Angel_Trixie Mattel on the photoshoot for her book Working girls. Also contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race season 7.

17. Demon_ Katya Zamolodchykova on the photoshoot for her book Working girls. Also contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race season 7.

18. Saddle_ Mia Wasikowska on the film Stoker.

19. Plump_ Bombur, from BTs of the Hobbit movie.

20. Frost_ Jon Snow on the last episode of season 5 of Game of Thrones.

[brits4gerardway]

i'm never on anon :3 hello!!

okay so here are my 3 questions

1: fav movie ?

2: best mcr album in your opinion ?

3: ever read homestuck ?

HIIII!!!!! TY FOR THE ASK :3

(this will probably be a long post because the first two questions evoke massive ramble urges within me)

1: FAVE MOVIE AHHHHGGH I really like The Shining 😭 I have a jack torrance funko pop :33 but also One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest crushes my soul in a good way (i like watching old movies) BUT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I RLLY LOVED SUICIDE SQUAD THAT WAS SUCH A SILLY TIME FOR ME (not a fan of jared's joker though sorry guys) margot robbie's harley quinn you will always be famous🫶🫶

tbh now that I think of it I have a lot of favourite movies and i'm a nerd for this kinda stuff which doesn't really help my case (has took BTEC media and is also going to do A-level film studies) ,,, FUCK,,, I'll just name some more favs!!!!!

Joker 2019, The Dark Knight, Birds Of Prey, Melanie Martinez K-12, American Psycho, The Crow, Girl Interrupted, MCR Life On The Murder Scene ((IF THAT EVEN COUNTS)), Pearl (I'M A STAAAAARRR!! D:), La La Land, Corpse Bride, Coraline and also Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle :D there are probably some i've missed but for everyone's sake i'll stop there

2: this will always be the most difficult question ever to me because I love all of them so much equally and they're all great fucking albums that mean the WORLD to me,, statistically it's The Black Parade which is the best and it's sososososo good 🤤🤤🤤 but ngl I'm a massive Conventional Weapons lover even if it's not technically an album . BURN BRIGHT SAVE US BURN BRIGHT WE SAY IN UNISON🔥🔥🔥 but ACTUALLY albumwise I'm stuck between Bullets and Three Cheers I LOVE CONCEPTY ALBUMS AND DEEP LYRICS SO MUCHJSJDJD AND THEN THE UNDERRATED OVERHATED DELECTABLE MASTERPIECE OF DANGER DAYS EXISTS TOO WITH THAT SILLY CONCEPT AND SHIT I'VE SAID THEM ALL.

but bullets. i think. for now. yeah❤️ (I change my mind every time I think about it)

3: I read a teeny bit of homestuck back in 2020 but I never continued for some reason I totally forgot why 😭 I REMEMBER THE KARKALICIOUS SONG THOUGH THAT SHIT GOES HARD

I loved doing this instead of sleeping<33 take this pretty yet blurred swarm gerard image as a cheers to anyone who read all that

[ivory-lamps]

A13: Palus

Characters: Toi, Akuta, Nagi, Raito & Yodaka Location: Hama Summary: Akuta and Raito invite the protagonist, Toi and Nagi to a movie night. Toi sympathises with the shy Nagi and both of them agree to watch a movie with the others. Proofreader: Shay

ㅤ

Translator’s Notes ☽.‎˖

There are references to a few Studio Ghibli films in this chapter; names/terms from the films have been changed for copyright purposes in-game. Please note that I've renamed "Studio Ghibli" () to "Studio Grizzly" for this reason.

The pun in the Japanese script uses the rhyming of the Destruction Spell ("balus" but changed to "palus" due to copyright reasons) with the word "nachos". I've decided to rhyme "palus" with "calculus" in English instead.

Akuta: It’s time for the Friday Film Show~!

Momiji / Kaede: So it really was you at the door, Akuta-kun. Oh, and Raito-san. It's rare to see you two together.

Raito: Yeah. I found him collapsed on the ground in the dorm hallway one night and asked if he wanted some ramen. He really took a liking to me after that.

Akuta: He got me a ramen with al-dente noodles, deep-flavoured broth with lots of oil, topped off with a ramen egg and I even had a diced chashu rice bowl! Of course I had to thank him for that!

Momiji / Kaede: Ahaha. I think it’s great you two are getting along as fellow leaders.

Raito: Yeah. I find Akuta adorable in a different sense from Nayuki.

Momiji / Kaede: (Now that I think about it, I guess Akuta-kun does seem like a little brother? I bet Nayuki-kun would never hang out with Raito-san even if he tried to lure him out with his favourite food…)

Akuta: Anyways, that’s not what we’re here for! We’ve gotta ask the others too~

Raito: Oh, right. We don’t have time. We’ll be watching “Spiriting Away the Valley in the Sky” today. It’s a masterpiece by Studio Grizzly. Akuta’s really excited to watch it.

Akuta: Sensei and… you guys are Nagi-san and Toi-san, right? Whaddya say!?

*Toi and Nagi are flustered*

Nagi & Toi: U–Uhh…

Raito: It might be a good opportunity to get to know the others better.

Akuta: Yeah! We’ll all be birds of the same flock and friends who ate from the same popcorn bucket! Let’s watch it together~!

