![The Secret World of Arrietty (Hiromasa Yonebayashi, 2010; U.S. Version [Gary Rydstrom, 2012])
Ghibli’s 17th feature film, their Miyazaki-penned adaptation of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers (1952) is a quiet masterpiece and a reminder that child-friendly entertainment can be as successfully based in feelings and contemplation than in bombastic conflict. Unfortunately only available in its U.S. dubbed version (which was handled by Gary Rydstrom of Pixar and only becomes problematic when Disney slaps Bridgit Mendler’s “Summertime” at the end of the credits), the film is nonetheless a beautiful and moving experience, carried by lush painted backdrops and a coming-of-age narrative of adaptation and loss that quickly had me in tears as it happened to mirror something I’m struggling with at the moment - and which I’m sure countless people have struggled with in the past. Extemely emotional viewing, Arrietty is also a film of pure artistry, one that, like many Ghibli films, that had me in awe of nature and purity of emotions. A perfect remedy to the grisliness of winter, as well as the miasma that’s been looming over me for the past few weeks, I’m more than happy I took a moment to see this in theaters.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzx1taLuHJ1r159loo1_1280.jpg)
The Secret World of Arrietty (Hiromasa Yonebayashi, 2010; U.S. Version [Gary Rydstrom, 2012])
Ghibli’s 17th feature film, their Miyazaki-penned adaptation of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers (1952) is a quiet masterpiece and a reminder that child-friendly entertainment can be as successfully based in feelings and contemplation than in bombastic conflict. Unfortunately only available in its U.S. dubbed version (which was handled by Gary Rydstrom of Pixar and only becomes problematic when Disney slaps Bridgit Mendler’s “Summertime” at the end of the credits), the film is nonetheless a beautiful and moving experience, carried by lush painted backdrops and a coming-of-age narrative of adaptation and loss that quickly had me in tears as it happened to mirror something I’m struggling with at the moment - and which I’m sure countless people have struggled with in the past. Extemely emotional viewing, Arrietty is also a film of pure artistry, one that, like many Ghibli films, that had me in awe of nature and purity of emotions. A perfect remedy to the grisliness of winter, as well as the miasma that’s been looming over me for the past few weeks, I’m more than happy I took a moment to see this in theaters.
