I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Sorry, this movie sucks

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

This movie may not be Studio Ghibli, but it manages a pretty convincing impersonation. And honestly? That was sufficient. The story cooked right away, the twists and turns were fun, and the film felt a little bizarre in the best of ways. When your kid finds this little gem on Netflix, it is that rare moment when you get a treat, as well.

SPOILER: I've seen the term "Ghibli-lite" thrown around quite a bit in the past, but this is the first time it has truly felt appropriate. Studio Ponoc is the new Japanese animation studio that has risen from the ashes of the mighty Studio Ghibli with the goal of creating animated features of the same spirit and quality. It's staffed by many of the same extraordinarily talented animators, and this film - their debut - was helmed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the director of two recent canon Ghibli films: the solid The Secret World of Arrietty, and the excellent When Marnie Was There. You couldn't hope for a better pedigree, but Mary and the Witch's Flower falls unequivocally short of the mark.It certainly looks the part. It frequently sounds the part. But it just doesn't feel the part. For all its visual grandeur, the film ultimately has a vacuous, shallow quality. It references many phenomenal, classic Ghibli films like Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away, but fails to reach the same level of heart, nuance, and depth. The bathhouse setting in Spirited Away, for instance, absolutely bustles with activity and is populated by characters who feel unique and well-realized no matter how minor their role. By comparison, Endor College feels hollow and lifeless, a backdrop rather than a living, breathing place. This film took about half the time to make as the typical Ghibli film and, sadly, it shows. The characters are thin and the plot feels familiar and routine in an unflattering way,Still, there are some magical moments to be had here and visually the film does consistently impress. The more contemplative scenes which make up much of the first act of the film contain its best sequences. Yonebayashi has shown himself to be a filmmaker that thrives in the languid, slice-of-life style approach and this film doesn't play to his strengths. It was likely a calculated decision to make a more fun, action/adventure-oriented feature a la Castle in the Sky to debut the studio but it just comes off feeling... calculated. It's a decent film, but given the talent involved, decent is quite a letdown. I haven't given up on Ponoc though. Someone needs to carry the Ghibli torch and they are still poised to be the ones to do it. Fingers crossed that it's only up from here.3/5

Mary and The Witch's Flower is the debut anime film from Studio Ponoc and directed by former Studio Ghibli animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty, When Marnie Was There). Based on the novel "The Little Broomstick" by Mary Stewart, it is a nice first offering from the relatively new animation studio and features some truly beautiful animation.On her Great Aunt's estate, young Mary Smith (voiced by Ruby Barnhill) lives a bored existence as she tries to pass the time before her parents join her. One day, while venturing out in the nearby woods, Mary stumbles upon a mysterious blue flower, believed to have been used by witches for their magical powers.Naturally, the film has taken some strong influences from its Ghibli roots, particularly that of Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service, but also from the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with its overall magical tone and setting. The story does unfortunately play it safe one too many times, especially during the final act, and this does affect the overall enjoyment at times, whether this is how things are in the original novel I am unsure. Needless to say though, the animation is simply gorgeous and is up there with some of Studio Ghibli's best films. The attention-to-detail on every frame is exquisite and the use of colour makes the film great to look at. The performances of the English dub cast is solid, particularly that of newcomer Ruby Barnhill (Disney's The BFG) as the title character. However, as likeable a protagonist Mary is, her character seemed somewhat generic from a storytelling perspective and most of the supporting cast felt underdeveloped and one-dimensional. I have yet to see the original Japanese dub but I plan to do so in the not-too-distant future.I rate it 7.5/10

Based on the 1971 children's novel The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart, this anime fantasy adventure is a satisfying debut from Studio Ponoc that manages to carry on the glorious legacy of Studio Ghibli.Founded back in 2015 by producer Yoshiaki Nishimura in the aftermath of Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya) and Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle) announcing retirement and Ghibli moving away from feature film animation; MATWF crew members consists of the director behind The Secret World of Arriety and the wonderful When Marnie Was There Hiromasa Yonebayashi along with several ex-Studio Ghibli animators.So if you saw the trailer and wondered to yourself "This looks really Ghibli-ish?", that is because MATWF is essentially another Studio Ghibli release in all but name.Everything that was great about Ghibli is still present from the colorful crisp animation, to the gorgeous spacious shots of countryside landscape, the magical castle serenely floating in the sky, it's well-developed and relatable young female protagonist and technology vs. environmentalism themes, although this time magic is used as a metaphorical substitute for technology.One criticism that could be leveled at this film is that it almost echoes Ghibli too much. Longtime fans will easily be able to spot elements from Kiki's Delivery Service (focus on magic and witchcrafts, Mary's black cat), Castle in the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle (Madame Mumblechook office) and Spirited Away along with other films such as Harry Potter (magic school setting) and even Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.Although given this is Ponoc's first movie and thus their initial flagship title (their logo consists of an image of the title character), I can understand why the filmmakers felt compelled to play things close to the chest this time. Hopefully for the their next set of feature films we will start to see more experimentation in the vein of Only Yesterday, My Neighbor the Yamata's, Whisper of the Heart, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.In the meantime, MATWF is a fantasy action adventure of the highest order that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages.From the opening sequence alone portraying a young witch making a high-flying escape from an exploding castle in the sky while dodging shape-shifting henchman, the movie does a really good job of hooking the audience in with awe-inspiring spectacle and unique visuals. Admittedly the film does slow down a bit during the first twenty minutes when it's introducing Mary and her ordinary country-side living; but once she discovers her flying broom and is transported to Cloud City Hogwarts, it's a delightful adventure that features unique interpretations of old Ghibli themes.The pacing is gentle but brisk and there is a great sense of danger amidst the wonderment, which is further enhanced by some splendid comedy gags such as the mishaps pertaining to Mary's magic powers and a certain running joke involving a monkey.Takatsugu Muramatsu returns from Yonebayashi's previous film When Marnie was There to provide another fantastic melodic score. It complements the graceful visuals like bread on butter and has a great neoclassical European vibe with it's use of string instruments and flutes that perfectly goes along with the film's more adventure movie tone.It's certainly far from the level of Ghibli's masterpieces (Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away), I personally did wish for more world building and Peter, Mary's male companion, sadly goes under-developed with the "sick mother" plot point never having a payoff.However, as a longtime admire of the work done by Ghibli and it's crew, seeing this movie for it's one-night only showing at my local Marcus Cinema was a great experience, especially when seeing it in a theater packed with moviegoers both young and old.I look forward to what Studio Ponoc will release next!