Momiji / Kaede: Ahaha! Alright, alright. Later then, okay?

Akuta: Hurry up, though! ‘Kay, let’s move on to the next room!

*Akuta heads to the right*

Raito: Akuta, we just came from there. We’re heading this way.

Momiji / Kaede: …Alrighty, then. The destination for the research trip has been set, so why don’t we go watch a movie?

Toi: Ah, okay… Will everyone be there…?

Momiji / Kaede: I think so… What’s wrong? You look a bit hesitant. You had so much fun during the party the other day, though.

Toi: W–Well, Chii-sama was there so I just happened to get way too excited…!

Momiji / Kaede: (So he was in a trance, huh. And this is the real Toi-kun…?)

Toi: I–I get nervous when… there are a lot of people I don’t really know… Ahh… I wish Ani-sama was here…

Momiji / Kaede: What about you, Nagi-kun?

Nagi: I…

Momiji / Kaede: Mhm?

Nagi: I wouldn’t fit in with a group of party animals and uh… I’ll just end up sticking out like a sore thumb.

Momiji / Kaede: Party animals?

Nagi: Ohh… the party animals aren’t aware of it themselves, huh… So this is what real party animals are like…

Momiji / Kaede: Wha? We’re just going to watch a movie. It’ll be okay. There’s no need to be afraid.

Nagi: You sound like Naumicaa when she encounters an Ehmu.

Toi: Nagi-san, please!

Can you go with me…? I think I might die of loneliness if there isn’t another person from the Night Group with me…

Nagi: ……

Momiji / Kaede: Uh, you don’t have to force yourself. It was a sudden invite, anyway.

Nagi: …Alright. I’ll also find it reassuring if Toi is there with me.

Toi: I’m glad you’re so understanding… Now, I can breathe a sigh of relief~

Momiji / Kaede: (I don’t know… if I can call Toi-kun shy, but it looks like Nagi-kun sympathises with him for some reason.)

Nagi: Okay. I’ll go with you, then.

Toi: Yaaay!

Ten: Valley in the Sky is great, huh~? I totally understood how the main character felt when I was a kid.

Nanaki: The person she loves falls from the sky… That’s so romantic, right?

Kinari: ……

Kiroku: …Azekawa-san… Have you… seen… Spiriting Away… of the Valley in the Sky…?

Kinari: Just once. There is a record that states I have watched it in the cinema

Ushio: Huh? At the cinema? When?

Yachiyo: They play a lot of old films for anniversaries and stuff, right~? I’d love to see it on the big screen, too!

Momiji / Kaede: Wow, everyone’s here. Ah! There’s pizza, too!

Renga: Sit there, Manager. Nagi and Toi, you can sit here. Let’s have some pizza while we watch the movie.

Toi: Um… Thank you so much… Nagi-san, sit next to me!

Nagi: Okay. Thanks, Renga.

Renga: Don’t mention it… Like I said the other day, you don’t have to be so hesitant, so just relax and have a good time.

Nagi: …Okay.

Muneuji: Looks like we made it in time.

Akuta: Oh, shoot! Gotta hurry~! It’s gonna start~!

Momiji / Kaede: Welcome back, you two. Oh, right. Akuta-kun, about the cake…

Akuta: Oh, yeah. I was in a rush and couldn’t find the right timing for it, but I gotta apologise to Nagi-san, don’t I?

Nagi: …… I’m not angry. I heard you went out to get a new one for me, but that actually makes me feel bad instead.

Akuta: Huh? Why would you feel bad? I don’t get it but you’re an interesting dude, Nagi!

And, uh, I’m really sorry for eating your share of the cake.

I knew it was yours but I still couldn’t stop myself… My self-control wasn’t working properly…

Nagi: It’s fine. I also think it’s nice since it’s a good example of human-like behaviour.

Momiji / Kaede: Isn’t that great, Akuta-kun?

Akuta: Yep! Thanks a bunch, Nagi-san!

Toi: Um… Are Kafka-san and the others not going to come?

Sakujiro: They said they would make it back in time when the spell of destruction, Palus, is used.

Momiji / Kaede: Looks like they’ll just barely make it in time before the movie ends…

Akuta: It’s starting! Also, the pizza’s sooo good!

Ten: I also really like “Memories of my Neighbour Dorodoro”~ I totally understand how Ganta feels.

Tao: Oh, I came downstairs since I smelled something good but… Are you guys having a Studio Grizzly Movie Night!? Can I join?

Yachiyo: Of course~! We’ve got more pizza on the way!

Momiji / Kaede: (Everyone looks like they’re having fun. …Even if their ages and lifestyles are different, they’re all spending time with each other like they’re one big family.)

Nagi: ……

Toi: ……

Momiji / Kaede: (Looks like it’ll take some time for these two to open up to everyone, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.)

(I hope they can all be good friends soon…)

Nagi: ……

Toi: U–Um… I need to go to the bathroom…

Toi: Sigh… I was so nervous…

(I want to fit in with the others but… Ani-sama isn’t here and I don’t have the courage yet…)

(But… I have to try my best, don’t I?)

Netaro: Peek.

Toi: Oh… Netaro-san… You look tired.

Netaro: I was holed up in my room, experimenting on the invention of the century, “The Sticker That Heightens The Five Senses a Million Times”, and it became night in the blink of an eye.

