A Japanese movie comes with "The Secret World of Arrietty''
Reviewed by Jenny Alvarez
Photo courtesy
A great storytelling comes with a teeny-size 14-year-old girl who lives with her family beneath the floorboards of a big house and the human-size boy who befriends her, is adapted from British author Mary Norton’s wonderful children’s fantasy novels, The Borrowers. The lyrical animation, with its meditative attention to nature, bears the unique stamp of Japan’s Studio Ghibli, cofounded by the great Spirited Away animator Hayao Miyazaki.
The entire family will enjoy a beautiful scenery along the way, full of fascinating insects, mice or a cat as well as humans may briefly frighten young children. Arrietty has to face a world full of complications so when she met Shawn, both realize there is nothing to be afraid of into a world bigger than life—literally. Their friendship shows a different perspective with awesome and intricate images. Shawn and Arrietty’s bond is unbreakable, and they are willing to sacrifice for each other. The idealism of cross-cultural, even forbidden friendship collides head-on with certain realities of the miniature world that have been long maintained, presumably for logical reasons. This movie is highly recommended and will be on DVD/Blu- Ray.
