La Colline aux coquelicots

I marvel at how simple this movie is. It's a romance, but there's no villain, there's no kissing, there's no skin shown. Yet I was at the edge of my seat over whether the hero and the heroine would get together. The incidents have no fantasy, no action chase scenes, no amazing settings, just everyday life at a seaside town, a boarding house and a school. It reminds me of Ocean Waves, another Ghibli movie that I absolutely adore. In comparison, the average Hollywood romantic movie seems so loud and garish. The actors and actresses in typical Hollywood rom-coms are the cartoons, not these animated people I've grown to care about in the span of an hour and a half. What are comparable movies? In the Mood for Love, from Hong Kong, and Scorsese's The Age of Innocence. I'm in love again.

Having seen Tales from Earthsea, I wasn't expecting much from this film, although it had garnered some positive feedback. Goro Miyazaki had already shown us that he didn't share his father's magical touch, creative ingenuity and ability to tell timeless stories. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Though to be fair, the story was written by Hayao Miyazaki so at least part of the film's quality can be attributed to him and not his son.

Still, Goro Miyazaki DID direct this film and with it he proves that he actually has some promise as a film artist. This is a delightful little film about young love, willingness to endure through hardship and the importance of trying even when it seems pointless. It's a story told well, with beautiful animation, identifiable and likable characters and many scenes that have stuck with me since then. The story of two young people in love and all the obstacles in their way is one that has been told countless times, but the version of this film is one of better ones I've seen. It's not flamboyant, neither is it too sweet or too clinical, rather it feels real. Sure it's a bit extraordinary, like a good story should be, but it still feels like I could learn something from it.

So yes, the story and the characters are the best part of this film, for which we have to thank pappa Miyazaki, but I liked the contributions of the son as well. The atmosphere, the mood of the film, the feeling of mid-century Japan, the way all the characters interacted with each other. As stated before, it all felt just extraordinary enough to catch our interest, but not too much so that it became unbelievable.

Though, in retrospect, I cannot say that I felt like I had seen something groundbreaking when I walked out of the theater. It is a fine movie by all accounts and Studio Ghibli can be proud to call it one of theirs, but it lacked that certain spark that all great films have. In that one singular aspect this film just wasn't all that extraordinary. It doesn't mean that you should see it, though, far from it. It's a film with heart, feeling and passion. It has cheer, humour and melodrama to spare and it will make you feel good, like a family film should.

Umi Matsuzaki is a teen girl living with her grandmother in the Port of Yokohama. Her father is a sailor and her mother is studying in America. She does chores for the boarders at the house. The 1964 Olympics has just been awarded to Tokyo. She is taken with male student Shun Kazama who along with others are trying to save an old building for the school's clubs.

This Studio Ghibli movie is a historical drama in the real world. It's an interesting transitional time in Japan. The characters are endearing. As for the big reveal, the teenage melodrama is handled with the safest of kiddie gloves. It's cute but it's not pushing that hard. The source material is probably coming from someone's childhood. There is a sense of a time and place. The story is not aggressive but very charming.

From up on Poppy Hill is a deserving addition to the Ghibli library. It's sweet, small and relatable. The manga-based script is written by Hayao Miyazaki himself, while his son Goro is directing this time.

Poppy Hill is slightly different from the more known Ghibli films in the fact that it takes place completely in the real world and there's not even the slightest hint of anything supernatural. It makes it a different kind of film, so I would recommend placing your expectations outside the Totoro/Ponyo/Spirited Away territory.

Once you settle into the setting, the movie offers a good time: the characters are colourful (especially the philosophy guy, he was hilarious!) and relatable and the simplicity and down to earth feel of the story prevents the film from getting out of hand. The romance doesn't feel forced in any way and there are many heartwarming moments. By the end I was just smiling and left the theater with a warm feel inside.

The movie has some issues that keep it outside of greatness status. The animation isn't bad, but certainly not the level we've come to expect (this might be partly because the film was in production when the 2011 tsunami hit, so it's understandable). The story takes a while to get going, and also I found the music almost interrupting at times. I wonder how the sound mixing went because at times the music felt almost too loud.

But in the end Poppy Hill is a very enjoyable film. It takes a while to get going, but it gives it the advantage of getting better and better as it progresses.

Recommendation: For Ghibli fans and newcomers alike From up on Poppy Hill offers a heartwarming feel-good film that will bring a smile to your face. Definitely worth seeing

From the moment "Up on Poppy Hill" opens, scans its world in photographic panorama, and takes you into an ordinary Japanese kitchen where early-teen Umi is preparing a meal, you sense that this will not be like any Miyazaki film that you have ever seen. Still present is the flawless Studio Ghibli animation, but all traces of fantasy are gone. Instead the film grabs your heartstrings and won't let go. It's a simple enough story, neither harrowing nor heartbreaking, but its telling is so rich and enveloping that you're quickly as close to it as if you were on the back of a careening bicycle with Umi. // Young children will be entertained by the wonderful animation and may have questions to ask about the differences between how Umi lives her daily life in 1963 Japan and how they themselves live. Anyone older than about nine will grasp the full depth of the story and will enter it through its richness and detail. If you are empathetic at all your eyes will be wet from recognition, and, often enough, from joy. See this film and hope for more like it from the new Miyazaki generation. (Note: This review is for the English-dubbed, non-subtitled version that opened in Los Angeles in late March, 2013.)