The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family's residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their teenage daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
After helping a cat, a 17-year-old girl finds herself involuntarily engaged to a cat prince in a magical world where her only hope of freedom lies with a dapper cat statuette come to life.
Director:
Hiroyuki Morita
Stars:
Chizuru Ikewaki,
Yoshihiko Hakamada,
Aki Maeda
When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
A 12-year-old girl is sent to the country for health reasons, where she meets an unlikely friend in the form of Marnie, a young girl with long, flowing blonde hair. As the friendship ... See full summary »
Directors:
James Simone,
Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Stars:
Sara Takatsuki,
Kasumi Arimura,
Nanako Matsushima
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her, but ultimately she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime.
Director:
Isao Takahata
Stars:
Chloë Grace Moretz,
James Caan,
Mary Steenburgen
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident while hunting for food for their children, a young woman must find ways to raise the werewolf son and daughter that she had with him while keeping their trait hidden from society.
14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items that they borrow from the house's human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.Written by
ANN
Ningen ni mirare te wa ikenai. Sore ga yukashita no kodomo-tachi no okite datta. (Do not be seen by humans. That's been the law of children of the underfloor.)
There are two English dubs. There is a British English dub distributed by StudioCanal released in 2011 in the United Kingdom and the Disney dub in the United States released in 2012. One year after the Japanese release and the StudioCanal dub is mostly recommended. See more »
Goofs
In one scene Shon is walking and wearing what looks like sandals.As he continues walking he then appears to be barefoot and then suddenly is seen wearing slippers. See more »
Quotes
Shô:
You came back. Wait, don't go.
Arietty:
Please, leave us alone. I wanted to tell you that.
Shô:
I want to talk to you.
Arietty:
Human beings are dangerous. If we're seen, we have to leave. My parents said so.
See more »
Alternate Versions
The American English dubbed version (under the title "The Secret World of Arrietty") features some extra narrated dialogue at the end of the film that is not in the Japanese or British English version, presumably to end the film on a more optimistic note. See more »
Let me start off by saying that the film is not a masterpiece - the storyline, development, interactions and plot is rather dull, simplistic and boring - this is not a film to appease fans of complex dramas.
Why do I give this film an 8/10, then? The reason why, is because this is not a film intended to be thought-provoking or philosophical - this is a film about the existence of a world entirely parallel to ours, a view of our daily life from a different perspective. It's an adventure into the unknown, an insight into a culture so similar yet so mysteriously different. It is a typical Studio Ghibli piece in this regard, and that is a Good Thing.
The presentation of the film is brilliant and worked very well. The magnitude and immersion with which the Borrowers' forays into our daily lives is shown never ceased to impress me. The visuals, artwork, animation, sound and music played together perfectly.
Overall, the film is colorful, cheery and entertaining. If you watch it with high expectations you'll be disappointed, but you won't regret relaxing and enjoying it.
42 of 71 people found this review helpful.
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Let me start off by saying that the film is not a masterpiece - the storyline, development, interactions and plot is rather dull, simplistic and boring - this is not a film to appease fans of complex dramas.
Why do I give this film an 8/10, then? The reason why, is because this is not a film intended to be thought-provoking or philosophical - this is a film about the existence of a world entirely parallel to ours, a view of our daily life from a different perspective. It's an adventure into the unknown, an insight into a culture so similar yet so mysteriously different. It is a typical Studio Ghibli piece in this regard, and that is a Good Thing.
The presentation of the film is brilliant and worked very well. The magnitude and immersion with which the Borrowers' forays into our daily lives is shown never ceased to impress me. The visuals, artwork, animation, sound and music played together perfectly.
Overall, the film is colorful, cheery and entertaining. If you watch it with high expectations you'll be disappointed, but you won't regret relaxing and enjoying it.