Ponyo and Miyazaki's Relationship to Disney

SAM'S VERDICT:  This is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.

Okay, first thing's first.  I went to see this movie at this new theater in Burnsville called The Cinemagic Atlantis Theater.  Yeah bitches.  Cinemagic.  And it's Atlantis.  What place could better house your movie viewing experience?  No other.  You walk in the front door and there's a ticket both in front of you with an elaborate cage between you and the cashiers, and the whole place is decorated to look like marble.  Then once you get your ticket, you step into the main lobby where there's all kinds of giant pillars, crazy elaborate fantasy murals of muscular men and scantily clad maidens, and giant statues of a guy with a trident and his babe.  After taking that in, you realize that the awesomely epic music you're hearing is not coming from the usual tvs showing a loop of previews, but rather hidden speakers.  This is some seriously epic music we're talking about, too.  Big building and booming pieces that sound like the soundtrack to a place that has earned the right to the name Atlantis.  Walking down the hall to the theater, the music kept playing.  It was great.  I bet the employees want to kill themselves, though.  Listening to one 4 minute loop over and over for 8 hour shifts can't be good for morale.

Then there were the seats!  These were the most comfortable movie theater seats I'd ever sat in.  Big, comfy things with leather headrests.  They leaned back so far it felt like mine was trying to eat me up.  Plus they were brand new, so they didn't squeak at all.  Movie theater heaven, let me tell you.

Anyway, what movie was I going to talk about?  Oh yes:  Ponyo.

I heard a lot of talk a couple weeks before Ponyo came out about how Miyazaki was selling out with this movie by associating it with Disney.  To that I say "BS".  Just because someone accepts corporate sponsorship for their artwork doesn't mean they're somehow getting worse.  People who make good art should be rewarded for their efforts, and if they're being offered lots of money, well, who doesn't want that as a reward?  If Disney had taken creative control away from Miyazaki that would be something else, but my sources tell me this was not the case.

A related topic is the huge number of famous American actors doing voices for Ponyo.  This is a more debatable point; some of the same people that thought Miyazaki was selling out with Disney thought he was also selling out by agreeing to let all sorts of famous American dudes into the cast.  Seriously, look at that cast:  Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Betty White... that's some serious name dropping going on.  This is something one could get mad about for more legitimate reasons.  After all, it's possible that an actor would get cast in this movie for their fame rather than their talent.  I liked the voice acting myself, so this wasn't a problem.  I always feel weird listening to famous actors do animated characters, though.  It's like... I know that voice, and I know the person that voice belongs to, and it's not the person who's body that voice is coming out of.  Liam Neeson and Betty White bothered me a lot in this movie for this reason, though they both did fine acting jobs.

On to more review-y things!  As I said in my verdict, this is probably the most adorable thing I've ever seen.  Cuter than lol-cats, cuter than baby pictures, cuter than pretty much everything.  I haven't seen any of Miyazaki's "for kids" work before, just Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.  I actually laughed out loud many times just at how hilariously cute the scene in front of me was.  That bit where Ponyo is running across the ocean following Sosuke is just so full of innocent glee, it makes me feel all young and pure again.  The movie has the marks of a kid movie all over it, you know, because it is one.  Stuff like there not actually being any villains just challenges, no unlikable characters, messages about acceptance and love, the works.  It's so happy and optimistic, like if we were all like this everyone would be happy all the time.

[IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE INNOCENCE OF THIS MOVIE ALIVE STOP READING NOW PLZKTHNX]

So yeah.  Adorable kids movie.  Too bad I'm an adult now, and thus the ending was ruined for me.  I kept thinking about what would happen if after Ponyo and Sosuke grow up he stops loving her?  What happens if he finds someone else?  Does she turn into sea foam?  Does she summon her mother and wreck havoc on the land?  Does she just cry her eyes out live a crappy life as a human?  Then I realized that I was a monster - all I can think about is the repercussions of the ending, I can't just accept it as a beautiful children's story.  I'm tainted by age.  Me, someone generally considered optimistic, I can't help but try and find faults in the perfection of this tale of love.  What's wrong with adults?

Life is hard.  I do my best to have fun, and hopefully that will do me well.

[OKAY YOU CAN READ AGAIN GUYS]


Ponyo is a wonderful kids movie, but it is a kids movie.  I know a bunch of people out there not into that sort of thing, and that's fine.  This isn't the movie for you.  But you Miyazaki fans and older folks that enjoy a good kids piece would do well to go see this.  It's blissfully innocent.