: The Secret World of Arrietty
I was curious about this as I usually love Hayao Miyazaki’s work, but the trailers made this seem much too much like The Borrowers novel it was based upon (there already was an animated movie based on that) and I skipped it in theaters.
But it turns out, it’s really good. It’s definite not very American — it has a glacial pace and a minimal plot — but it’s surprisingly emotional. The story is about a teenage Borrower (a miniature person who lives underneath a human’s house and lives on “borrowed” odds and ends) who meets a human boy. It turns out the boy is dying and there to convalesce, and though the Borrower is not supposed to allow herself to be seen, the two become friends.
There are a few oddities, like the weird housekeeper, but this is probably the most mainstream thing Miyazaki has ever done (though he only wrote and planned this and didn’t direct it). The story is simple and pure and wonderful. The hand-drawn animation is amazing, especially the level of detail. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Definitely great for kids.
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