Film Forum

(2008, Hayao Miyazaki) “Goosebumps start to form about 30 seconds into the latest from Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle). We’re drawn under the waves of the sea to a hidden enclave of neon-hued aqualife more vibrant, surreal and enchanting than any of the floating 3D whatsits in Avatar. Miyazaki offers a spin on Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ and subverts his source to explore the main theme of all his films: the unpredictable psychologies of kids separated from their parents. The film charts a key episode in the life of bowl-cutted scamp, Sosuke, and the sweet bond he forms with Ponyo, a squeaky-voiced goldfish-turned-human girl. Among the film’s pleasures are yet another heartbreaking evocation of the trials of childhood (particularly the complexity of forming friendships), a non-patronizing depiction of old age and a trenchant yet subtle reminder of looming ecological catastrophes” – Time Out. DCP. Approx. 100 min.