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REVIEW: The Secret World of Arrietty BD+DVD


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Saturn



Joined: 08 Aug 2002
Posts: 513
PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:26 pm Reply with quote
I thought the music in this film was easily the best part-- in fact, while I didn't care enough for the movie to buy it or even watch it more than once, I listen to the music from it often. I don't think it deserved a B+ at all.
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Norbie



Joined: 15 Jul 2008
Posts: 126
PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:08 pm Reply with quote
I enjoyed Arrietty, especially the soundtrack which I purchased as soon as possible. The only Ghibli soundtrack I've purchased.

Never saw or heard the U.S. dub, but I did purchase the UK BR which only had the UK dub and I thought it was pretty average so I watch the film subtitled now.
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EricJ2



Joined: 01 Feb 2014
Posts: 4016
PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:17 pm Reply with quote
Norbie wrote:
Never saw or heard the U.S. dub, but I did purchase the UK BR which only had the UK dub and I thought it was pretty average so I watch the film subtitled now.


The US dub is...good, nothing outstanding from what we've come to expect by now, but casting Carol Burnett as the nasty housekeeper steals the dub. Very Happy

The adaptation was good in getting all the "small" details, but thought it was ruined by the infusion of Ghibli Melancholy:
The story is supposed to be English whimsy about creatures hiding so they won't be discovered, and one making friends, but instead, we get Hayao's guru influence of "The decline of the old ways of nature", why humans and nature will never get along, and why we won't see them anymore as time goes by...Bet this guy would've been a hoot adapting Mary Poppins. Rolling Eyes
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Red-Eyez



Joined: 21 Nov 2014
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 12:07 am Reply with quote
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki shows going to get an A ?
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jymmy



Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Posts: 1244
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:51 am Reply with quote
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki shows going to get an A ?

Arrietty's director is not Hayao Miyazaki; it is Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

Given that Studio Ghibli is sort of renowned for producing good films, I wouldn't be surprised if most or all of them got good grades.

Tales from Earthsea BD hasn't been reviewed; if it's to be reviewed, it might garner a less than stellar rating.
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Shadowrun20XX



Joined: 26 Nov 2007
Posts: 1935
Location: Vegas
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:35 am Reply with quote
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki shows going to get an A ?
If there is nothing sexist it usually does. You will start to notice the trend afterward.
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kevinx59



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 959
Location: In sunny California
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 3:29 am Reply with quote
I...actually really liked this film. I haven't seen a whole bunch of Ghibli films but of the ones I've seen this is one of my faves (behind Nausicaa). I loved the miniaturized perspective of our world (which is why I love Zelda Minish Cap as well) and the music was amazing. I would even like to own its soundtrack. I've never read the novel (hell I'd never even heard about it, though I've seen a couple episodes of The Littles, which really reminded me of Arriety), but the bittersweet ending really caught me off guard. I knew spoiler[they couldn't be together, but I did not expect Arietty to leave forever]. One thing that always confused me was spoiler[why was the Aunt so obsessed with catching and getting rid of the little people?]
I haven't seen the dub yet, but at least from the commercials it didn't seem bad.
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shterraarson



Joined: 11 Nov 2014
Posts: 43
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:47 am Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
The American dub for Arietty is a solid work, but personally I think the UK version is superior. The characters take on somewhat different characteristics, I guess being closer to the Japanese version, but they make for sense to me. In the UK version, while Sho (Japanese names are retained) wants to befriend Arietty, he has an ignorant/insensitive side to himself that he was tone-deaf to. Not only does it give him more of a personal journey from his jadedness in experiencing his illness (as opposed to his pure sweetheartedness in the American version), his ignorance also helps better explain the scene where he causes destruction while giving Arrietty's family a new room. His ignorant insensitivity (albeit well-meaning) makes it make more sense, while in the American version it just makes him comes across as stupid. Also, in the UK version there isspoiler[ no additional ending narration by Sho saying what happened to both himself and Arrietty afterwards, which I far prefer over the American version. Because the point should not have been what are the characters' fates, but how they affected each other and their determination to face the future, come what may]. Plus, I think the charming British voices just fit better.



