Five More Animated Films That Inspire Me Artistically
Since it was so difficult to pick five films for the last post, I decided to split this series into multiple parts.
Ponyo poster
Ponyo (2008) is a Hayao Miyazaki-directed film depicting a magical goldfish princess, Ponyo, who escapes her underwater home and befriends a 5-year-old boy named Sosuke, who rescues her from a bottle. Ponyo longs to become human, and her use of magic to transform causes a dangerous imbalance in the world, leading to massive floods and strange phenomena, forcing her and Sosuke to embark on an adventure to restore balance and stay together.
Ponyo scene
This was my introduction to Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. I remember falling in love with the catchy theme song, the energetic animation, and the colorful scenes. Even over a decade later, this film still charms me.
Mulan poster
Mulan (1998) is a Disney film depicting a young Chinese woman named Mulan who disguises herself as a man to take her sickly father's place in the Imperial Army to fight the invading Huns and uphold family honor. She perseveres in training and ultimately saves China through wit and courage.
Mulan scene
This was one of the few times from my childhood I can recall seeing Chinese people represented as human beings, rather than racist caricatures, in Western media. While the film takes a large leap from the original Chinese myth and cultural beliefs, I appreciate it for the nostalgia, music, and beautiful animation.
Princess Mononoke poster
Princess Mononoke (1997) is a Hayao Miyazaki film set in the 14th century, where the harmony among humans, animals, and gods begins to crumble. The protagonist, young Ashitaka - infected by an animal attack, seeks a cure from the deer-like god Shishigami. In his travels, he sees humans ravaging the earth, drawing the wrath of the wolf god Moro and his human companion, Princess Mononoke. His attempts to broker peace between her and the humans bring only conflict.
Princess Mononoke scene
There is a lot of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli on my lists for good reason. The art and animation are breathtaking. One interesting thing about this film is how it depicts and “resolves” its conflict. Environmentalism is something that Miyazaki is passionate about, and it shows in this film.
Arrietty poster
The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) is a Studio Ghibli film directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi. It follows a family of tiny people called "Borrowers" who live secretly beneath the floorboards of a human house. They "borrow" small items to survive. The film focuses on the friendship between the adventurous Borrower girl Arrietty and a lonely, sick human boy named Shawn, whose discovery threatens her family's existence.
Arrietty scene
This was the second Studio Ghibli film I ever watched. The level of detail, specifically in the scenes of the Borrowers' home, always enchanted me. I remember looking around my house for Borrowers after I watched the film.
Into the Spider-Verse Poster
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) is an adaptation of the Marvel comic, telling the story of a teenage boy bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway. Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that many others share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.
Miles Morales
The film uses 2D and 3D animation elements in a dynamic manner. Throughout the film, you can see halftones, Ben-Day Dots, bright colors, and other hand-drawn textures that create a sense of an electric living comic panel. Even though the film is artistically eclectic, the characters ground the movie, Miles Morales, specifically.
