Ponyo Hollywood Movie
Cast and Crew
Release Date:- 14 August,2009 (limited).
Genre:- Action/Adventure/Art/Family/Animation/Kids
Distributors:- Walt Disney Pictures
Director:- Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter, Brad Lewis
Producer:- Koji Hoshino, John Lasseter, Toshio Suzuki
Writer:- Hayao Miyazak,
Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey
Review
“Ponyo” is a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” in which a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo seeks to become human.
riticizing a Miyazaki Hayao movie is like kicking Bambi or dissing a beloved uncle. But sometimes, the deed needs to be done.
Who is Miyazaki Hayao?
Miyazaki Hayao is Japan’s animation superstar. His Spirited Away won the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Disney has released English-dubbed versions of his movies, voiced by heavyweights such as Claire Danes and Billy Bob Thornton.
He is known for his family-friendly fairy tale anime, but his work has been dark ever since Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away was a mild respite but Howl’s Moving Castle was grim.
Ponyo is a welcome change of direction. Its cheery title song clearly indicates Miyazaki Hayao’s intention to make Ponyo a lighthearted kiddie movie.
This movie review contains plot spoilers.
and tagged with download Ponyo free, free Ponyo online, Ponyo english movie, Ponyo film, watch Ponyo free, Watch Ponyo online on 08/07/2009 03:34 pm by admin
For anyone who has ever visited the forum section of this site (when it was live) you will know that I don’t think much of Studio Ghibli. I have yet to see the appeal of their work; above interesting animation and childlike stories. The innocence that people speak of doesn’t make for a good story. I will accept there is a timelessness to them but that doesn’t change the fact that almost an hour into them all, I always feel like a good sleep.
Nevertheless in an attempt to please you Ghibli fans out there, I thought that I’d attempt to watch and review their latest offering: Gake no ue no Ponyo or Ponyo on the Cliff or Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
I am desperately trying to be kind here but does anyone think this sounds like the Little Mermaid (with children)? Ponyo is a magical meat-eating fish and attracts the attention of a 5 year old boy named Sosuke (sounds like “sausages”). So “Sausages” has a mother who drives like a lunatic and lives on a cliff (hence the title) which is by the sea (hence the other title). The father is a sailor (in a non gay way) and spends most of his time on the sea. Ponyo’s father looks like Mick Jagger on a good day and she herself looks like a red slug (whilst being a fish) and the character of Annie from the film Annie (whilst being human). Along with this, when she is feeling extra magical she turns into a chicken (or something close to it).
Okay that’s enough! We are getting very very silly here! Okay so there are no Cat Buses in sight but there might as well be. How am I expected to seriously review a film that is catered for the individuals in our world on a permanent LSD tip? Perhaps that is my problem. Should I not be sober whilst appreciating any of Studio Ghibli’s work? I would never argue that their animation is unique. I would argue that some of their animation looks amateur but I have been told on too many an occasion that this is deliberate.
Studio Ghibli as an entity is comparable to a pile of bricks in an art gallery. There are some of us who will see the pure genius behind it and will ensure that they try and explain this genius in full detail to whoever will listen. However there are others who see a pile of bricks on the floor and think “what a waste of bricks”. I do not fit into either of those two categories. I would look at the said bricks on the floor and ask a thousand “why’s”. Such as: Why would someone pay good money to have that taking up floor space? Why haven’t I got a job where I can throw bricks on a floor and be paid and respected for it? Why are there fools on this planet that believe the bricks are anything more than just bricks? Art….why? I would spend many years arguing the fact that these art lovers are being duped by a clumsy builder. Surely if something requires explaining to me, than it is not as good as it should be! If you were to tell me a joke and had to explain the punchline because I didn’t understand it, It would not be funny.
It doesn’t matter then, how many times I watch Princess Mononoke I will never “get it”; nor do I want to at this point. I should not need to review a film differently than I do other films. Animation in my view is merely another way of telling a story and not a genre as most people these days tend to think. If I think that the way it is telling a story is pretentious and unnecessary then I shall let people know!
That being said, I am being a little harsh on Studio Ghibli as this is the first film of theirs (of which I have seen) that isn’t that bad. Despite the characters highly resembling others from My Neighbour Totoro it is surprisingly watchable. However, “watchable” does not mean “good”. It merely means I wasn’t suicidal to any great degree whilst watching it.
I suppose I should dedicate a paragraph to Ponyo’s themes but I just couldn’t be bothered. I will let you know though, that this is the first Ghibli film that is unlikely to give me nightmares (the Cat Bus disturbed me for weeks). It is for you trip-loving hippies out there who enjoy a good meander through cheese flavoured hills.
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