From up on Poppy Hill – PG
Running Time: 91 min
Director: Goro Miyazaki
Lead Actors: Sarah Bolger, Anton Yelchin, Christina Hendricks
Rating: 8
As well as a mastery of action and adventure, it turns out that crowd favorite writer and director Hayao Miyazaki is a master of drama as well. It also turns out that his son, Goro Miyazaki, is a blooming director as well. Directed by Goro and written by Hayao, the beautiful new film, From up on Poppy Hill, is a slower and gentler film depicting post World War II Japan and its internal struggle to return life to normality. Umi (voiced by Sarah Bolger) and Shun (voiced by Anton Yelchin), two high schoolers, find themselves working together to save their school’s old clubhouse from demolition and slowly fall into an innocent love. They soon find, however, that their pasts are more complicated than they thought, and their love turns out to be star-crossed.
What I would first like to commend is the film’s beautiful art. It may be confusing to us Americans, but there are a few wonderful glimpses of Japanese culture in the art that is displayed during this movie. Slow, open shots of bright, colorful scenery are a common technique in Japanese art and filming.
In fact, inside the story itself were long, slow pans across colorful and bright themes. I saw every theme of the rainbow; post-war economies and communities, women’s roles in society, the effect of the absence of parents in adolescents, and the power of love—no matter how shallow. At first glance and superficial thought, the movie barely brings any true topics to attention. This is merely because of the pace, which is slower than the average American is used to. This may be the greatest downfall of the movie; it’s not for everyone. In fact, I was stuck in a movie theatre with a couple sitting behind me, each eighteen going on eight. I was almost embarrassed for their absent parents for the rudeness of these two children.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this Miyazaki film, perhaps because of its individuality when compared to other Studio Ghibli films. So many concepts were fit into a neat little package and offered, though not spoon-fed, to anyone willing to open their mind.
From up on Poppy Hill – PG
Running Time: 91 min
Director: Goro Miyazaki
Lead Actors: Sarah Bolger, Anton Yelchin, Christina Hendricks
Rating: 8
As well as a mastery of action and adventure, it turns out that crowd favorite writer and director Hayao Miyazaki is a master of drama as well. It also turns out that his son, Goro Miyazaki, is a blooming director as well. Directed by Goro and written by Hayao, the beautiful new film, From up on Poppy Hill, is a slower and gentler film depicting post World War II Japan and its internal struggle to return life to normality. Umi (voiced by Sarah Bolger) and Shun (voiced by Anton Yelchin), two high schoolers, find themselves working together to save their school’s old clubhouse from demolition and slowly fall into an innocent love. They soon find, however, that their pasts are more complicated than they thought, and their love turns out to be star-crossed.
What I would first like to commend is the film’s beautiful art. It may be confusing to us Americans, but there are a few wonderful glimpses of Japanese culture in the art that is displayed during this movie. Slow, open shots of bright, colorful scenery are a common technique in Japanese art and filming.
In fact, inside the story itself were long, slow pans across colorful and bright themes. I saw every theme of the rainbow; post-war economies and communities, women’s roles in society, the effect of the absence of parents in adolescents, and the power of love—no matter how shallow. At first glance and superficial thought, the movie barely brings any true topics to attention. This is merely because of the pace, which is slower than the average American is used to. This may be the greatest downfall of the movie; it’s not for everyone. In fact, I was stuck in a movie theatre with a couple sitting behind me, each eighteen going on eight. I was almost embarrassed for their absent parents for the rudeness of these two children.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this Miyazaki film, perhaps because of its individuality when compared to other Studio Ghibli films. So many concepts were fit into a neat little package and offered, though not spoon-fed, to anyone willing to open their mind.
