Miyazaki's artwork can be lovely -- and the delicate, watery colors of Ponyo are particularly well done -- but he's still a slave to the genre's peculiar traditions.
13 Comments
08/14/09
Ponyo (2009)
91
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:101
Rotten:10
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: While not Miyazaki's best film, Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale that's a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages.
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” ... [More]
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Reviews for Ponyo
Five minutes into this magical film you'll be making lists of the individuals of every age you can expose to the very special mixture of fantasy and folklore, adventure and affection, that make up the enchanted vision of Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki.
08/14/09
Top CriticPonyo is memorable for the palpable glee of its protagonist -- a fish out of water who adores the feel of earth beneath her feet and loves her man.
08/14/09
Just as stop motion got a bump earlier in the year with Coraline, Ponyo (already global hit, with $165 million box office to date) hopefully will bring back an appreciation for 2-D.
08/14/09
Ponyo is a visually arresting work by an anime master, and both cute enough and suspenseful enough to keep pre-schoolers in their seats.
08/14/09
You watch a Miyazaki film with the pie-eyed, gape-mouthed awe of a child being read the most fantastic story and suddenly transported to places previously beyond the limits of imagination. It's quite a trip.
08/14/09
'Ponyo' is a worthy piece of work from an artist who takes his work and his audience seriously.
08/14/09
Miyazaki works marvels. Sit back and behold.
08/14/09
As beautiful as Ponyo is to the eye, the movie -- thanks in part to a spotty English-language adaptation -- is sometimes a bit grating to the ear and confusing to the brain.
08/14/09
It's very much a charming kids' film, created by a master of animation.
08/14/09
The 68-year-old filmmaker shows that he's at the peak of his skills, both as a visual artist and a storyteller.
08/14/09
Hayao Miyazaki's magical Ponyo blends fantasy with just a drop of reality, and the result is irresistible.
08/14/09
A bright tale of wonder and connection, Ponyo is a reminder that a G rating needn't be a "little kid" designation.
08/14/09
Disney has done an unusually fine job of Americanizing Ponyo with a delicate script by "E.T." writer Melissa Mathison and warm, expressive voice work. Now, I just hope it doesn't fall on deaf ears.
08/14/09
Ponyo's considerable charms translate easily to audiences of all ages, making the film not mere spectacle, but something truly special.
08/14/09
When you see Ponyo -- and you must -- be prepared for a movie that doesn't abide by Hollywood rules. This is a tale for children (yes, of all ages) who are ready to be coaxed into another world through simple words and luscious pictures.
08/14/09
Top CriticThe film is visually stunning, however, with a A-list cast of voices that include Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Tina Fey.
08/14/09
It's a wonderful place that Miyazaki creates, an alternatively sweet and savage world that defies physics and common sense, as imaginative and impossible in its own way as Jules Verne's sci-fi fantasies or Maurice Sendak's animal kingdom.
08/14/09
Those who consider Miyazaki a filmmaking master will probably consider this another one of his masterpieces.
08/14/09
Miyazaki's stunning adventure is geared to younger kids.
08/14/09
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