Quando c'era Marnie

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.

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!

Following Miyazaki's retirement, the pressure was heavy on Director Yonebayashi as the next successor of Ghibli Studio. But in the Japanese multimedia, it was stated by the Former Director Miyazaki and Producer Suzuki that the future successor was finally decided after watching Yonebayashi's first solo directed movie "When Marnie Was There (2014)". Was this really the case? My answer - Yes.

This movie is unique in a sense that the story revolves around two female protagonists "Anna" and "Marnie"; although it does remind us a hint of the nostalgic movie "My Neighbour Totoro" which starred "Satsuki" and "May", their relationship is far more complex. As the story progresses, their relationship becomes more clear and vivid to the audience, and the confusion of the intertwining reality and the dreamlike world starts to unfold. The two girls go on a journey as they discover each others past and dwells upon their current problems, and gradually develops an unbreakable bond that unites them stronger.

Although the trailer did cause some confusing misunderstandings between the two girls in Japan, and at the same time my expectations lowered; after watching the movie it was no doubt a splendid and flawless piece of art both literally and figuratively.

It is worth noting that Yonebayashi truly challenged the impossible, as even Miyazaki had once thought of making this novel into a movie but had backed down due to its continuous complex changes that occur in the world of the two girls. Furthermore, Yonebayashi has created his "own" depiction of the sky in this movie, and is no longer the "blue sky" and "white clouds" that Miyazaki has portrayed in his series of work. So we can expect to see his own unique world of Ghibli gradually bloom in the next upcoming years.

To summarize the experience, it was astonishing how we, the audience ourselves can go on a journey together with the protagonists to overcome their obstacles. Paying attention to the changes in Anna's facial expressions is extremely crucial if you want to enjoy this movie. The succinct yet complex portrayal of these two girls really make you think of the depths of friendship.To conclude, I would like to end with Suzuki's logo that he had written for the advertising poster. The message of the logo is so sincere that to me there is no better way of epitomizing the message that the author and the director was trying to convey to the audience - 「あなたのことが大好き」- "I love you"; an unconditional love.

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 ;)

The last film to be produced under the Studio Ghibli banner before the acclaimed animation studio decided to take a break from filmmaking following the retirement of Hayao Miyazaki, When Marnie Was There is an elegantly crafted & gorgeously animated tale that intertwines dreams with reality as well as past with present, only to end up getting entangled in its own web.

Based on the novel of the same name, When Marnie Was There follows Anna; a 12-year old girl who takes a trip to a countryside town for health reasons and discovers an abandoned mansion where she finds an unlikely friend in Marnie; a blond girl. As their new relationship blossoms over the next few days & both get to know each other better, it is unraveled that Anna is more closely related to Marnie than expected.

Nicely directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, When Marnie Was There is his sophomore effort following his debut feature, The Secret World of Arrietty, which remains my favourite Studio Ghibli film to be not directed by Miyazaki. And although his latest is no doubt an ambitious work, its pay-off won't be rewarding enough emotionally unless the viewers try to connect the dots all by themselves by doing a little digging of their own.

The technical aspects are expertly carried out for each frame of it is sumptuously animated & vividly photographed from start to finish. Editing tries to juggle various elements of story at once & doesn't always succeed. However, there isn't any issue with the pacing for its 103 minutes of runtime never becomes tedious at any given moment. Also, the background score brims with tracks that infuse a soothing feel into the narrative.

The Japanese voice cast is only as fitting as the studio's previous works. However, it's the beautiful relationship between Anna & Marnie that leaves the biggest mark. The film can be viewed as a coming-of-age drama that follows the journey of Anna from a lonely & anxious girl at the beginning of the film to a more confident person later in the story. Marnie herself exhibits an aura of mystery around her that not only allures Anna but us viewers as well.

On an overall scale, When Marnie Was There isn't as magical as Studio Ghibli's finest films but its take on friendship & isolation nonetheless manages to cast a spell of its own in bits n pieces which makes its story captivating for a while. A love story, a coming-of-age tale & a deep journey into one's own past, When Marnie Was There may or may not benefit from multiple viewings but for now, it has to settle for an underwhelming experience in my book. Still, it's worth a shot!