Hi everyone!
My fiancé and I have decided to watch through Miyazaki's films as I had never seen one until earlier this year. Ponyo was made available to us back in January so we watched it on a whim, and I quite liked it. It definitely felt like a movie for kids but the art direction and allegorical subtext really stuck with me, and I wanted more.
As I had heard so much about Spirited Away, we watched that next. It completely blew me away and I understood why it's considered Miyazaki's opus by many. Everything about it touched my heart. Juxtaposing whimsy and wonder with sinister/heart-wrenching themes of loss and self-discovery is what draws me Pixar's best films, and Spirit blended those motifs so confidently. The world felt lived in, and the way a scene took its time to convey nuanced emotion is something I'd never seen before in animation.
Next, we cycled through the available films for purchase and I opted for Princess Mononoke. This was a much more intense watch, and though I felt like it could have been trimmed down a bit, it's a stunning work of art. While it didn't entrance me the way Spirited did, I still enjoyed it a great deal.
Since there are 20+ films out there, none of which are available for streaming in the U.S. (i.e. costing around $15-20 each), I can't afford to buy them all and/or watch in order. So, what would you recommend as the next must-see, and is there a particular order you'd recommend?
TRLD; I've watched these films. What next?
1. Ponyo (B-)
2. Spirited Away (A+)
3. Princess Mononoke (A-)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Thanks in advance for the help! :)
My fiancé and I have decided to watch through Miyazaki's films as I had never seen one until earlier this year. Ponyo was made available to us back in January so we watched it on a whim, and I quite liked it. It definitely felt like a movie for kids but the art direction and allegorical subtext really stuck with me, and I wanted more.
As I had heard so much about Spirited Away, we watched that next. It completely blew me away and I understood why it's considered Miyazaki's opus by many. Everything about it touched my heart. Juxtaposing whimsy and wonder with sinister/heart-wrenching themes of loss and self-discovery is what draws me Pixar's best films, and Spirit blended those motifs so confidently. The world felt lived in, and the way a scene took its time to convey nuanced emotion is something I'd never seen before in animation.
Next, we cycled through the available films for purchase and I opted for Princess Mononoke. This was a much more intense watch, and though I felt like it could have been trimmed down a bit, it's a stunning work of art. While it didn't entrance me the way Spirited did, I still enjoyed it a great deal.
Since there are 20+ films out there, none of which are available for streaming in the U.S. (i.e. costing around $15-20 each), I can't afford to buy them all and/or watch in order. So, what would you recommend as the next must-see, and is there a particular order you'd recommend?
TRLD; I've watched these films. What next?
1. Ponyo (B-)
2. Spirited Away (A+)
3. Princess Mononoke (A-)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Thanks in advance for the help! :)