Come to think of it, I also found a weird note outside my door.

Toi: Akuta-kun must have stuck it there. We’re having a movie night right now and he was going around asking if people wanted to join him. It must be for that…

Netaro: Oh? But what are you doing here muttering to yourself, then?

Toi: Well… um, it’s fun being with everyone, but I still feel a bit nervous…

Netaro: Nervous~?

Toi: I hope I can fit in by the time Palus is used in the movie…

Netaro: Palus?

Toi: Huh? You’ve never heard of it?

Netaro: Never heard or seen it. By the sounds of it, is it French? Or a cousin of [2]calculus?

Toi: Don’t tell me you’ve never seen it…?

Netaro: Non.

Toi: Whaaat!? I thought everyone in JPN had seen it!

Netaro: Is that true!? Then does that mean I’m super rare!? Yaaay!

Toi: Wha? Is that something to celebrate?

Netaro: Once I’ve seen it, I can never go back to having not seen it. I’m superior when it comes to irreversibility.

Toi: Pfft, ahaha, I guess you’re right! But both me and my brother love Studio Grizzly, so you should definitely watch it!

Oh, but you’ll miss out on the first part if you watch it now…

Um, if you’d like, I can tell you what happens in the first part! I’ll explain the first-half of the movie right next to you!

Netaro: Hmm~ I do like movies and dramas as they can teach me how humans think.

Okay. I’ll go.

Toi: Then let’s go to the living room!

Yodaka: …… I was told to make it back in time for the spell of destruction scene, so I rushed here but…

Akuta: There! Say it – say Palus!

Muneuji: Isotake, you’re shouting a bit too loudly.

Renga: He’s just excited. I know the feeling. This scene is awesome no matter how many times I watch it. I felt the same way when I saw it in the outdoor cinema for the first time, too…

Kiroku: …The pizza… is… delicious…

Momiji / Kaede: I know, right? Pizza always tastes better during a movie.

Yodaka: Looks like the party is in full swing… Deepening friendships is a wonderful thing. …But on the other hand…

Nagi: ……

Yodaka: (I see Nagi is frozen stiff with a pale look on his face. He looks overwhelmed by everything…)

(He looks like a Millet painting. He doesn’t have much of a presence, so no one has noticed, though.)

Akuta: Ugh! The ads came in right where things just started getting good!

Nanaki: It still keeps you on your feet despite knowing what happens in the end, huh.

Akuta: Hey, let’s hold hands when they say Palus! It’s gonna be a Palus festival!

Ushio: No freakin’ way.

Ten: I don’t mind~

Nagi: ……

*Nagi leaves*

Yodaka: ……………

Hehe… I guess I have no choice. I also find that part of you quite endearing.

(But it’s true that I’m beginning to feel quite worried. I guess I'll be poking my nose into your business, Nagi.)

Momiji / Kaede: It should be fine for me to have a chip or two even if it’s late at night…

Yodaka: …Manager, do you have a moment?

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[dragonlizard89]

The Boy and the Heron review (spoilers)

I finally got around to watching this and I must say it disappointed me.

The initial plot threads were good (boy losing his mother in a fire during the war, having to move to live with his new mother). And of course the animation was great as always, especially those scenes running towards the hospital in the first part of the movie, or the simple weight of moving the bag around the carriage. It's a movie with a lot of weighty themes of tackling grief. As well as semi-autobiographical elements from Miyazaki's own life. But ultimately the execution fell short for me.

To start with, out of all the Miyazaki films, I feel like these were the characters I cared the least for. I really didn't feel the same bond between the characters, and they were frankly forgettable compared to characters from his other works. Part of this is intentional. I do think the male protagonist is very typically East Asian in how he represses his emotions instead of letting them out.

There were also pacing issues in the middle of the film. Specifically when the protagonist went to the world with all the souls waiting to be born into the above world. As far as the fantastical otherworldly elements go from Miyazaki worlds, this was probably the least interesting to me. I was deeply enchanted with the world of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle. This otherworld just missed the mark with me. I found myself asking, Why should I care about those boatmen, or those ships passing in the distance, as pretty as they looked?

The movie gets a bit jumbled in the second half. It felt like there was a masterpiece buried within this film somewhere but the story needed a couple rewrites.

Aside from the theme of grief--truly, they should've gone with the original title of How Do You Live over the Boy and the Heron--there's also a theme of creatives or oldheads letting go. This movie is in some ways a letter to Miyazaki's grandson about how to live. According to producer Suzuki the granduncle is inspired by Isao Takahata and the heron by Suzuki, but frankly there's plenty of Miyazaki in the granduncle too if you ask me. Which makes sense since both men had the shared passions of animation and directing.

The granduncle wishes to find a successor to build beautiful works with those stones. He finds 13 stones without malice. Those to me represent what a young idealistic director just starting out is armed with. But probably by the end of one's life it's impossible for those stones to remain entirely without malice no matter how hard one tries to stay hopeful about the state of the world. It's diving into art or escapism vs. confronting the ugliness of the real world that has loss and war. So the movie's message is you can't entirely depend upon the former to sustain you.

