Film Review – The Wind Rises

“The Wind Rises” marks the final film for director Hayao Miyazaki, who recently announced his retirement. The legendary animator, creator of such pictures as “Ponyo,” “Spirited Away,” and “Princess Mononoke,” has enjoyed an illustrious career of critical acclaim and hefty box office returns, manufacturing beloved characters and expansive fantasy realms that have filled the hearts and minds of fans for nearly three decades. With “The Wind Rises,” Miyazaki focuses on a different flight of fancy, turning attention to historic matters from a controversial era in Japanese history. While dramatically short-sheeted, the movie retains visual beauty and respect for intelligence, striving to find a comfortable middle ground between the foreboding details of the past and a hope to find humanity in the midst of memories. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com