amiranda-39274 This movie is probably the the second best Mayazaki film, the first is Nausicaa, the only reason why is probably because of the two leads voice actors, not that there's anything too wrong with them, their not annoying, its just i couldn't match the voices with the characters, in nausiccaa the voices are perfect. but other than that this movie is probably better than some Disney films, i actually thought it was Disney when i saw it as a little kid. The soundtrack is amazing, the art used for this film is something out of a dream, in fact the plot seems like something out of dream as well, that is what a cartoon movie is supposed to do. Despite not liking the 2 leads voices i like their characters, i like the pirates, and all the townspeople, but i love the villain played by Mark Hamill, who I'm not kidding actually uses his iconic joker laugh in this movie, every time he showed up on screen i felt the tension increase, probably one of the best cartoon villains ever. The movie can be slow a few times, but it not that big of a deal, but when the action starts, your heart starts pumping faster. i prefer this film and nausiccaa to all of mayazakis other work only because here he had bloodless carnage and didn't use too much gratuitous violence or creepy images yet, i know those are his trademarks but i find them sometimes unnecessary, and i think this movie can prove that

graslund This is my all time favorite movie, I watched it a lot as a child and went back to watch it a couple weeks ago. It holds up and will most likely forever remain as my favorite movie of all time. The animation is excellent and don't even get me started on the music. The music is astounding and perfectly sets the tone for each scene. Overall a definite 10/10

bscrivener-50810 Released in 1986 under the direction of the now legendary Hayao Miyazaki and known for being the first full length feature of again the now legendary Studio Ghibli. Too many the film is seen as nostalgic, enchanting and rank highly in the greatest animation films list. However, with this I disagree this isn't just the one of the greatest animation or greatest animation film ever made...It is the greatest FILM ever made. Castle In The Sky completely blew me away to the point of being stunned and left in complete silence by the final scene. Words simply cannot describe how beautiful this masterpiece of a film really is. The soundtrack is possibly the best featured in any film ever, with beautiful orchestral and piano centred compositions capturing the aw and beauty magnificently of the on-screen visuals. The film flows perfectly with each scene progressing the plot and developing the story. Our two protagonists are simply amazing, with the duo having some of the best chemistry ever put to screen and of course while the whole film is simply stunning, the final act is one of the most enchanting, beautiful and magical experiences in film history. I can safely say that this may be one of the only films without a single minor flaw, even nit- picking is near-impossible. The plot follows the story of a young girl who is saved by a mysterious power concealed in her necklace after falling from an airship. She is cared for by a young miner boy who instantly bonds with her and reveals to her his burning passion to find the ancient sky city of Laputa. All while a rowdy group of pirates and a relentless agent ruthlessly hunt the two with the intention of finding and raiding the city. Castle In The Sky also completely surprised me with it's huge, spectacular action scenes and fat-paced adventure theme especially towards the end of the first act. Miyazaki and the Ghibli team completely blew my mind in what they achieved with this anime classic. Castle In The Sky will have you in near tears on how beautifully animated and powerful it is, without a doubt Studio Ghibli's first and best and Miyazaki's magnum opus. Castle In The Sky 100% deserves a 10/10!

Jackson Booth-Millard This is one the many films from Japanese cartoon creators Studio Ghibli I had not seen, but remembered the title of and really wanted to see, I'm glad when I got the opportunity, directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo). Basically young girl Sheeta (Anna Paquin) has been abducted by secret government agent Muska (Mark Hamill), the airship she is on is attacked by Captain Dola (Cloris Leachman) and her air pirate sons, they are in search of Sheeta's crystal amulet, given to her by her father. Sheeta falls from the airship, but the amulet starts glowing and her descent is slowed by its power, she lands in a small mining town and is discovered by boy Pazu (Dawson's Creek's James Van Der Beek). Sheeta is surprised to be alive when she wakes, Pazu explains what he witnessed, he is building a small aeroplane with the intention to go in search of the the lost city of Laputa, a flying castle thought to be a legend or myth, but Pazu's took a photograph of. Dola's pirates show up and pursue them, as well as Muska's soldiers, eventually the two fall into a mine, there they encounter eccentric local Uncle Pom (Richard Dysart), he recognises Sheeta's amulet and informs them it is made of 'Aetherium', a material used to keep flying cities, like Laputa, aloft, after leaving the mines Sheeta tells Pazu that her full name is 'Lusheeta Toel Ul Laputa'. Sheeta and Pazu are captured by Muska and imprisoned in the fortress of Tedis, Muska shows Sheeta a dormant Laputan robot, he knows about her secret name and interprets it to be that of the Laputan royal line, Pazu's life is threatened unless Sheeta cooperates, and he is sent away and forget about her. Pazu returns home distraught, there Dola's sons ambush him, Dola is eventually persuaded to help Pazu, to stop Muska, intercept the airship Goliath and capture the crystal. Sheeta recites a magical verse and unexpectedly activates the amulet and the robot, which destroys the fortress, Pazu arrives to rescue Sheeta, but Muska obtains the amulet. The pirates, accompanied by Pazu and Sheeta, return to their airship the Tiger Moth, they pursue the Goliath, it is following directions by Sheeta's amulet to locate Laputa. The lost castle in the sky is found, it is devoid of human life, but overgrown by woodland, with a gigantic "eternal tree of life" in the centre, it is maintained by another robot. Dola's pirates are captured while Muska's soldiers explore the ancient city and crumbling, overgrown, yet beautiful ruin of a castle, it is the ultimate evolution of the crystal levitation technology, and also has the powers of holography, magnetic cohesion, pseudo-nuclear weaponry and a veritable army of the semi-sentient robots. While Pazu and the freed pirates escape, Muska captures Sheeta and takes her with him into the centre of Laputa, containing the immense Aetherium crystal keeping the city aloft, there he identifies himself as 'Romuska Palo Ul Laputa', a member of another royal line, and he uses Sheeta's amulet as the key to access the advanced Laputian technology. After Muska massacres his own soldiers and destroys the Goliath, Sheeta escapes with her amulet, she encounters Pazu and passes it to him, in a confrontation with Muska, Sheeta realises that the people of Laputa left because humans were meant to live on earth, not in the sky. Muska refuses her argument and threatens to kill her if she does not give him the amulet, Pazu enters and says he will give him the amulet if he is allowed to talk to Sheeta, Muska grants him one minute, Sheeta and Pazu recite a "Spell of Destruction", destroying much of the city, and Muska dies. Sheeta and Pazu survive the collapse, protected by the tree's gigantic roots, they reunite with Dola and her pirates, who have swiped the city's treasure, they part with Sheeta and Pazu who are heading to start a new life together, Laputa is left floating in the sky, with a robot guardian still tending the garden, and maintained by the Aetherium crystal. Also starring Jim Cummings as General, Mandy Patinkin as Louis and Andy Dick as Henri. It is a simple story of a quest to find a magical city that floats high in the sky, with are nods to the works of HG Wells and Jules Verne, and retro-futuristic stuff, the voices for the English dubbing are alright, more than anything you pay attention to the fantastically colourful and imaginative animation, an enjoyable animated fantasy adventure. Worth watching!