Ghiblithon '09
So, a couple of years ago I went on a spree of having various film marathons, one of which was to watch all 13 of the Ghibli films (that's all that had been released at the time) and I succeeded. Anyway, I have decided to do the same again and watch all 15 of them, plus Cagliostro since I keep getting an urge to watch it. As a note, I will be watching all of them in Japanese (which will help achieve my nearly 2 year-old goal of watching all of them subbed rather than dubbed!).
Saturday:
Film #1: Laputa Castle in the Sky (125 minutes)
It's been a fairly long time since I saw this film (actually with the exception of Gedo Senki, it's been way over a year since I last watched any Ghibli. It felt almost like I'd forgotten just how much I love these films). Actually, while watching it I was thinking... Dude, this film is as old as me, and they didn't have CG back then, but it's still beautifully animated. I think I'm becoming more and more anti-CG as time goes on you know. Well, at least in animated films anyway. Much Dola love in this film. Seriously, she freaking rocks!
Film #2: Porco Rosso (93 minutes)
I forgot just how gorgeous the cloud prairie scene is; it really is well done and just a beautiful idea. In some ways it really is an understated film and I still love it. Weirdly enough I can still remember the first time I watched it. My parents were out for the evening, it was dark outside and I was happily sitting on my sofa eating a pizza thinking how good this film was. I'm not sure why but that memory just makes me smile.
Film #3: Lupin the 3rd - Castle of Cagliostro (100 minutes)
I know, I know - it's not technically Ghibli, but it's still a Miyazaki film and I really wanted to watch it in Japanese since I've watched the rest of the Lupin franchise in. Plus it was this film that got me interested in the rest of the Lupin III series. Now having seen 19 of the 20 TV specials, all 5 movies and the 3 OVAs as well as a fair chunk of the TV series, it's become a kind of guilty pleasure of mine - though Cagliostro is still my favourite. On another note... OH DEAR GOD EWW! After watching all other Lupin's in Japanese, I decided to flick over to the English dub of this and just... eww. *shudder* How did I ever watch this in English? Twice.
Film #4: Grave of the Fireflies (90 minutes)
I have now watched this film three times. I have cried within the first five minutes all three times, and again at the end. How the hell does this film do that to me?! It's truly a masterpiece, it's just so heartbreaking and devoid of hope that you must be a complete robot if you don't feel anything (and no, not a Laputa robot because they are too cool).
Film #5: Howl's Moving Castle (115 minutes)
After the weepy-fest that is Fireflies, I needed something happier and so I decided to put on Howl.I found myself falling in love with it all over again (and shed a small tear at the end out of sheer love for it - I blame Fireflies, it opened up the floodgates). But yeah, I'm now seriously questioning my Ghibli film list. Spirited Away has always topped it, with Howl second and Totoro third. Now I'm seriously thinking that maybe my number one and number two should be swapped round. I'll definitely have to watch Spirited Away tomorrow to decide.
Thinking about it, I should sort out what films I'm going to watch tomorrow. There are 15 films in the Studio Ghibli Collection and I've watched 4 of them today (as I said earlier, Cagliostro isn't part of the Ghibli collection) so there are 11 films left. Definitely Spirited Away is on the list, and Princess Mononoke as I want to watch it subbed. It'd be nice if I could have had all of Monday to add to the Ghiblithon but I'm working a double shift - bum. Though that doesn't stop me watching more when I get home and resuming on Tuesday. I definitely want to watch through all of them (that way I can definitely sort out my Ghibli order), but it may take a few more days. Having said that, it is only 10 to 1 so I could probably watch another one tonight - yeah, sod it, I will. On another note, I need more Ghibli Icons.
Film #6: The Cat Returns (74 minutes)
Aww, I forgot how much I love this one. Because it's lower down my list I think I just tend to almost overlook the fact that I really enjoy it. It's slightly more comical than the other Ghibli films, but I still found myself grinning with that 'Ghibli feeling' - you know the one I mean, Craig. Aww, I've missed the Ghibli feeling. Weirdly enough I've actually sat through the credits of each film I've watched today; the music is just so beautiful that I can't turn it off.
Right, that's it films wise for today unless I want to be up until like 5am, which I don't because I like my sleep. :)
Total Time spent on Ghiblithon for today: 597 minutes (9 hours 57 minutes)
Sunday
OK, so I had planned to start day 2 of Ghiblithon '09 when I got up, but since I spent a reasonable amount of time last night mentally writing a review for Howl's Moving Castle, I ended up doing that instead. Three hours and a shower later and I am beginning!
Film #7: Princess Mononoke (134 minutes)
Ahh, this seriously has the most beautiful soundtrack of all the Ghibli films. It's so pretty as well. I still really want a little kodama of my own hee hee, and a Yakul. Watching it in Japanese was nice as well, I prefer it to the dub, though Moro's voice is... odd. Sounds like a man but when I looked it up, it's the same woman who voiced the Witch of the Waste in Howl (who incidentally, also sounded like a bloke until she laughed). Also, I still stand by the fact that Mononoke is fun to type. Mononoke... Mononoke... Mononoke.
Film #8: Kiki's Delivery Service (103 minutes)
This always gives me much Jiji love, he's so sweet! Good little film this one. It feels a little more child-like than some of the other Ghibli films, and I definitely much prefer it in Japanese instead of the dubbed version. Kirsten Dunst is kind of annoying voicing Kiki. Oddly enough, I'm kind of Ghibli-ed out for today, so I'm gonna pop on some Clannad After Story for a bit.
Total Time spent on Ghiblithon for today 237 minutes (3 hours 57 minutes)
I'm going to add the films I've watched to this list as I watch them so I can work out my order of favourites.
