The Wind Rises

Hello, hello!
Welcome to another Studio Ghibli review. Today I’ll talk about a movie I had never heard about before I binged all the Ghibli-films on Netflix. So let’s find out whether The Wind Rises turned out to be a pleasant surprise!

The Plot (according to Rotten Tomatoes):

In “The Wind Rises,” Jiro dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes, inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni. Nearsighted from a young age and unable to be a pilot, Jiro joins a major Japanese engineering company in 1927 and becomes one of the world’s most innovative and accomplished airplane designers. 

The Rating:

Okay, here’s the deal: it’s another visually stunning film, but honestly I wouldn’t expect anything else from a Studio Ghibli production.

It’s fascinating that they decided to tackle some real people and events here as I was not at all familiar with pretty much any of the stuff they mention. I should, however, mention that although the main character is based on a real person, a large chunk of the events depicted is fictitious.

Top 5 Tuesday: books you would re-rate

Hey, guys!
It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for a bookish favorites post. Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Meeghan over on Meeghan Reads and is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks.
Todays topic is all about books I would re-rate. However, I rarely re-read books, so you’ll get a list of books I assume I would re-rate now! 😅

#1 Hunger Games

I read the entire series over the course of a weekend and just couldn’t put the books down. Obviously, I enjoyed them a lot back then. But, at that time I was the perfect target demographic for these novels. Would I read them again today, I’m not sure I would like them all that much.

The Hunger Games on Goodreads

#2 Divergent

In contrast to The Hunger Games, I pretty much hated the Divergent series. Here’s why: it felt like the more stereotypic blueprint of YA dystopias. But the deal is, many other books I read and enjoyed are like that as well. I think that I only disliked this one so much, precisely becaue I had already read to many similiar novels and it seemed a bit like a cheap rip-off. Had this been the first one I picked up, I probably would have enjoyed it much more.

Divergent on Goodreads

From Up on Poppy Hill

Hello, guys!
Today I want to talk about one of Studio Ghibli’s lesser-known productions, From Up On Poppy Hill. Let’s see whether it can keep up with the amazing films we’ve discussed so far!

The Plot (according to Rotten Tomatoes):

The setting is Yokohama in 1963, and the filmmakers lovingly bring to life the bustling seaside town, with its misty harbor, sun-drenched gardens, shops and markets, and some of the most mouthwatering Japanese home-cooking set to film. The story centers on an innocent romance beginning to bud between Umi and Shun, two high school kids caught up in the changing times. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the 1964 Olympics – and the mood is one of both optimism and conflict as the young generation struggles to throw off the shackles of a troubled past. While the children work together to save a dilapidated Meiji era club house from demolition, their tentative relationship begins to blossom. But – in an unexpected twist that parallels what the country itself is facing – a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart. 

The Rating:

While I usually try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, something about this film really rubbed me the wrong way and I can’t tackle that without giving away a little plot-twist. So, if you click the read more button below the next paragraph, consider yourself warned.

Generally speaking, this is another beautifully made Studio Ghibli film. The animation, and especially the colors, are mesmerizing. By the way, this movie is also directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro. In comparison with his first movie, Tales from Earthsea, he definitely stepped up his game.

Quote of the Day #84

Edith: You haven’t any hope of understanding any of this. You do know that?

Sherlock Holmes: Educate me as to why.

Edith: Because you don’t know what it is to be without power. Politics doesn’t interest you. Why?

Sherlock Holmes: Because it’s fatally boring.

Edith: Because you have no interest in changing a world that suits you so well.

Enola Holmes

Thursday Movie Picks: Amateur Sleuths

Hey, guys!
Welcome to another entry for Thursday Movie Picks.
It’s a series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves, so if you want to join the party, head over to her blog! It’s pretty easy: check out each week’s topic and come up with 3 to 5 movies that fit the theme.
Let’s talk about some movies featuring amateur sleuths!

#1 The Ruby in the Smoke

I will forever be sad that the BBC only adapted the first two Sally Lockhart books. Billie Piper was wonderful as the titular heroine who ended up solving a bunch of cases!

#2 Enola Holmes

What better pick for this post than Enola Holmes? Sherlock’s little sister is portrayed outstandingly by Millie Bobby Brown and solves the case of the missing Marquess in this film.

Whisper of the Heart

Hello, my darling readers!
Welcome back for another Studio Ghibli movie review. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

The Plot (according to Rotten Tomatoes):

Written by animation master Hayao Miyazaki and directed by his protégé Yoshifumi Kondo, this film is a simple tale about a young girl who falls in love and learns to believe in herself. Suzuku Tsukishima is nearing the end of her final year of junior high. An avid bookworm, she devours books while quietly dreaming about becoming a writer. Though vivacious and outgoing with her best friend, she withdraws into herself when in the presence of her bossy older sister; her studious father, who is busy researching local history; and her mother, who is absorbed in the college courses she’s taking. 

The Rating:

Okay, so here’s the deal: this is a really cute movie but somehow it’s rather forgettable. To be honest, it was also quite a bit different from what I had expected. Maybe I should have watched the trailer before but I just took a look at the Netflix thumbnail and went for it.

Judging from that picture I thought the film but have more magical elements than it ended up having. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing that this film is closer to the real world, I was just a little surprised.