suki desu

Right now, I'm a fan of Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki productions and, definitely, Joe Hisaishi who created the music for most of the films. What geniuses!

We just watched "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" yesterday. Honestly I wasn't expecting much before. But it was a Studio Ghibli production; that's enough reason to watch it. Heh.

We enjoyed it! I loved it. Sure, it's not really really cute; I thought Ponyo looked rather, er 'cute' (read: ugly but adorable) at most times when she was not a girl. But.. it was definitely adorable and very much endearing. And we could see in the film, bits of Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Totoro. Well, obviously, since Hayao Miyazaki drew everything.

And sure, the story is very simple and straightforward. Coupled with the fact that the whole film was hand drawn - no CGI - it's like going back to basics. Ironically, that is why this film is refreshing.

And the music! Joe Hisaishi! The music fitted the film so well, and clearly set apart from his other compositions in the other Studio Ghibli films. Unique to this film.

This film oozed with such great music, honesty, adorableness (it's a word - I checked)... It's different and new, another great addition to Studio Ghibli's collection.

To date, Spirited Away is still my favourite. Heh. :) Blessed me, we have a DVD set of Studio Ghibli collection, 14 movies I think. And also a Spirited Away DVD set on its own. Whoopee.

In the same line of Japanese films, I suppose I should mention that we watched "The Sky Crawlers" too. It was definitely a different experience from regular movies. We were confused for the most part, until the end, but I guess that kept us very alert, haha. This movie made us think, and ponder, trying to figure out the truth. I think, in that way, we would be better satisfied upon understanding. And, the emotions they wanted to portray to us, we'd feel them as raw as they come, painfully. I think we were a little emo-ed after the film, haha, it was a rather depressing situation, no happy ending.