Princess Mononoke (1997)

[もののけ姫]

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Yoji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yuko Tanaka

Synopsis:
A young man suffering from a fatal curse travels westward in search of a cure and finds himself caught in the middle of a war between gods and men.

Impressions:
This wasn't my first Miyazaki film, but it perhaps had the greatest influence on me. Attempting to rank Miyazaki's movies is a rather fraught venture, but strictly in terms of how much I like this film, I would probably say it's my favorite. It's an intensely beautiful film with an incredible score by Joe Hisaishi, an even-handed story (almost unheard of in a Green Aesop) and a wonderful cast of characters. It would've been easy to take a black-and-white approach, but even the least moral among the major characters isn't without some redeeming qualities. The audience, like our protagonist Ashitaka, isn't inclined to unilaterally take one side over the other. About the only ones for whom there is little sympathy are the marauding samurai and the Emperor's sinister agents. If you like strong female characters, something Miyazaki consistently delivers, look no further than San and Eboshi. The crafty priest Jiko is rather entertaining as well. The supporting characters are also quite good. Shoot, all the characters are great and I could fill pages just extolling their merits. Perhaps the most action-packed Ghibli film, there are some amazing set pieces, especially San's attack on Tataraba. Let's not forget the gorgeous scenery from a studio that practically has a patent on scenery porn. This movie really is the total package. It's right up there with my all-time favorites and deserves a place of honor in your collection too. Get it, see it, love it.

Rating:
Treasure It