Went to see Ponyo today and had all my expectations met.
When I go to see a Miyazaki film, I expect nothing short of excellence. I’ve seen all his films except Howl’s Moving Castle, but I’ve ordered that just now on DVD. Although Ponyo does not share the same complex characters and situations as other Miyazaki works, it is a masterpiece, instantly accessible to children from pre-K on up to adulthood. It is the most accessible movie for little children, I think, surpassing Totoro in that category. The dividing line is simple: In Totoro, the mom is sick. In Ponyo, there’s nothing bad going on in the background. Not really. The grownups do seem to be involved in some serious matters, but those matters pale to what the children in the movie see.
What’s important to the kids in the movie is love. Nothing romantic: just a pure attachment of affection, innocent and free. I love that. As usual, Miyazaki and the rest of Studio Ghibli chose the right colors for the film. What I enjoyed especially is that instead of using his typical ligne claire style with flat colors (pardon my French, there…), he opted for more impressionistic backgrounds, adding a lovely storybook feel to the whole film.
The schools of fish and other water animals have to be considered as part of the cast of stars in the film. I loved watching them. While Pixar had a clever little aquarium and some nice fish scenes in Finding Nemo, Miyazaki’s underwater images will make me dream about living in an octopus’ garden tonight.
As I said, this is a storybook movie. The conflict is gentle; the resolution firm and joyous. The colors resound and the illustrations capture your breath and refuse to let go until the closing credits fade from view. I wept with joy as I watched the film, much as I do when I listen to Beethoven’s Pastoral symphony. Yes, the comparison to Beethoven is valid. Miyazaki is a genius and we are fortunate that he’s been given a forum to share his visions with a worldwide audience. Although the film is a beautiful storybook, it is not for everyone. I’m sorry, but it’s a sensitive film and there isn’t a crass joke anywhere in it. Kids looking for bathroom humor or crazy send-ups are not going to be happy with Ponyo. This film is for sensitive moods and open minds. For a child, it’s a wonderful, beautiful story. For an adult, there are subtleties that will pop up later on when discussing it with other adults. It is universal and it is wonderful. I don’t care if you see it: I’ve seen it and I found another reason to keep on keepin’ on today.