Ponyo [Blu-ray]

This animated movie is imaginative in ways American movies are not. It's about children and families, but it's not a kids movie only.Great feasts for the eyes and also then great conceptualization of the world thru the eyes of a person who is wholly Japanese and knows fairytales and stories, folklore and nuance of daily life

My son recently started collecting the Miyazaki films on blu ray and I've had the pleasure of viewing them with him the last few days. When my children were much younger, I had purchased Totoro for them and we all enjoyed that film for years as a family...and we still do. Naussica, Castle In The Sky, Spirited Away, and his entire body of work is breathtaking in their own right. However, for my money, I'd have to say Ponyo is his most visually stunning film. The colors are a feast for the eyes (moreso on blu ray) and while this may be yet another reimagining of "The Little Mermaid" story, it is an incredibly sweet and charming tale.My children are now young adults and even though they show little to no interest in the Disney fare of their youth, they still love the Miyazaki films...and with good reason. Somehow, Miyazaki is able to tap into that dearest of human traits we all long for...the wide eyed wonder of innocence. He does so without sugar coating his material, nor does he speak down to his audience. He doesn't rely on juvenile humor or overtly sappy sentimentality.This film, in particular, is a prime example of this talent. Even as an adult, when you first hear Ponyo declare "Ponyo loves Sosuke!", it warms the heart because it comes off not only as incredibly sweet, but totally sincere. The English voice cast is well matched, but I must say I was most impressed by Tina (SNL, 30 Rock) Fey's portrayal of Lisa, Sosuke's somewhat frenetic mother. Fey doesn't have one of those voices that sticks out in your head, as is most common in animated fare. Hers is a simple and earnest voice which delivers lines with complete believability. Liam Neeson and Cate Blanchette are also quite charming in their roles, as are Betty White, Cloris Leachman, and Lily Tomlin.Ponyo is a delight from start to finish and it makes me long for more traditional hand drawn animation. Even though Miyazaki is now retired, I've no doubt that Studio Ghibli will continue the long standing tradition of excellence.

I'm a long time fan of Miyazaki's work, and saw Ponyo in the cinema, so have been waiting for this DVD for some time.This is the story of a small fish who escapes from the submarine of her father (a sea-wizard) and happens to taste a drop of blood from a young boy and becomes human-like for a while. The boy, Sosuke, names her Ponyo, and the main story is all about the friendship and love that develops between the two of them (and Ponyo's fondness of all things human, like ham sandwiches, of all things). But their relationship also disrupts the natural balance between sea and land, and disasters in the form of floods and a typhoon loom to threaten everyone, not just the innocent friends. So the story is not just about a developing friendship, but the responsibilities that come along with that, to the people in the fishing village, to the elderly people in the retirement home (where Sosuke's mother works), to the creatures in the ocean, and beyond that to the planet itself. All, of course, is resolved in the end.Beyond the story, however, Ponyo has some of the most amazing animation scenes, especially of the raging waves that lash the shore in a typhoon, coming alive into wild creatures of fury. I thought this might not translate so well to a smaller screen, but I was not disappointed. The disc is really a beautiful rendering. You can turn down the sound and still have a fine time simply viewing the animation, one beautiful image after the other.Some who've seen Miyazaki movies before may get a sense of deja vu - Ponyo seems a lot like Mai from Totoro,the Sea Wizard seems a lot like Miyazaki's other long-nosed European-ish characters in Howl's Moving Castle, and there are many other similarities too numerous to mention. But what do you expect - it's the same artists doing the drawing (and yes, this is hand drawn animation at its best), so you'd expect some stylistic similarities. But there is enough new here to surprise and delight, and if you've never seen a Miyazaki movie before, then it will all be new.The one thing I dislike is the silly English translation of the theme song at the end, so I greatly appreciate that the disc retains the original Japanese soundtrack, where the original is much more appropriate. The extras on the 2nd disc are nice for Miyazaki fans, but it's the movie itself that is the real value here.