Customer Reviews
The Wizard of Oz meets Manga but still like nothing you have seen before 
2008-06-01
While this is Anime it contains Manga moments but is for children and adults alike will love it too. The animation is sublime and the visuals are like a dream come to life. You have never seen anything like this before. It is hard to describe the story because the fantasy really is thick and at least ninety percent of the film takes places in a dreamlike vision, yet it still manages to gel together and you know that you are witnessing something not quite like anything you have ever experienced before.
A young Sophie finds herself under an old age curse by the Witch of the Waste, leaves town and accidentally finds Howl's moving castle in the country where she befriends the magician Howl and the fire demon Calcifer along with other interesting creatures and people that lead her on a journey through magical worlds.
Essentially it's a love story and it is love that pulls all the pieces together. Even the wicked get loved. It works on so many levels and is all about life. Its like watching Titanic for the first time. Just get this at all costs and let yourself go with the majesty of Howl's moving castle.
Loved it.... 2008-05-30
I absolutely loved this movie. I'm not really into anime and don't even know why I decided to watch this....but I'm really glad I did. This is now one of my favorite movies. It's so magical and fantastical and romantic. I love Sophie's attitude. I love that she is such a positive person, even if she doesn't think she's beautiful on the outside. I love her reaction to being cursed into an old lady...she didn't panic, or get hysterical...i love how she decided to look at the positive, commenting on how her dress suites her better now. I love that! Its as if the curse was a reflection of how she felt on the inside so she accepted it because she always felt ugly anyway. And the prince, who is so vain, the opposite of her, sees her beauty. Awwww....how can you not love that?
How's Moving Castle - treat to the imagination 2008-04-25
This is a great movie for kids of all ages - it really is not for everyone, as great works often are. For those who appreciate artwork gifted with great imagination and a poetic, wild sense of emotion, this movie is an instant classic.
Simply awesome... 2008-03-28
My brother doesnt even like these type of movies and he really enjoyed them. I liked the storyline. Coming from someone who is relatively new to Miyazaki's work, the way he portrayed the love is nice. It wasn't unbelieveable. It was refreshing.
Christian Bale is the voice of Howl-the young, conceided magician who falls in love with Emily Mortimer as Sophie-the young turned old girl(by a spell). THey have up and downs just as anyone normal person.
My favorite part was where Howl has a tantrum because Sophie rearranged his maigc potions in the bathroom. He runs down the stairs saying "What's the use of living if I can't be beautiful?".
Anyways, I strongly recommend this for everyone.
An unsuspected love story 2008-03-18
I read most of the reviews here and I wanted to give a different light to this movie that I don't think is emphasized enough. I'm assuming that you read the synopsis so I won't bore you with the plot of this movie. Basically want I think is the central theme of this movie is the love story between Sophie and Howl. I love that Sophie and Howl were able to love without prejudice and without restrictions. They saw in each other the strength to help each other overcome the curse that they were both under. In Sophie, Howl was able to see the courage that he lacked in himself and to face his fear of caring for someone and sticking with them. In Howl, Sophie was able to see someone who loved her for her even if she was turned into an old lady.
I think this movie focused more on the characters and their development than the plot of the movie which I know Miyazaki is very popular for. The plot to me did not matter in this movie b/c IT WAS about the characters! I understand that a lot of people didn't understand the plot or they thought the plot wasn't going anywhere but I honestly think that's the point. I also thought that Miyazaki created a useless "war" b/c most wars are fought over useless things anyway and are started over useless things, like the king's son being lost. I mean do you really need to bomb a whole country side or village b/c your son is missing? He didn't make "war" a central theme in the movie or made the "war" plot go anywhere b/c I think the whole point was that war shouldn't be the answer to finding everything or solving anything and that's why the war plot didn't go anywhere. Personally I liked that he didn't focused on war and more on the characters and how they came to love each other, become a family, and trust each other. It's about love and redemption and the power to look past the appearance of a person and into their heart. I have all of Miyazaki's films and this is still my all time favorite Miyazaki and I wish he would make more movies like this. I hope this shine a different light for viewers next time they watch the movie and think about the characters and not the plot.
Careful, Miyazaki films are addicting! 2008-07-25
This is the one that started me out in Anime. I caught it on tv one day and the title interested me. I was mesmerized by the quality of such a good Anime. I did not even own any Anime. (I'm a 58 year old male). I had to find out who was responsible for this artistic film. I was introduced to Hayo Miyazki. He is reviered as one of the best at his craft. Many Animies are compared to his work. What a stroke of luck that I happened on to the (genius). I now own all but "Whisper of the Heart" and "The Yamadas". They are all good and well worth watching over and over.
Howl's Moving Castle is one of his better works. It is filled with fantasy, magic, interesting characters. Even the fire that powers a moving castle is a character with a voice. The castle is magic itself. Doors that enter into other worlds. Absolutely beautiful scenery. Plenty of very imaginitive flying machines that are a trademark of Miyazaki's. Colors that are exceptional. It's so creative that you wonder what will come next. What a mind this man has!
As you can see by the reviews of Miyazaki's films most people love his work. He is compared to Walt Disney. I like both Disney and Miyazaki and would have a hard time choosing who is best. I will say that Disney started it all and had no one to be influenced by.
I recommend any of Miyazki's films. They are all top notch and probably the best of the best. Enjoy!
P.S. Looking forward to the new one "Ponyo on the Cliff".
magic charm and friendship 2008-07-23
It a strong film of magic and how things are not what they seem it delivers a breath taken story that fill your heart and make you realize that if we just try we can all succeed and be filled with happiness and be friendship is at times all ones has it carry you thru a world were to survive you must learn the way of the magic so it can work with you in the end its a simple as love that make things all well and how it portrait will leave a tear in your eye and a smile on your face
Completely and utterly beautiful 2008-06-30
I prefer the voices of the Korean version better than the English, but other than that, the movie excels in the movie department. In each of Miyazaki's movies, a beautiful score is written, but Howl's Moving Castle's score is especially excellent. While listening to the music, watch the scenery: clouds, lush pastures, a day in a fantastical European city...The story also, though quite different from the book, is pure with a wonderful love. Miyazaki again produces a wonder, and give meaning to cinematographic animation.
For some reason, I usually call it Howl's Flying Castle 2008-06-28
The Score has pure magic in it; it's Joe Hisashi's best work
The Voice Acting of Christian Bale and Jean Simmons fully personifys the characters
The way the love story develops feels just like some classic Golden Age movie
coudn't be more annoying 
2008-06-14
i watched the first half of this movie trying to understand and enjoy it but it was so boring and meaningless that didn't allow me to watch it to the end.
The story line doesn't make sense, the characters are depicted awfully and weird, a boy with long beard, an old woman cleaning a house over and over again, a young man who looks like a girl but has a deep manly voice; all confuisiing and nonsense.
but to be totally fair there was one positive point in this move, the beautiful backgrouds which were painted just great and if you just look at them as still pictures, you would say "wow" this is amazing;
if i want to watch this again, i turn off the voice, put on a soft music, and fast forward the movie to get to those scenes with awesome back grounds and then fast forward it again.
