I didn't let myself get distracted this time, and watched the whole thing through, then I immediately started watching it again from the beginning. Looking back I can't see what held my attention so tightly, but while I was in it I didn't want to leave. For the second pass, I switched it to English dub and no subtitle, and it was a different experience, but still good. I've heard that a few dubs are actually good, and they probably don't get much better than this, where you have money and artistic integrity backing the project.
I liked almost everything, so there's hardly anything to say. This is almost as good as Spirited Away in feeling, if not in execution. That it is more primitive technologically is usually not even noticeable. Sometimes the sound is a little off, or a particular animation is a little questionable, and sometimes there were some digital artifacts, any of which knock you out of the story briefly, but nothing too jarring. If Studio Ghibli products are among the best, I can only imagine that poorly produced anime must be unbearable.
I don't like stories where people have powers, and all the writers can come up with for plot is for those people to lose their powers. Maybe a few decades ago this notion was a little more fresh, but its still too weak for what's mostly a good story. Have more confidence, and your powers wil l return; good message, but not much for story, and this movie deserves better. I really want to know if she can talk to her cat again, but from the ending it should be assumed. For such a feel good movie, I would have appreciated a short scene of them talking again.
After watching several of these movies, there are some recurring themes that are becoming like a checklist. Since I'm just watching Miyazaki for now, it remains to be seen what's particular to him, to his studio, to the context of creation, or to the culture. I can only really sort that out after watching a lot more.
It really doesn't need saying, but here goes the checklist anyway: coming of age story, female protagonist, scrubbing wood floors with water, feminism, extreme attention to detail in some parts (especially of garbage in the corner you're not even supposed to notice), flight, curiosity and fear of technology, soot monsters, peace, mixing magic and technology, an old crone, love of nature (and its flora and fauna), and quiet reflective moments that run deeper than years spent in a zen monastery.
