The Red Turtle (2016) - Movie Review

I’m not going to say that, back when I reviewed When Marnie Was There, I called it when I said that Studio Ghibli shutting down just wasn’t going to happen… not yet, at any rate. And it seems that that wound up being accurate, between Miyazaki himself announcing that he was working on one last film and the film I’m talking about today. However, the need to voice that is outweighed by the basic gratitude I have that one of the true titans of the industry is still going. With companies like nWave and Splash Entertainment showing us in this year alone that they were capable of producing absolute garbage to our screens, that thought is invaluable to someone who compulsively watches as many films as I do. So, with that out of the way, how does this Ghibli and French animation collaboration turn out?

When Marnie Was There (2015) - Movie Review

 

Even if you’re too hesitant to venture further into the world of magical girls and giant robots, Studio Ghibli is that rare exception that demands respect from everyone. Comparable to the Disney of Japan, its filmography are among the most definitive of the entire art form, from its fantastical marvels like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away to its more heart-rending productions like Grave Of The Fireflies. New releases from this studio are looked forward to as much as Wes Anderson films in film buff circles. So, when news hit that not only was the head honcho Hayao Miyazaki going on hiatus but the rest of the studio as well, otaku the world over felt a collective tear form in the corner of their eye. Given all of this information, today’s subject has a lot of weight to it as, potentially, the last film that Studio Ghibli ever releases. It’s not Miyazaki, but that doesn’t change the clout the name ‘Ghibli’ has, so this had better be damn good. This is When Marnie Was There.