Ponyo

[redbird]

cattitude and I are just back from seeing Ponyo, which is a lot of fun if you don't mind a movie in which almost nobody with a speaking part shows a lick of sense: they're the sort of people who will drive through a typhoon to reach an empty cliff-side house, and then set out again, leaving two five-year-olds alone there. The animation is good, and it has trilobites (which did not have a speaking role, or much part in the action) and many other cool sea creatures. (There is one really sappy song, which the six-year-olds may enjoy; I was just glad they saved it for the closing credits, and wouldn't have sat through it if I'd been alone.)

Comments

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

The ending doesn't make any sense, either. The test of courage doesn't require any obvious courage, and takes much less than he's shown earlier in the movie. After pollution is raised as a major issue, it's forgotten in the happy ending.

Still, gorgeous animation and much exuberance. I might see it again.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

My major problems with the dubbed-in-English were, in fact, the ending song (which was added by Disney and which was actively wince-worthy) and the way they didn't explain why she both a) had to get back to her house and b) left again. They mentioned it slightly in passing, but not enough.

The reason is that their house is a lighthouse. They have a signaling station-- that's not a hobbyist thing, that's an actual signaling station, even though they're shown using it to talk to the dad. They have generated power so they aren't dependent on the town; they don't have a beam, but the way the cliff is shown, there aren't any rocks on it that need warning off. They are, however, the major harbor marker to show where the headland is.

And so the mother's immediate reaction to the storm is "I have to go home and turn on the lights right now, or anyone trying to come into harbor in a boat will die." Which in the Japanese she pretty much says. That's why the dock guys let her by.

Then when she sees how bad the storm is (and it's clearly the worst they've ever had), she decides to go back to help evacuate-- which while frightening for everyone is not outright stupid, as Sosuke can in fact run the light (and does), and he and Ponyo are on the highest ground in the town; if that headland goes, there is nowhere safe.

The dub de-emphasized the lighthouse bit. *sigh*