Fishy business
We went to see Ponyo the other day, the new (to the UK) Miyazaki film. Headline summary: if you like Miyazaki, you will probably like this one too. It doesn't break new ground -- if anything, it's more similar in tone to oldies like Totoro and Kiki than his other recent films. On the other hand, if the whole Studio Ghibli thing is new to you, then this is not a bad place to start.
He has said that the film was inspired by The Little Mermaid (the Disney version rather than Andersen's not-so-fluffy story). There is also a neat reference to the Volsung Saga, as Ponyo's father calls her "Brunnhilde" -- the name of the valkyrie who disobeyed her father Wotan by falling in love with a human.
The sotry doesn't make much sense, but it has some lovely characters (Ponyo's father, the wizard Fujimoto, especially), and some beautiful animation -- the pre-credit sequence is terrific.
He has said that the film was inspired by The Little Mermaid (the Disney version rather than Andersen's not-so-fluffy story). There is also a neat reference to the Volsung Saga, as Ponyo's father calls her "Brunnhilde" -- the name of the valkyrie who disobeyed her father Wotan by falling in love with a human.
The sotry doesn't make much sense, but it has some lovely characters (Ponyo's father, the wizard Fujimoto, especially), and some beautiful animation -- the pre-credit sequence is terrific.