Whimsical/fantasy

Feb 2020

"Oti calls it the most whimsical of them all. On where the fantasy starts, Oti says the bridge while KT says earlier, at the torii gate and road statue."

Feb 2020

"Oti calls Miyazaki an out-of-body journey and KT full escapism, but KT finds this his most grown-up film: it addresses the whimsy and the spell, yet stays more grounded in reality than his later work."

Feb 2020

"Oti nearly says no, then finds fantasy in the deer god and the Kodama, though less than in Spirited Away; KT asks whether mythology counts and sees fantastical devices carrying real-world environmental messages."

Feb 2020

"Oti rules it out, finding the film grounded in today's environmental problems; KT argues the Ohmu are fantastical vehicles for Mother Nature but agrees it doesn't qualify next to his other films."

Feb 2020

"Oti says of course: a moving castle, magic, witchcraft and portals everywhere. KT notes the magic can feel like a deus ex machina but shows Howl's power, and makes falling in love a visceral experience."