From Up on Poppy Hill (2012)

User Review

• 

  TheMovieDiorama

  7 / 10

  From Up On Poppy Hill is a slightly more gentle affair than the studio is acclaimed for. If it isn't a fantasy epic with imaginative visuals, then it's a humanistic war drama focusing on Japanese traditions. Surprisingly, this newer addition to Ghibli's canon is far more lesser than the heavy themes that are typically conveyed. Goro learnt from his previous directorial effort and, with the advice from daddy anime genius Hayao Miyazaki, has crafted a sweet romantic tale. A young girl and her friends assist with renovating the Latin Quarter clubhouse at her academy, although soon starts developing a romance with one of the boys there. Think of it as teen romance but substituting silly school comedy with stunningly gorgeous animation. I sound like a broken tape recorder, but my word the animation is absolutely picturesque. Studio Ghibli consistently pump out amazing anime feature films like a rabbit humping anything that moves. Efficient. Gloriously efficient. From the homely aesthetics of Poppy Hill to the vibrant blue waves of the nearby sea, every single frame was a work of art. Then Miyazaki beautifully blends the mesmerising musical score to create a symphony of colours that invades all the senses. To then embed the bustling port town ambience with the other imperative elements really does create a world. It's not just a painting, but a window to this idyllic environment that feels alive. The story, whilst competently told, does feel too minimal and that's mostly down to the underdeveloped characters. Umi and Shun clearly adore each other in a subtle way, however there is a lack of expression that detracts from the relationship between these two teenagers. There were about five emotional scenes where only one really impacted me, that's due to how one-dimensional the plot and characters are. It comes across as a soap opera, which is a shame. There are nice touches such as the daily flag raising and Umi's motherly routine that injects some personality, but on the whole it feels monotonous. A perfectly animated film is let down by a story that lacks power.

  Like?

  0 member like this review.