The granduncle fails to find a successor in the same vein that Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli have failed to find a worthy successor to take over. Miyazaki has built an amazing body of work but he knows he isn't going to live forever. I think he's been content since the time he was working on the Wind Rises with Ghibli simply ending and no one great enough to continue with what he's built. Everything must end. He's made so many beautiful films with anti-war and environmental messages but in the end humanity is the same as it ever was. But still, you have to continue to move forward.

There were character developments that are sort of thrown at you without a hint that they were there initially. Like the stepmom saying she hated the protagonist. Like yeah sure we could guess from the surface-level elements that the stepmom might have some ambivalence or hate towards her new stepson or the new family arrangement, but it really could've been hinted at better.

It was morbidly beautiful to me that the mother died in a hospital fire and in the otherworld her powers are fire magic. The emotional peak of the movie is in the hallway of doors to the various timelines, when the protagonist's mom says she doesn't mind going back to her own timeline even if it means she dies in a fire, so long as she has a son. That moment allows all of them to get past their generational grief/guilt.

Undercooked story and characters. Had the constituent parts to be a masterpiece. Thematically, it is a good send-off for Miyazaki's career. In terms of execution, it is not. Still better than Earthsea though. 6/10.

[kikuism]

top five animated movies

ANIMATION SUPREMACY!!! but also i think growing up with strict parents meant we were always just watching animated movies, and that's why i have a deep love for the medium. there's no way i could actually rank these bc hello but i will try to list the ones that forever changed my brain chemistry....

1) mulan. this is objectively not the best one nor is it even the one i enjoy the most out of my picks but the nostalgia and the memories??? wow. this movie was such an obsession for me back as a child. 'hope this doesn't awaken something in me' and it totally did. the scene when she makes her choice and cut her hair.....cinema for baby me. mulan will always be so special to me and i'll always lament how disney used to show war and violence and other mature themes now they've just become a caricature of themselves. it's just a bittersweet reminder of what the studio used to produce

2) ratatouille. this movie is a masterpiece and pixar’s magnum opus. genuinely don't know how they created the perfect movie but they did and they've yet to top it. the drama the humor the tenderness the message??? made me forgive it's set in france. it's been YEARS and i can still rewatch this with the exact same emotions every single time. it's timeless. and as someone who likes to cook, yes, anyone can cook <3

3) kung fu panda. listen the kfp series is dreamworks's magnum opus to ME, move over httyd. so baffling to me that they aren't talked about more...the humor the ACTION the drama. name one piece of media that did as much for body positivity as kung fu panda did. and he's literally a panda. the fight scene on the bridge is literally studied by students of film and the soundtrack??? hans zimmer wasn't playing around in the studio. i watched this movie so much i would have the entire script memorized that i would recite front to back in my head on long road trips. the first one is my favorite, and the second one is a gem too. we don't talk about 3 and 4 <3

4) the tale of the princess kaguya. as an adult, it's really hard to find a movie that affects me the way the ones in my childhood did. i'll watch one and forget about it sooner or later. then i watched this.... i just couldn't stop thinking about it. what a beautiful, bittersweet and melancholic coming of age story and what it means to take control of your life as a young woman. i was just expecting just pretty scenery and animation but i was Not prepared for what i actually got. to me, it's ghibli’s best movie.

5) the prince of egypt. do i even have to say anything like.....i'd kill to watch this in the theater. i can't believeeee dreamworks used to make movies like this.

[dysconymph]

The Boy and the Heron - Review

There’s a kind of joyous expectation many of us feel towards watching any new Hayao Miyazaki film. A nostalgia for those fairy-tale narratives abound with child-like wonder. This is what I was gearing up for when I went to see The Boy and the Heron - a box of tissues ready to hand. The beginning of the film sets you up perfectly for this. Some of the most beautiful animation pulls at the heartstrings as we see a young boy, our Protagonist Mahito, facing the death of his mother: the rough, drawn out style of the artwork heightens Mahito’s desperation as he runs through crowded Tokyo streets, emphasising the chaos and confusion around him. Moving to the countryside during the second world war, meeting his father’s new wife, the pace of the film drops dramatically. We get a languid, sensual, slow cinema marking the boy’s grief. Moreover, the introduction of the titular heron is done with such mythic grace that one is immediately spell bound by the power and horror of it.

Miyazaki films famously lean into the dual nature of traditional childhood fairy tales. Being at once moving and gentle whilst also leaning into darker topics: death, loneliness, fear, environmental collapse. Despite this common feature, this new Miyazaki film seems to be more mature in pace and style, darker even. The voice of the Heron aping Mahito’s mother, taunting him, is so horrifying I was shaken out of my initial ‘ghibli giddiness’ - falling deeper and deeper into the promise of this new twisted fantasy. However, the rest of the film fails to live up to this promise. 

In a typical hero’s journey, Mahito falls into a fantastical world (the afterlife? The spirit-world? The psyche? Who knows), saturated with a large cast of mind-bending characters. However, none of them are particularly well developed, if at all, and as a result it’s hard to find any emotional claim or hook to the narrative. In other ghibli films, the twisting, oneiric storylines offer us a close examination of the main characters’ fears and anxieties (Spirited Away); their sense of duties (Princess Mononoke); their pleasures (Ponyo) etc. However, in The Boy and the Heron, characters come and go with a light hand, scraping the surface just enough to keep the bizarre story going. Half way through the movie I couldn’t even keep up with what was meant to be going on, what was necessary to the plot and most importantly what was at stake. 

