LRA writes:
This is a different side of the fabled director, one that still retains that never ending childlike sense of discovery and larger than life imagination that has helped fuel and define all of his work, but chances are most of his fans, both hardcore and casual alike, might be a little thrown when watching The Wind Rises. While Miyazaki does get to exercise his trademark flights of fantasy through Jiro's multitude of dreams, the film overall has a much more grounded sense of reality to it and with that reality comes much more weight to the material overall.
In the wake of the passing of Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, and ahead of Studio Ponoc’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower, out for a limited release this week, here at Film Enthusiast we wanted to…
CB: Studio Ghibli is well known to fans as the renowned Japanese animation studio that rivals any other, worldwide, as the best in the world. For decades the studio has produced one masterful animated film after another, from the environmentalist fantasy adventure Princess Mononoke, to the chilling anti-war story Grave of the Fireflies, and the historical biopic The Wind Rises.
Over his storied, five-decade-long career, Hayao Miyazaki has been responsible for some of the most breathtaking animated films ever to grace a cinema screen. From the whimsically delightful to more serious, adult-themed fare, his body of work transcends the boundaries of age, culture and gender. On that note, some may view his final film, The Wind Rises, as a sad occasion, for it marks the end of a legendary filmmaking career. On the contrary, it should be cause for celebration, for it represents the crowning achievement for one of Japan's most influential artists and storytellers.
