Instead of the fantastical lands of most Ghibli films like Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, The Secret World of Arrietty is set in an ordinary home. It's visually as beautiful as you'd expect from Ghibli, with even simple backgrounds looking as lovely as a painting. The Secret World of Arrietty is the story of a family of "borrowers" a tiny race of people who live within the homes of ordinary humans and who are supposed to stay hidden from them at all times. 9/10 Bethany CoxĪ "smaller-scale" Ghibli movie than what we're used to, but a good one. The characters, especially Arietty, are likable and engaging, and the voice work is terrific, the standouts being Olivia Colman, Geraldine McEwan, Mark Strong and very talented child actress Saoirse Ronan. True, the ending is a little bittersweet, but considering the storytelling it worked I felt. The script amused and touched me, and the storytelling doesn't rely on wisecracks and action(not that it's a bad thing as such) but instead it is subtle and gentle with a lot of charm and heart, letting us bond emotionally with the characters and their world. As with all Studio Ghibli's work, the visuals are stunning, with the colours especially having such an ethereal quality to them, and the music has a pleasant Celtic lilt making the movie even more beautiful than it already is. Arietty is not one of Ghibli's best, but that doesn't stop it from being a truly charming film. In fact I haven't seen a Ghibli I dislike, even their weakest Tales from Earthsea while problematic is worth a viewing. Studio Ghibli have been responsible for some of my favourite animated movies, especially Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, Castle in the Sky and My Neighbour Totoro. The designs are ace, and the world of the borrowers and the human beans merge beautifully. Being Ghibli we get a lovely little cat character, Niya. Her heart is in the right place, but she doesn't get into a ridiculous amount of trouble. Arriety is adventurous, but never annoying. Ghibli have taken everything great about the story, and toned down the designs and motives, making this a realistic and engaging fantasy. I'd already seen the excellent TV Mini-series and the over-the-top American film with Goodman. I was very familiar with The Borrowers, and was a bit disappointed I was getting something original from Ghibli. First time director Yonebayashi shows that Ghibli has much more life and talent to give. The quiet nature of Arriety is so relaxing, with gorgeous music from Cecile Corbel. What Ghibli understand, more than anyone, is that kids don't need bright/crass/non stop films. A shot lingers just long enough for a ladybird to take flight, or the mother to stir her tea after a conversation. Luckily for us, the details are all present. Subtle moments of life and nature, that the animators could have saved time and money by not including them. There are moments here that you wouldn't even get in a live action movie. Arriety is the exact cure needed for such loud and obnoxious 3D CGI movies that come out every other week. I'm glad since I loathed the last Ghibli film I saw (Pom Poko). I saw it just days after going to the Ghibli Museum in Japan, and it was breathtaking.
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