To some degree, in hindsight, this kind of light-handed, floating quality to the film makes sense to the themes of grief and loss. It feels almost as if Miyazaki himself was in some kind of lethargic slumber whilst making the film - unable to connect and ultimately commit to the verisimilitude of the fantasy world he has built. The Boy and the Heron becomes a series of beautifully crafted shots that never fully hit. Events pass the characters by with such little emotional investment that even the climax feels rushed and uncared for. As mentioned, maybe this is the point. The film doesn’t give us any revelation or catharsis, perhaps the most accurate depiction of how we move on from grief, but it also comes off as under-developped and inchoate. You’re constantly waiting for the penny to drop: for the world to fully invite you in and leave you wondering in that ghibli-esque state of awe. 

At the end of the day, a Miyazaki film will always be a masterpiece - even at its worst it rises above the rest. However, I wonder if I’m being dense, if maybe my inability to connect says more about me than the film, if maybe I set myself up to fail by expecting something more. But there was something in the beginning of the film: a dark, horrific splendour, one that I wish had been more consistent in the rest of the film.  

[oldbaton]

YES YES BOY AND THE HERON!!! YES!!!!!

This is what I needed for the evening. Masterpiece. Not enough superlatives. I think it’s my second favorite Ghibli behind Spirited Away. Just remarkable. So happy Ghibli finally took another home. And also- this is the second 2D film to win this since the inception of the award. We have got to make more major 2D films.

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this week (#182):

3 tap-dancing Bojangles-related musicals:

🍿 The Band Wagon is maybe not the "very best" of Vincente Minnelli's musicals, but some of its numbers are classics (It introduced the tune 'That's Entertainment' and the opening dance with a real-life, black shoe-shine man was unique.) But all this melted away at exactly mid-point, when Fred Astaire first falls for Cyd Charisse, as they take a stroll through Central Park, and start dancing together in the dark - that scene was transcendental. Even the Steve Martin and Gilda Radner Joke recreation 30 years later was nice...

Bojangles didn't appear in this movie, but his name 'Bill Robinson' kept being compared to 'Bill Shakespeare' throughout. (Screenshots Above).

🍿 Besides 'Carmen Jones', I haven't seen many of the so-called 'Race Films' before, 'Segregated Cinema' produced to black audiences, with an all-black cast. Stormy Weather is one, a plot-less musical starring the wonderful Lena Horne, Bojangles, Cab Calloway, The Nicholas Brothers, Fats Waller and 'Play it again, Sam' Dooley Wilson...

(Of the many versions of ‘Stormy Weather’, my favourite is by Ben Webster).

🍿 First watch: That's Entertainment! is a terrific compilation film, released by MGM in 1974 to celebrate the studio's 50's anniversary. It includes highlights from about 100 song and dance numbers performed by MGM enormous stable of stars and appearances by many, many of the stars from these 50 years. Since I'm getting more and more into musicals, I watched it with a giant smile on my face. 9/10.

2 (actually 3) sequels were released later, and I'm going to watch them as well. I'm also going to visit the movies of some of the famous performers (Esther Williams!) I haven't seen before.

Note; Fred Astaire is by now one of my all-time favorite actors, bar none. He has 50 screen credits on IMDb, and I've only seen about 15 of them, but I'm going to plough through the rest.

🍿

Something’s Got to Give (1962) is Marilyn Monroe's very last film, and the only one showing her butt-gloriously-naked. It's a remake of the 1940 Cary Grant screwball comedy 'My favorite wife'. It was made by George Cukor, with Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. But it's mostly remembered because it was unfinished, due to Marilyn Monroe's death.

🍿

Finally, Miyazaki's last film The boy and the heron became available. Auto-biographical, philosophical, full of pathos and whimsy, it is not the best Ghibli, but it's important as the (surely) last film from Miyazaki.

It tells of a conflicted war-time world and the flight of fancy of an orphan boy looking for his mother. Waruwaru creatures replace the Sooth-spirits from the previous films.

🍿

Another Japanese romance film, Haru from 1996. A young man and a young woman meet via the first generation online chats, two years before 'You've got mail'. Like a boring Éric Rohmer, I couldn't get into it, and quit after 30 minutes. (^ ─ ^)

🍿

Re-watch: I've been bored with much mediocrity, so I had to go back to Tati’s debut feature, the masterpiece Jour de fête (The original 1949 B&W version). Magical joy and simple physical comedy of the purest type (Fighting a bee! Raising a flag post!). I can't remember the last film with so many spontaneous belly laughs one after the other. And the innocent, idealized rusticity of a French village as it may, or may have not, have existed 100 years ago, with geese in the alleys, goat on a string, hay, rooster crows, and friendly pubs. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes. 10/10. ♻️. Extra: How Tati Directs Beautiful Comedy, an interesting YouTube essay from ‘This Beautiful Fraud’.