I haven't seen the full North American Dub, only the trailers. I have seen the British dub with Saoirse Ronan as Arrietty. But I kind of agree that perhaps because the original story takes place in England it would only make sense for the characters to have British accents in an english dub. Anyway, Personally I thought the UK version was fantastic.


As for the adaptation itself there were some minor weaknesses like for instance it never fully revealed why the housekeeper was so intent on ridding the house of the miniature people. Also I really wanted to see more interaction between Sho and Arrietty.
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Jayhosh



Joined: 24 May 2013
Posts: 972
Location: Millmont, Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 12:06 pm Reply with quote
I really loved this film, and the music was so beautiful! Definitely a good first effort from Yonebayashi, and I am very anxious to see Marnie and determine whether it tops Arrietty or not. It probably will, as Yonebayashi apparently has distinguished himself quite a bit from Miyazaki over the years in regard to his own style.

All of these Ghibli related ANN threads are filled with negative comments, but their library deserves these grades for a reason. Sometimes I just think that those people only attempt to diss their works because they're jealous that their precious "otaku" anime doesn't get the same spotlight. But that's for such an obvious reason too. Many of Ghibli's films remain very accessible without ever losing their cultural origins. Sorry Madoka Magica Rebellion didn't get nominated for an Oscar and The Wind Rises did. That is what I suppose they want to hear from everyone else. And heck, I love anime like Madoka.
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EricJ2



Joined: 01 Feb 2014
Posts: 4016
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:25 pm Reply with quote
kevinx59 wrote:
I've never read the novel (hell I'd never even heard about it, though I've seen a couple episodes of The Littles, which really reminded me of Arriety), but the bittersweet ending really caught me off guard. I knew spoiler[they couldn't be together, but I did not expect Arietty to leave forever]. One thing that always confused me was spoiler[why was the Aunt so obsessed with catching and getting rid of the little people?]


That, actually, is one of the few things FROM the book--
There was a whole series of books, of what happened to the family after they relocated, and the original book itself was filmed several times, in several BBC adaptations and one incredibly awful live-action version.

The Miyazkian lack of whimsy in this one took away from Arietty's character, though:
In the original, she's just the sweet daughter with a bow in her hair who's too curious to listen to her parents' warnings; in the Ghibli-verse, she's another grim-survivalist Nausicaa Jr.
I'm beginning to think that Kiki's Delivery Service was just a fluke for Ghibli book adaptations, and even that one had to go into the depressing "Kiki loses her powers, as part of the growing up we must all face..." plot that wasn't in the original.
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phia_one



Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Posts: 1657
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:05 pm Reply with quote
I saw this in theaters with my best friend. I enjoyed the movie, but I think I would enjoy it more subtitled. The best thing about it was the OST. I listen to it often to relax.
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varmintx



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1199
Location: Covington, KY
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 10:26 pm Reply with quote
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki Ghibli shows films going to get an A ?
Tales From Earthsea's BD comes out in February. I assure you, it will not get an A. Smile
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:14 pm Reply with quote
varmintx wrote:
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki Ghibli shows films going to get an A ?
Tales From Earthsea's BD comes out in February. I assure you, it will not get an A. Smile

A B- should be fair enough, if you ask me. Again, it's not as horrible as some people make it out to be.
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varmintx



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1199
Location: Covington, KY
PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:36 pm Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
varmintx wrote:
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki Ghibli shows films going to get an A ?
Tales From Earthsea's BD comes out in February. I assure you, it will not get an A. Smile

A B- should be fair enough, if you ask me. Again, it's not as horrible as some people make it out to be.
I gave it a 5/10 or "so-so" which is not a negative and pretty far removed from "horrible," but I was merely pointing out that the seeming lovefest will have an end.
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 2:42 pm Reply with quote
varmintx wrote:
pachy_boy wrote:
varmintx wrote:
Red-Eyez wrote:
Curious, I started following this review thread. So like are all these Miyazaki Ghibli shows films going to get an A ?
Tales From Earthsea's BD comes out in February. I assure you, it will not get an A. Smile

A B- should be fair enough, if you ask me. Again, it's not as horrible as some people make it out to be.
I gave it a 5/10 or "so-so" which is not a negative and pretty far removed from "horrible," but I was merely pointing out that the seeming lovefest will have an end.

Seems to have happened early with today's review for Ponyo.
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