Another example of how this film maven easily holds the crown in the sadly ever-shrinking traditional animation genre.
Comment
10/30/06
Howl's Moving Castle (2005)
85
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:144
Fresh:123
Rotten:21
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Childrens
US Box Office: $4,520,887
Synopsis: Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human... [More]
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Reviews for Howl's Moving Castle
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Top CriticClick to read the article
08/16/05
Top CriticMiyazaki has an appeal that crosses generations. Adult audiences are drawn to the depth and variety of his vision, but so are kids, and for exactly the same reasons.
01/17/06
Top CriticThere are some truly inspired moments, although this new animation from Japanese writer / director Hayao Miyazaki never reaches the heights of the brilliant Spirited Away.
09/18/05
Top CriticClick to read the article
06/11/05
An overly familiar affair that will strain young attention spans with its plodding lessons about greed (it's bad) and nature (it's good).
06/09/05
...only the most die-hard fans of director Hayao Miyazaki will find something here worth embracing.
06/09/05
The straightforward narrative constantly seems at odds with Miyazaki's dreamy landscapes and fanciful flourishes.
06/03/05
Fantasy tale from master animator Hayao Miyazaki is a feast for the senses ... that makes no sense.
06/16/05
Youngsters and Miyazaki fans will coo at the world's depth and rich surreality, but opaque plotting, and a tendency to mope with Sophie whilst Howl is off affecting events let the momentum of the first act vanish into thin air.
09/18/05
Yes, there are moments of great beauty here, but boy, the story could have used some editing.
06/27/05
The visual power of Miyazaki’s animation is as strong as ever, but it’s all for naught when you can’t make heads or tails of the story on screen.
06/22/05
The film is at its worst when trying to outright engage you and at its best when it doesn't pay the audience much mind.
06/10/05
Speaking of enchantment, that's the ultimate thing missing from Howl's Moving Castle. That and soul.
06/10/05
Top CriticChoppy story lines and threadbare characterization often hamper live-action adventures, and Mr. Miyazaki's newest anime endeavor suffers from similar handicaps.
06/16/05
With such an unfocused, impenetrable center, the film grows dull.
06/17/05
A parade of weird characters comes onstage to do their turns, but the underlying plot grows murky and, amazingly for a Miyazaki film, we grow impatient at spectacle without meaning.
06/09/05
Top CriticHowl's Moving Castle moves -- in short, choppy, jumpy jerks that will never make anyone forget how fluid the truly great hand-drawn cartoons look by comparison.
06/17/05
Increasingly hard to follow, with too many dull patches along the way.
06/17/05
The story ... carries a weak narrative thread that gets lost in the shuffle of magic and mayhem.
06/27/05
Latest News for Howl's Moving Castle
August 21, 2008:
Japanese Audiences Flocking to Miyazaki's Latest 
He delighted audiences with Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle -- and now director Hayao Miyazaki is doing it all over again with his latest film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the... More...
March 20, 2007:
Will Miyazaki's Next Film Be His Last?
It's been speculated that legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki will retire after the release of his next film, "Ponyo on a Cliff," but now it looks like we'll have at... More...
October 19, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Flags" Flies High; "The Prestige" Is Magic; "Flicka" Is A Pretty Good Ride; "Marie Antoinette" Spared Critical Guillotine
This week at the movies, we've got a complex tale of heroism (Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," starring Ryan Phillippe), a story of dueling magicians... More...
October 03, 2006:
Miyazaki Prepares Next Animation Classic
Let's face it: When the director of "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," and a whole bunch of other brilliant pieces of animation announces that he's about... More...
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