🍿

2 by Pixar’s Kelsey Mann:

🍿 I loved the first ‘Inside Out’ and saw it many times, with Adora, and, later, without. I was excited to wait for the new Inside out 2. But it’s clearly a product of lesser qualities. The 13 year-old hockey-loving Reily enter “Puberty”. This is depicted with genuine fondness, and is a joy to behold. But the manufactured world of her inner thoughts, which worked before, when they were few and clearly defined, is now muddled, loud and artificial. It suffers from being a sequel, a financial construct which rarely works. 4/10.

🍿 His first short, Party central (2013) was a Monster University appendage, a zero-calories suck-fest. 1/10.

🍿

2 by French Guillaume Canet, both with François Cluzet:

🍿  "User name: Concert. Password: Olympia."

My 3rd or 4th re-watch of the tense nail-biter Tell no one. A modern slow-built Hitchockian thriller about an innocent doctor accused in the murder of his wife. The director, good-looking actor Guillaume Canet, decided for some reason to play the role of the sadistic rapist

The first time I saw it, I awarded it 7/10. But now I give it a 9/10. The final explanation ties the many twists too tightly and nicely together perhaps, but It's still a terrific 'Guilty Pleasure'. Highly recommended! ♻️.

🍿  His Little white lies is an ensemble drama, a bit like 'The big Chill', with many current French stars: François Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Benoît Magimel, Jean Dujardin... A group of about 15 close friends deal with small personal problems, after one of them, the 'Glue' that held them together, is gravely injured in an accident. In the opening of the film, he rides his bike drunk in the empty streets of Paris, and a van suddenly crashes into him (All in one shot, just like the beginning of Erin Brockovich.)

It's semi-interesting, meandering drama, especially as they spend leisure time on 'les grandes vacances' at a beach house, boating, eating fresh oysters, playing the guitar, and enjoying the pretty locales. But at 2.5 hours long, it lost its focus halfway in. 3/10.

🍿  

Sean Penn is a decent director. He's also driven to get involved with large-scale disasters around the world, in Sudan, Haiti, New Orleans after Katrina, Etc. Superpower is the 4th of his 8 movies directed by him that I've seen. It's a semi-personal documentary about the war in Ukraine and the special relationship he managed to develop with Volodymyr Zelensky (He interviewed him on the day before the invasion, and again on the night of the invasion). It's not too insightful, but he did put himself at harm's way to make it. This war is too tragic and historically-significant to be ignored.

(I was going to follow that up with the other doc., '20 Days in Mariupol', but didn't).

🍿 '

“The muzzle of the Luger looked like the mouth of the Second Street tunnel, but I didn’t move.”

Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles is a 1988 documentary, narrated by Richard Widmark. It tells of a fascinating British writer living in a mythical and dark city. And specifically about the 'The Clifton bombing' affair of 1938. Corruption at City Hall and crooked Police Force, the real-life morbid inspiration to the much sunnier 'Chinatown'. But the doc. itself is not very good.

How come nobody ever made a movie about the gambling ships out in the water outside long beach and Santa Monica, f. ex. 'The Rex'?

🍿

A random Vimeo short, Caroline, was not what I expected from the poster! A mother to 3 small kids, is under a lot of stress, and leaves them in a parked car while she goes of for a quick job interview. It's so raw, and tense, and harrowing, it's really hard to sit through. Amazingly realistic, I don't ever want to see it again. Celine Held, the director, who also plays the mother, is a force to be reckoned with. 9/10. [*Female Director*]

🍿

2 silent Buster Keaton 2-reelers:

🍿 The Paleface (1922) is filled with very out-dated racial trops. Villainous oil barons are murdering Indians with impunity, stealing the deed to their land, and banishing them from said lands. The 'Redfaces' are bumbling, scalping 'savages' who burn palefaces at the stake. There's even a nod to good ol' asbestos. But there are some outrageously daring stunts here, as he falls a few times from great heights.

🍿 Obviously, Keaton was not a golfer. He tried, but soon found himself in prison, mistaken for Convict 13 (2020), and sentenced to be hanged.

🍿

Throw-back to the Adora Art project:  

Buster Keaton Adora.

Adora in Los Angeles.

Inside out Adora.

🍿  

(My complete movie list is here).

[sammirthebear2k4]

Hey Guys, Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to my cinema in my city to see the new Studio Ghibli movie ''The Boy and the Heron'', I will tell you about the movie and the experience I had when watching this movie.

First, This is the new movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki (some of you have not seen his movies) 10 years after directing ''The Wind Rises'', many thought it was his last film, however, that was not the case, since Miyazaki is thinking of making another new movie and we finally get to see, it is based on a novel called ''How to you Live?'' and it is also considered a semi-autobiographical account of the novel, It is known that it is also considered the most expensive not only of Studio Ghibli (or of Anime, in general) but also the most expensive of Japanese cinema, curious, right?

the plot is about a young boy named Mahito who after losing his mother ventures into a world where the living and the dead live, a fantastic place where life finds a new beginning.

