Kaguya Hime/Story of the Bamboo Cutter film by Isao Takahata

[llj]

It'll probably go to Frozen. That's the movie everyone can't stop talking about this year.

That was last year's Oscars. Frozen did in fact win.

[davemerrill]

A lot of critics are reluctant to say anyone at Ghibl can be "better" than Miyazaki because of his rep, but the unspoken subtext behind most of the mainstream reviews is that they think it's the best Ghibli since Spirited Away.

Spirited Away was actually one of my least favorite Miyazaki films, but since most everyone else consider it Miyazaki's best (or three best), I get the point. A lot of people feel Ghibli sort of hit a rut after Spirited Away, even though the subsequent films still got good reviews.

I really thought Ponyo was underrated though. It was doing something very interesting on a subconscious level.

I felt like Kaguya was as good as Spirited Away, sure. It's certainly in the ballpark.

I liked Ponyo a lot. It really hit some kind of sweet spot for me. I don't know if that means I have the taste of an 8-year old or what, but there ya go.

[greg]

I agree, but unfortunately, it was that "sweet spot" that everybody was expecting to feel again with Miyazaki's next movie, but they got Kaze Tachinu instead. It beats me why Japanese people began to expect Miyazaki to not make a serious movie, and that they must have forgotten about Nausicaa and Mononoke Hime.

I have yet to see Kaguya Hime, but I think the animation style, which one might expect to see in an animated short rather than a feature-length film, could have put people off. Just as with Marnie, Kaguya did not do successfully here in Japan.

[llj]

People are always initially resistant to something that is too unfamiliar. I do think the art style is too much of a departure from what most audiences expect out of Ghibli, or animation in general. Which is a shame.

[llj]

Hmm, so Kaguya gets an Oscar nom, but The Lego Movie doesn't. Lots of butthurt Lego Movie fans right now.

Seriously, I did enjoy the Lego Movie though, and I'd have swapped How to Train Your Dragon 2 out for it. Although...The Lego Movie really is an infomercial when it comes down to it. The way the characters rhapsodize over the beauty of Lego building and creativity and how it's such a wonderful toy...how is this any different from the typical episode of Pokemon where Ash tears up over how rewarding it is to collect Pokemon and develop friendships and discovering new battle techniques, yadda yadda this game is great.

But I'll admit The Lego Movie is an entertaining and well done informercial.