Ed's Review Dot Com

Studio Ghibli, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Dentsu,

Bridgit Mendler, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett, David Henrie, Moises Arias

The Clock family, Mom, Dad, and Arrietty are tiny people, only 4 inches tall, who live in the walls of a family’s house. These “Borrowers” make expeditions into the house to get only items that are essential, never taking things that will be easily missed, or that they don’t need. But there is a young boy who is very sick has come to live in the house to rest and recover before surgery. When he spots Arrietty, things get dangerous for the little people, as they know that being seen by a human can be very bad for borrowers. This guy though is intrigued with the though of the little poeple and wants to meet and become friends with Arrietty and her family. Meanwhile, the housekeeper Hara (Carol Burnett) is also obsessed with the idea that little people may be living in the house, and set her heart on exterminating them once and for all.

This is a Japanese film, directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, and brought to the big screen in America by the Disney folk at Buena Vista, this is a story based on the classic children’s book, “The Borrowers”. I remember not only reading this book myself, but reading it to my boys when there little, so the concept is rather interesting. But this is a real Japanese film, much like “Spirited Away” which Disney brought to the US some years ago. For fans of Japanese animation, this film is sure to please. We hit the theaters on Saturday afternoon with 4 grandchildren in tow. We took up a whole row across the front of the theater, and it was a fantastic experience. I enjoyed the film, and from the looks of the grandchildren, they enjoyed it as much as I did.

It’s colorful, and charming, and the soundtrack is really good. The characters are very well developed, and it’s an engaging story. For a cartoon feature, it’s got everything going for it. There is a separate cast for the US and the UK versions, and of course, an original Japanese cast.

Essentially, this is a really nice film for the whole family. I enjoyed it a lot, and recommend this to share with your kids. It seems to be a time when there are not a lot of kid films out there, and I’m sure this one will be enjoyed by the little ones. If you don’t get a chance to watch this in the theater, at least take a look at it once it comes out on DVD. It’s a well done little animated film.

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