Souvenirs de Marnie

Have you experienced a feeling like this? The kind of feeling that your sorrow and loneliness nailed you down and you fell into the deep darkness alone, then you stood up, and finds sparks and sparks of lights appeared, leading you to the end of the nightmare, and when came out, you found the sunshine was warmer than ever? This is the movie "when Marnie was there".

I like this movie. It's a story about two lonely girls, about family and the world, magical but real. As a OCD viewer, my left brain kept investigating who that girl is, and my right was eager to know what will happen next. The good thing is, however, both my brains were astonished and satisfied again and again, unlike how other Ghibli movies roll. This new film, which is the first one after the retirement of the two great founders, shows the skills and talent of the next generation Ghibli artists. Future is saved, or maybe better?

And as many Ghibli movies, "when Marnie was there" is full of beautiful paintings and musics, voices recreating the characters vividly, and an unforgettable theme song in the end. The story, like I said, is fabulous. I don't like spoiling movies, and the secret in this case is the core and foundation of everything. I'll leave it to you to discover. Enjoy!

This Movie touches the human soul at many level. It depicts a child who has been abandoned, by her mother and then grandmother and later partly by her foster-mother, so she feels she can not depend on adults for security. It also shows the value of family and love and affection within the family. Unlike American movies where no one seems to have a family, where the only expression of love is trivial and sexual, here the emotions are deep and adult.

The movie elevates us to our higher beings, and that is why the experience is lasting, and enjoyable.

What I also liked about this movie is that the movie is pure and clean, and suitable for families again unlike American shows where there is always some agenda from some interest group. Here you are free to be yourself. below is in response to a perverted reviewer with mind in gutter who thought this move was misleading. Please do not associate yourself with this movie. This is obviously made for people with human soul, and not you.

When Marnie Was There is the latest and perhaps the last film from the legendary Japanese Studio Ghibli. The two giants of the studio, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata have both gone into retirement and the studio announced that they will not be making any more films for now. Takahata and Miyazaki are responsible for some of Ghibli's greatest films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies. When Marnie Was There is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and is about the introvert girl Anna who is sent to the countryside to live with relatives. She becomes obsessed with a deserted mansion and the girl who lives there who may or may not be real.

Ghibli's films usually contains imagination and the focus is almost always on children but despite that, the films are not only meant for them and also often include deep meanings and thoughts. Ghibli has always been incredibly skillful in drawing and creating magnificent images and When Marnie Was There is no exception. The beautiful Japanese landscapes makes you want to travel there immediately and see the country for yourself. The film is told like a detective story and Anna finds and puts the clues together one by one. She is our guide throughout the film and what she experiences, we experience too.

When Marnie Was There has a story I believe many can relate to. Not being able to find your own place in this world and to feel like an outcast. Anna searches like many children do, for their place in society and at the same time she's trying to understand her life and situation. The film is also about strong friendship and love and why we are drawn specifically to some people. It's always hard for me to try and summarize Ghibli's films and explain why people should watch them. When Marnie Was There is a tale that absolutely works well as an entry to the magical world that is Studio Ghibli.

I've nearly watched all animations by Studio Ghibli (and many others other than from this studio) and I can with certainty say that this one is the best animated one! It's like a live-action film with great actors :) Every single emotion is magnificently drawn! When you watch this animation, you shouldn't expect a thriller or scenes of action.. the story is widely dramatic and heartbreaking. It has lots of suspenseful moments that make you want to watch it till the end and the ending is really worth the wait! The anime is about family problems and a young & ill girl's way of dealing with it. One could say that it is her coming of age story which is not easy for her, so she finds a "friend", a mysterious foreigner who helps to find herself and make her see the world with different eyes ;) People who think animations are just for children or for younger generation are completely wrong! If you have prejudices, go and watch one and see it for yourself! I can recommend Spirited Away & Grave of the Fireflies. And I really can't believe that Studio Ghibli will take a break from filmmaking now... or will maybe never come back to it again. It's a mess! After seeing so much untalented people doing so many films and earning much money (especially those cheesy Hollywood animations), although for not deserving it, I'm aware of the fact that real artists should be praised! BTW: I don't easily give a film 10/10 ;)

I went into this movie not expecting it to quite live up to the Ghibli standard as most of the films not directed by Hayao or Isao, tend to be among their weaker ones. Yet in terms of story and subtle character writing I would easily rank this among the upper level of Ghibli's films.

The story starts off very simple yet it progresses into something very deep and as its mystery is gradually revealed it touches on concepts that are rarely captured in story telling of any medium. It is more than what it appears to be on the surface and it is far deeper than a typical plot about friendship and growing up. While those things are elements of the story, at its heart I would say that it is about the bonds that transcend generations. It is about how time can complicate relationships and simple decisions stretched out overtime can have unintended consequences. It's about discovering that the people we give so little thought to are sometimes far closer to us than we realize and are often experiencing similar hardships. It would have been easy for the story to end on an ambiguous note as so many stories like this do but thankfully the plot is fully explained and provides answers that make the story even more meaningful.

Along with its deep and unique story the characters are also subtly crafted and express emotions that are true to life. It deals with very complex feelings such as self loathing and social insecurity in a way the is very natural and rarely captured. Many of the characters are people who have trouble expressing themselves honestly and just as in real life, that behaviour is far more subtle than words can express. Anna is kind at heart but she can also be unintentionally cruel. She is polite and yet dismissive. Other characters who appear strong on the surface are in fact vulnerable but won't show it in private. The movie does a great job of showing characters from slightly different perspectives to show that they are more than simply the face they show the world. The film very believably portrays the idea that people very rarely express what they truly feel, in a way that others understand and that is often what leads to relationships breaking down.

As with most Ghibli films, the art direction here is also fantastic. The sets are beautiful and feel like real places. The tone and landscape are immersive and realistic. Its not only beautifully designed it is designed in a way that feels believable and serves a purpose.

While this isn't one of Ghibli's most awe inspiring movies, it is one of their most realistic and most profound. It takes a simple relate-able story and takes it someplace rarely explored. I would recommend this movie to anyone who has an appreciation for real subtle characters, unique coming of age stories and stories about complex relationships. I think it is a great movie for families as it is really deals with understanding the people close to us better. It has a great message for people of all ages and it is accessible enough that it can be appreciated on many different levels.