From Up on Poppy Hill

A masterpiece of Miyazaki-style animation with an engaging story that transcends culture and time
(Note: this is a review of the movie, not of the DVD. Based on other reviews, I would advise potential buyers to be cautious about the quality of the specific DVD being sold.)

From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-zaka Kara) is nothing less than the best Studio Ghibli film since 2004's Howl's Moving Castle, possibly even since 2001's Spirited Away. Directed by Goro Miyazaki from a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, From Up on Poppy Hill is based on a 1980 serialized Japanese graphic novel of the same name, illustrated by Chizuru Takahashi and written by Tetsuro Sayama. The animation is lush and lovingly detailed, and the story an engaging tale of two high school students dealing with first love and with the importance of the past, both on a cultural and institutional level, and, as it turns out, on an intimately personal level as well.

The story is set in 1963 in the port town of Yokahama in Japan in 1963 against the backdrop of the country getting ready to...
Wonderful film
This movie is very well done. Although it is not a Hayao Miyazaki movie, it is made by his son. You can feel how it is similar to Miyazaki's films. It just doesn't have the fantasy elements that most Miyazaki films have. Instead its more of a slice of life, laid back movie like Whisper of the Heart. Which I really enjoyed. So even though its not like watching something like Spirited away or Howl's moving castle, it is sweet and very well done. if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli's work, this is a great movie to watch. I highly suggest you check it out! It will surprise you in a good way!
Beautifully Drawn, Sweetly Nostalgic, Abundant Extras: An Appealing New Entry From Studio Ghibli
The arrival of any animated feature from the esteemed Studio Ghibli is of note to movie lovers everywhere! With a screenplay by the venerable Hayao Miyazaki, "From Up On Poppy Hill" is no exception. As you would expect, the movie is beautifully drawn and its sweeping images look terrific in this Blu-ray presentation. Originally released in 2011, I've been awaiting an official North American debut and the GKIDS label has done a fine job with this introduction. One of my biggest complaints in recent years is when companies dub a foreign masterpiece with an American cast and present that English language version as the definitive DVD/Blu-ray release. While I understand that may broaden the appeal of the movie to a wider audience, it saddens me not to have access to the original vision in subtitles. Thankfully, GKIDS has taken this into consideration. So here, we get the dubbed version with an impressive array of vocal talent including Gillian Anderson, Sarah Bolger, Beau Bridges, Jamie...
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