Howl's Moving Castle
Laputa Castle in the Sky
Princess Mononoke
Porco Rosso
Grave of the Fireflies
Kiki's Delivery Service
The Cat Returns
Saturday:
Film #1: Laputa Castle in the Sky (125 minutes)
It's been a fairly long time since I saw this film (actually with the exception of Gedo Senki, it's been way over a year since I last watched any Ghibli. It felt almost like I'd forgotten just how much I love these films). Actually, while watching it I was thinking... Dude, this film is as old as me, and they didn't have CG back then, but it's still beautifully animated. I think I'm becoming more and more anti-CG as time goes on you know. Well, at least in animated films anyway. Much Dola love in this film. Seriously, she freaking rocks!
Film #2: Porco Rosso (93 minutes)
I forgot just how gorgeous the cloud prairie scene is; it really is well done and just a beautiful idea. In some ways it really is an understated film and I still love it. Weirdly enough I can still remember the first time I watched it. My parents were out for the evening, it was dark outside and I was happily sitting on my sofa eating a pizza thinking how good this film was. I'm not sure why but that memory just makes me smile.
Film #3: Lupin the 3rd - Castle of Cagliostro (100 minutes)
I know, I know - it's not technically Ghibli, but it's still a Miyazaki film and I really wanted to watch it in Japanese since I've watched the rest of the Lupin franchise in. Plus it was this film that got me interested in the rest of the Lupin III series. Now having seen 19 of the 20 TV specials, all 5 movies and the 3 OVAs as well as a fair chunk of the TV series, it's become a kind of guilty pleasure of mine - though Cagliostro is still my favourite. On another note... OH DEAR GOD EWW! After watching all other Lupin's in Japanese, I decided to flick over to the English dub of this and just... eww. *shudder* How did I ever watch this in English? Twice.
Film #4: Grave of the Fireflies (90 minutes)
I have now watched this film three times. I have cried within the first five minutes all three times, and again at the end. How the hell does this film do that to me?! It's truly a masterpiece, it's just so heartbreaking and devoid of hope that you must be a complete robot if you don't feel anything (and no, not a Laputa robot because they are too cool).
Film #5: Howl's Moving Castle (115 minutes)
After the weepy-fest that is Fireflies, I needed something happier and so I decided to put on Howl.I found myself falling in love with it all over again (and shed a small tear at the end out of sheer love for it - I blame Fireflies, it opened up the floodgates). But yeah, I'm now seriously questioning my Ghibli film list. Spirited Away has always topped it, with Howl second and Totoro third. Now I'm seriously thinking that maybe my number one and number two should be swapped round. I'll definitely have to watch Spirited Away tomorrow to decide.
Thinking about it, I should sort out what films I'm going to watch tomorrow. There are 15 films in the Studio Ghibli Collection and I've watched 4 of them today (as I said earlier, Cagliostro isn't part of the Ghibli collection) so there are 11 films left. Definitely Spirited Away is on the list, and Princess Mononoke as I want to watch it subbed. It'd be nice if I could have had all of Monday to add to the Ghiblithon but I'm working a double shift - bum. Though that doesn't stop me watching more when I get home and resuming on Tuesday. I definitely want to watch through all of them (that way I can definitely sort out my Ghibli order), but it may take a few more days. Having said that, it is only 10 to 1 so I could probably watch another one tonight - yeah, sod it, I will. On another note, I need more Ghibli Icons.
Film #6: The Cat Returns (74 minutes)
Aww, I forgot how much I love this one. Because it's lower down my list I think I just tend to almost overlook the fact that I really enjoy it. It's slightly more comical than the other Ghibli films, but I still found myself grinning with that 'Ghibli feeling' - you know the one I mean, Craig. Aww, I've missed the Ghibli feeling. Weirdly enough I've actually sat through the credits of each film I've watched today; the music is just so beautiful that I can't turn it off.
Right, that's it films wise for today unless I want to be up until like 5am, which I don't because I like my sleep. :)
Total Time spent on Ghiblithon for today: 597 minutes (9 hours 57 minutes)
Sunday
OK, so I had planned to start day 2 of Ghiblithon '09 when I got up, but since I spent a reasonable amount of time last night mentally writing a review for Howl's Moving Castle, I ended up doing that instead. Three hours and a shower later and I am beginning!
Film #7: Princess Mononoke (134 minutes)
Ahh, this seriously has the most beautiful soundtrack of all the Ghibli films. It's so pretty as well. I still really want a little kodama of my own hee hee, and a Yakul. Watching it in Japanese was nice as well, I prefer it to the dub, though Moro's voice is... odd. Sounds like a man but when I looked it up, it's the same woman who voiced the Witch of the Waste in Howl (who incidentally, also sounded like a bloke until she laughed). Also, I still stand by the fact that Mononoke is fun to type. Mononoke... Mononoke... Mononoke.
Film #8: Kiki's Delivery Service (103 minutes)
This always gives me much Jiji love, he's so sweet! Good little film this one. It feels a little more child-like than some of the other Ghibli films, and I definitely much prefer it in Japanese instead of the dubbed version. Kirsten Dunst is kind of annoying voicing Kiki. Oddly enough, I'm kind of Ghibli-ed out for today, so I'm gonna pop on some Clannad After Story for a bit.
Total Time spent on Ghiblithon for today 237 minutes (3 hours 57 minutes)
I'm going to add the films I've watched to this list as I watch them so I can work out my order of favourites.
Howl's Moving Castle
Laputa Castle in the Sky
Princess Mononoke
Porco Rosso
Grave of the Fireflies
Kiki's Delivery Service
The Cat Returns