Film Review – When Marnie Was There

There’s a rumor circulating that Studio Ghibli, the famed Japanese house of animation, is going out of business. When legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, a studio founder, announced his retirement in 2013, it put the brakes on creative movement, with their last and possibly final effort, “When Marnie Was There,” finally making its U.S. debut. In keeping with Studio Ghibli standards, “When Marnie Was There” is mysterious and achingly human, using gorgeous animation to create an enigmatic, possibly magical world of secret friendships and otherworldly entities, using the unknown to guide the viewer through a screenplay that touches on sensitive issues of abandonment and doubt. It’s a puzzle at times, but an especially sensitive one that’s crafted with care. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com