The truth is that Miyazaki is presenting us with his new masterpiece, with a plot that goes from the profound to the most moving, yes, there are some elements that some will not be able to understand. However, there are some things that make us reflect on how fragile human relationships are, pain, loss and other deep themes. As for the movie itself, I was surprised by the scenes, although it left me with something… between ''grotesque'' collias (not so strong), something similar to ''Spirited Away'' that had strange but at the same time profound moments. There were comical moments in the movie like the heron character who I don't know exactly what his name is, but anyway. In conclusion ''The Boy and The Heron'' is a recent masterpiece, Miyazaki returned to bring us another new gem that simply never ceases to surprise us. It is now my favorite movie, and also my 5th favorite Studio Ghibli movie (my other favorites are ''Ponyo'' ''The Secret World of Arriety'', ''Spirited Away'' and ''My Neighbor Totoro'', (which by the way I have a DVD of the American version), I highly recommend it, watch it, even if you have no interest or time to go to the cinema.

And well, that was all for today, this was my experience about the movie.

Tags: @murumokirby360 @carmenramcat @bryan360 @alexander1301

[karin-ko]

Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki

Released in 2001, Spirited Away is a Studio Ghibli film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It's a masterpiece with beautiful world-building, stunning visuals, and enchanting music, making it enjoyable no matter how many times you watch it. It's my favorite among Ghibli's works, and upon watching it again after a long time, I made many discoveries.

The scenes I particularly love feature Kamaji, the boiler man, and the spirit resembling a white radish, known as Oshira-sama. Kamaji treats and says Chihiro like his granddaughter, protects her, gives her train tickets, tucks Haku into a futon, and even sits beside him until he wakes up. He's a warm and endearing grandfatherly figure. Oshira-sama doesn't speak but protects Chihiro. Modeled after a deity worshipped in the Tohoku region known for its fondness for children, Oshira-sama likely protected Chihiro due to this characteristic.

Another scene I adore is when the transformed Bo, a mouse, reenacts the scene of "えんがちょ / Put your thumbs and forefingers Together! Evil be gone!” with the soot sprites, which is cute and charming. Also, the meticulous attention to detail in the film, like the sign at the izakaya run by spirits saying "おいでおいでおいで… / Come, come, come…” or the ledger-like characters on the bathhouse walls such as “葬儀 / funeral", “大入 / big entrance”, and “貸借 / lending and borrowing”, adds to its allure.

The character of the River Spirit, Okusare-sama, being polluted by humans also serves as a critique of modern society. Furthermore, elements of Buddhism are incorporated alongside Shintoism, as seen with the “中道 / middle path" inscription on the train and the reference to the sixth station, indicating a blend of spiritual themes.

The opening scenes, with numerous houses of gods and a torii gate, suggest that the world Chihiro stumbles into is that of the gods. The bathhouse run by Yubaba is said to be a place where the Yorozu no kami come to relax from their daily fatigue, though it's speculated to possibly be a brothel. In the movie, when night falls, the bathhouse becomes brightly lit and bustling, reminiscent of a lively night city street. Many kami visit, and within the private baths, women attendants wash their bodies of them. In the morning, those descending from the sleeping quarters are with women. Some women are wearing revealing clothing. The clientele, who are gods, are male, as indicated by the blue color of the curtains bearing the character for “湯 / hot water". Employees have their names taken away and are given pseudonyms, a characteristic of brothels. Also, the blackened newt is an aphrodisiac, and this is implied in the film like Rin's blushing cheeks when Kamaji gives it to her and the frog's demanding for it. The presence of the term “回春 / revitalization" and the shadow on the upper floor when Chihiro and Oshira-sama ride the elevator further support this interpretation.

Losing one's name also acts as a constraint to keep individuals in the bathhouse. Not only employees are taken by their name, but also they lose their original clothes, shoes, and even their scent by consuming the food of that world, essentially losing their identity. To return to the original world, they must remember their name, and their identity, a task made difficult as they forget it while working there. Chihiro quickly forgets her real name, unable to recall it. Rin and Haku are also among those who have lost their true names and selves, forcing them to work under Yubaba. Therefore, Haku and the Susuwatari were hiding Chihiro's clothes, shoes, and belongings to help her return to the original world. By the way, Rin, despite her feminine appearance, exhibits many masculine traits such as speech patterns and using “俺" (a masculine pronoun), suggesting she embodies both male and female characteristics, leading me to believe she's a white fox possessing elements of both genders.

No-face represents a lack of identity, devoid of facial expressions or speech, with its name likely derived from its appearance. Not being invited by the bathhouse and merely brought by Chihiro, it's not considered a god. Considering that no one else besides Chihiro could see him at first, it's possible that the reason he was so attached to her and eager to help her was that she was the first person to notice him, and that brought him joy. Perhaps that's why he became angry and consumed the frog who mocked Chihiro. He likely yearned to be noticed by someone and to fulfill the expectations of those around him, as he seemed to lack a sense of self. So perhaps he became a valued customer at the bathhouse by eating a lot of food, as desired by the employees, and settled into a role of calmly assisting under Zeniba's care. He seems to have inherited the voice, mannerisms, and hairstyle of the person he merged with. It's akin to how humans can exhibit vastly different traits and personalities depending on whom they spend time with.

Moreover, Chihiro undergoes significant growth throughout the narrative. Initially portrayed as a timid girl unable to write her name correctly or descend stairs, she gradually becomes fearless and adaptable, overcoming her fears and bravely facing challenges. There's also a theory suggesting not only psychological but also physical growth, namely, the onset of menstruation, is implied. Chihiro's age as an elementary school student is evident from the scene with her parents at the beginning, making her age fitting for such a milestone. Also, when Chihiro decides to work at the bathhouse, she clutches her stomach and crouches down, complaining of feeling unwell. Later, unable to sleep, she trembles while lying down in the morning. From that point on, Chihiro becomes braver than before. Considering the narrative as a depiction of Chihiro's growth as a young girl, it's highly probable that Miyazaki intended such implications.

