So the art museum on my campus decided to have a three-month long event where they are only showing Studio Ghibli films. Wise choice might I add! The films only play on Saturday, and I was fortunately to see "Princess Mononoke." It was my first time ever seeing it. In order for me to even say that I am an anime junkie, I had to go see it. The event was free, so it was obviously crowded at the museum. My friends and I had to arrive at the theater an hour before the showing (and there still was a line). This just show how good of a filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is. When your film is more than 15 years old, and people are still rushing to see it, it means that your film is amazing. There were people of all ages, and it makes me so happy that this film can touch the hearts of not only children but adults as well. I will not spoil the movie here because I want people to actually watch the film and appreciate all the hard work that Miyazaki put into it.
It's no doubt that the film has a message about the environment. However, I felt that the environmental message in the movie was vital to the plot. So, imagine if "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest," was actually really good and had an original story. Now add 20X more awesomeness into the mix. That's this movie. Again, I won't spoil the movie, so I highly suggest you watch it.
I used to say that "Spirited Away," was my favorite Miyazaki film; however, I am having second thoughts right now. The film is so innovative and just plain beautiful. The plot is great, the characters are great, and the main message is great. Oh and the music! The music was amazing. I am definitely buying the album to this movie. Every orchestral piece fits the scene perfectly. I love that about Miyazki. He knows how to integrate music that fits the scene (and helps give the scene more life). I have to emphasize that I highly suggest everyone see this film. Even though it's not as popular as "Spirited Away," it is definitely worth seeing. The museum passed out a review that Robert Ebert wrote for the film. I made sure that I did not read it until after I saw the film. I wanted to experience it without having anyone else's opinion in my head. However, I do suggest you read it AFTER seeing the movie. His writing style is extremely good, and he manages to capture what the movie was trying to present to its audience. He definitely did it better than I ever could.
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/princess-mononoke-1999
GO WATCH THIS FILM RIGHT NOW IF YOU CAN!! English dub or Japanese dub (they're both amazing!)
