Mary and the Witch's Flower

The film tells the story of a young girl named Mary. Mary was sent to her great aunts house in the country. She finds a black cat and also finds a broomstick. The black cat leads her to find a mysterious flower that can give her the power to become a witch, which lasts for one night only. While riding the broomstick around. She found a school for witches. It was here she found out that teachers were doing animal experiments and aren’t as nice as them appear.

Mary and the Witch's Flower is the seventh highest grossing Japanese film of 2017 by gross (US$28.7 million). After watching the film, it’s easy to see why. This is Studio Ponoc's first feature film. Miyazaki’s production section was closed and about 150 creators were laid off. Yoshiaki Nishimura didn’t want 2d animation and the spirit of what Miyazaki had created to disappear. So he started a new company, Studio Ponoc. One of the biggest influences they had was a saying from Miyazaki. Miyazaki believed that one film could change the world, and they felt it was important for them to carry on that belief. When Nishimura pitched this movie to Yonebayashi. Yonebayashi, the director was afraid it would be compared to Ki Ki’s delivery service. After watching the movie is has some similarities, but holds its own as a great film. Studio Ghibli fans all can say that this movie carries on the amazingly high expectation of what a 2d film should be.

The art that makes up this movie is amazing. From the beautiful watercolor backgrounds. To the scene by scene action when Mary’s on her broom. With the wind changes as she flys threw the sky. Some scenes took up seconds in the film, but took months to make. The broom scenes were one. The blue sky backgrounds are bold and vibrant. Along with the forest scenes that are beautiful and green. Some of the best scenes in the movie were also the ones that had animals in it. There is also amazing architecture done on the buildings. Even though this movie took longer to make, the outcome was well worth it since the outcome a wonderful peace of film.

I really loved this movie. The first anime I ever watched as a kid was Ki Ki’s Delivery Service. To me there are some similarities to that classic Miyazaki movie. But I think that this movie defiantly isn’t a copy or reboot of that. Studio Ponoc made a amazing first film that carries a beautiful tone and very well done 2D animation. To me the best thing about this movie was the background, the characters and the buildings. All the background were amazing, so good that they all looked like life. The clouds and sky with the sunsets have fantastic color. The gardens were green and full of beautiful flowers. The characters are full of color and all had on different unique outfits. The building were very well done. Detailed in the stone and different types of structures in different environments. If this is the first film of Studio Ponoc, I think many great films are to come.

Mary and The Witch’s Flower
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Produced by Yoshiaki Nishimura
Screenplay by Riko Sakaguchi and Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Based on The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart
Music by Takatsugu Muramatsu
Cinematography by Toru Fukushi
Produced company Studio Ponoc
Duration: 1 hr. 42 min.
Rating: G
Release date: January 19 2018 (USA), February 21 2018 (France)

Seen October 22 2017, TCL Chinese 6 Theatre Multiplex, Los Angeles

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