The film depicts contrasting parent-child relationships, too. Chihiro and her mother's relationship feels notably cold compared to other Ghibli films. Her mother shows little warmth towards Chihiro, not even looking at her or matching her pace while walking. She seems indifferent to Chihiro's fears, telling her to wait alone in the car or don't walk close together. In particular, it feels unsettling or unusual to see Chihiro's mother show neither concern nor assistance towards Chihiro, who had almost drowned when she was younger, as they cross the river, especially considering her worried demeanor towards her curious father. Observing the mother smiling and embracing the father suggests that the mother's behavior seems cold only towards Chihiro, rather than being her inherent personality. Also, Chihiro is depicted as a skinny girl and you can see her struggles to carry coal from Yubaba's remarks. From those scenes, the neglect or lack of concern for her by the mother is apparent. In contrast, Yubaba and Boh are portrayed as an overprotective mother and a pampered son. Yubaba overly coddles Boh, using baby talk and sheltering him from the outside world, indicating an unhealthy level of parental indulgence even though he is big enough and able to speak. It's like watching a grown-up who remains childish inside and a mother who continues to baby her child even as he grows older. However, while Chihiro can recognize her parents even in their transformed pig forms, Yubaba fails to notice Boh transformed into a mouse, insults the mouse, and fails to realize the existence of the fake Boh for a while. Both sets of parents exhibit distorted forms of love, with neither seeming genuinely caring about their children. However, both Chihiro and Boh mature by venturing into the outside world and gaining experiences.

When Chihiro and her parents return to the real world at the story's end, her parents have lost their memories. Her mother repeats the same lines she said upon entering the tunnel-like gate as if nothing had happened. Yet, their car is covered in dust and grass, indicating a significant passage of time. The gate's color has changed as well. Also, the hair tie made by her friends glows. All of those elements confirm that Chihiro's experiences were not a dream but a reality.

[linuxgamenews]

Moonstone Island lets you step into the shoes of a budding alchemist this month

Moonstone Island creature-collecting life-sim game has a release date for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Studio Supersoft's dedicated team brought this to life with their hard work and passion. Which is due to make its way onto Steam soon. Dive into a realm of enchantment with the soon to release Moonstone Island. Announced during the 2023 MIX Next Online Showcase, indie developer Studio Supersoft, with publisher Raw Fury. Due to deliver a vibrant digital realm. This creation isn't just any standard game; it's a story driven exploration taking place in a universe of over 100 distinct islands. It also has a release date of September 20, 2023, coming Linux via Steam. If you've ever been taken by the hand-drawn visuals of Studio Ghibli's iconic films such as "Kiki’s Delivery Service" or "Castle in the Sky," you'll feel right at home. The Moonstone Island animation and art direction are a clear nod to these cinematic masterpieces. The creature-collecting life-sim drops you into the shoes of a budding alchemist. As tradition dictates, young alchemists embark on a journey, moving to an unfamiliar island among the clouds. All due to hone their skills. This isn't just a rite of passage; it's a chance to uncover the mysteries of the enigmatic Moonstone Island.

Moonstone Island | Date Reveal Trailer

Features:

A Majestic Universe Awaits Exploration: Your Moonstone Island journey isn't limited by foot.

Traverse the world through various means: balloons, brooms, and even gliders. Since each method offers a unique view of the distinct biomes and landscapes.

A Place to Call Your Own: As you venture, you'll have the chance to settle. With over 100 islands, each procedurally crafted, you have the freedom to choose, build, and personalize a sanctuary. Due to be more than just a home; it's a reflection of your adventure.

Bonding and Relationships: The islands aren't deserted. Vibrant communities with NPCs await your interaction. Forge friendships, go on casual outings, and perhaps even find love in Moonstone Island.

The Mystery of the Spirits: The islands are full of wild Spirits, creatures of lore and magic. As an aspiring alchemist, you have the unique skill to befriend these spirits. More than just companions, they'll stand by your side in strategic, card driven battles.

The Lure of the Unknown: Danger and reward often go hand in hand. Delve deep into dungeons, not only to confront challenges but also to uncover upgrades and treasures. There are also tales to uncover within Moonstone Island.

Alchemy & Innovation: Your alchemical prowess grows with experience. Unlock unique abilities, create potent brews, and even build your farm. The forest may be a hazard. But if you are ready, it becomes an exciting playground.

Terraria?

Now, here's a fun twist for fans. If you've ever dabbled with Terraria, an influential sandbox experience by Re-Logic, you'll be keen to know there's a unique surprise. Upon the release of Moonstone Island, adventurers can ally with Terraria's iconic Cool Slime. Doing so as an in-game Spirit companion. Of course, you don't have to wait to show your interest. Head over to Steam, and you can add Moonstone Island to your Wishlist. This isn't just another digital pastime; it's a deep creature-collecting life-sim to unfold on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Due to be release for $19.99 USD / £16.75 / 19,50€, plus a 15% launch discount on September 20th.