n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Set during the 1960s, this Studio Ghibli production focuses on a teenage girl who helps her peers save a clubhouse from demolition while falling in love with a shy classmate. The animation is beautiful as per Ghibli par and the film benefits from a great music score as well as some catchy songs; as a narrative though, the film is not much more interesting than it sounds. Conflict arises as she begins to wonder whether she could be related to her new crush, but the mystery of his parentage is never particularly enticing and the fixing up of the clubhouse feels a little too much like an 80s comedy subplot; it even comes with an 80s style montage sequence as the teens clean and sweep the place. The setting is certainly interesting though with lots of excitement and uncertainty in the air regarding the impending Tokyo Olympic Games and it is hard not to wonder whether the film may have worked better with this theme more in focus. Those who do not mind slow-paced, leisurely dramas will possibly find quite a bit to like here; those who appreciate the magical creatures, imaginative tales and zany humour that Ghibli is best known for though should probably approach with some caution.

One of the main characters says at one moment that he felt like he was "in a cheap drama", and he wasn't wrong. The movie has funny, exciting and overall enjoyable scenes, and there are interesting points in the plot, but they are all wasted to nothing. The story has nothing of Hayao Miyazaki's depth and humanity and is, therefore, hardly touching. Which is a shame coming from Ghibli, specially because it could have been otherwise with a little more effort. But except for the bleak and cheapish story, it is an OK flick to watch your time slipping quickly by, and not coming back.IMDb doesn't let me publish a review so short, so let me add one positive thing (though not much necessary): usually Ghibli's films are quite conservative when it comes to romantic relationships, this film tries to make the girl a little less submissive and embarrassed than the usual, which is a big plus for me, but it doesn't really chase it to the end, it just rather "suggests" it and that's it. The same goes to other positive points in the plot, none of them are developed, they are only hinted at (why? the film is short after all, there was time to improve it). The story is such a cheap trick that one wonders what happened to the idealism seen in the other animations from Ghibli.

Gorō Miyazaki's sophomore effort finds the new director in better control of his craft and is a much improved feature that is brought to life with fine elegance, patience & composure. And while there are a few things that could've been better executed, it is a delightfully sweet & engaging movie for the most part.Set in Yokohama, Japan during the 1960s, the story of From Up on Poppy Hill follows a high school girl who one day meets a member of the school clubhouse and learns that their building is going to be demolished, following which she suggests renovating the dilapidated place in order to persuade the school's chairman to reconsider.Directed by Gorō Miyazaki, the film does benefit from Hayao Miyazaki's input in the screenplay, as its story has a more rigid structure, a better sense of where it is headed, and the arcs of two leads is wonderfully progressed. The characters are believable, their inner struggles are aptly portrayed and the high school ambiance evokes a nostalgic feel too.Production design team does a stellar job in recreating the 1960s scene while its lush camera-work adds more colours to the frames in order to intensify its vibrant tone. Editing is skilfully carried out for the most part although a couple of scenes did feel unnecessary. The background score further uplifts the entire experience and the voice actors do a fabulous job in their given roles.On an overall scale, From Up on Poppy Hill is by every means a sincerely crafted tale but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Its theme of long-lasting effect of war on future lives as well as the importance of preserving the past while heading into the future is effectively addressed but where it leaves the most lasting impression is in the gentleness of its narration & rich details of its period setting.

FROM UP ON POPPY HILL is another film from the popular Studio Ghibli stable, this time directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of the famous Hayao. As usual for these films, the animation is absolutely wonderful, both colourful and a wonder to watch, but that's all you get here, because there's no story.Or rather, there is, but it's very slight and doesn't support a whole movie like the one that's delivered here. In essence, there are two plots; a background plot about student efforts to save their clubhouse from being closed down by the authorities, and a love story between a lonely girl and a sailor. The clubhouse story is the more charming of the two, but aside from a good montage or two, little happens. As for the romance, well, it goes nowhere.I like Studio Ghibli films as a result, but my favourite ones are either full of charm (like PONYO) or the ones that have a compelling narrative (GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES). Unfortunately, FROM UP ON POPPY HILL has neither, leaving it a nice to look at, but instantly forgettable slice of Japanese animation.