Howl's Moving Castle is a perfect epitome of Miyazaki's work, in all its strengths and weaknesses: it's filled with heart-felt themes...but how these elements connect on a plot level is subjugated to how beautifully they are rendered on screen.
Howl's Moving Castle (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted: 142
Fresh: 122
Rotten:20
Average Rating: 7.4/10
Consensus: Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for frightening images and brief mild language
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Jun 10, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $4,520,887
Synopsis: Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human... Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Brimming with a blend of imagination, humor, action, and romance, "Howl's Moving Castle" recently played to great acclaim at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, and has become one of the biggest blockbusters of all time in Japan – earning more than $193 million at the box office and still counting. A distinguished cast of actors, under the direction of Pixar's Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc."), lend their vocal talents to this English-language version of the film. Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer), an average teenage girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome-but-mysterious wizard named Howl (voiced by Christian Bale), and is subsequently turned into a 90-year old woman (voiced by screen legend and two-time Oscar® nominee Jean Simmons) by the vain and conniving Wicked Witch of the Waste (voiced by screen legend and Oscar® nominee Lauren Bacall). Embarking on an incredible odyssey to lift the curse, she finds refuge in Howl's magical moving castle where she becomes acquainted with Markl, Howl's apprentice, and a hot-headed fire demon named Calcifer (voiced by Billy Crystal). Sophie's love and support comes to have a major impact on Howl, who flies in the face of orders from the palace to become a pawn of war and instead risks his life to help bring peace to the kingdom. Extraordinary characters, inventive imagery, and stunning artistry make this latest masterpiece from the visionary Miyazaki an unforgettable filmgoing experience. -- © walt Disney Pictures [More]
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Josh Hutcherson
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki
Composer: Joe Hisaishi
Producer: Toshio Suzuki
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Release:
Mar 7, 2006
Reviews for Howl's Moving Castle
A stunning example of a pure, disorienting dream logic that cinema provides all too rarely.
Palaces and shimmering lakes, warplanes and fire sprites all come to life at the breath of Miyazaki's graphic genius.
The film gains a sense of visual wonder almost completely freed from the strains of a narrative-driven film.
few other films, or indeed filmmakers, would dare take a scene in which two elderly women struggle to climb a staircase and turn it into an extravagant and memorable set piece.
Another example of how this film maven easily holds the crown in the sadly ever-shrinking traditional animation genre.
A delightfully fanciful movie with engaging storytelling, visual wonders, and such worthwhile themes as contrasting wisdom and perspective with age.
A stunning example of a pure, disorienting dream logic that cinema provides all too rarely.
Miyazaki's stunning animation and characteristically vivid colors make the film a visual feast...
So good that it shames virtually every animated film made since Miyazaki's last, Spirited Away, graced movie screens in 2002.
Miyazaki has done better, and his epic style might get the best of him in this film a bit. Still, it is nonetheless a journey worth taking.
If it weren't for "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," "Howl's Moving Castle" would be your winner for this year's Academy Award for Best Animated Picture.
As a lover of Fantasy and Sci-Fi books and movies, this cartoon appealed me to with its detailed plot and unique world.
Miyazaki has an appeal that crosses generations. Adult audiences are drawn to the depth and variety of his vision, but so are kids, and for exactly the same reasons.
Miyazaki's latest epic (and that's just what it was... epic) lived up to every expectation.
There is giggling, belly-laughing, and gasping to be done watching Howl's Moving Castle.
A compelling story is the main ingredient missing from Howl's Moving Castle.
If you're in the market for a brilliant piece of family animation you'd be hard-pressed to find anything better this year.
Miyazaki's animated adaptation of Jones' book is a charming and thoroughly absorbing treat.
Latest News for Howl's Moving Castle
August 21, 2008:
Japanese Audiences Flocking to Miyazaki's Latest ![]()
He delighted audiences with Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle -- and now director Hayao Miyazaki is doing it all over again with his latest film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the... More...
March 20, 2007:
Will Miyazaki's Next Film Be His Last?
It's been speculated that legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki will retire after the release of his next film, "Ponyo on a Cliff," but now it looks like we'll have at... More...
October 19, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Flags" Flies High; "The Prestige" Is Magic; "Flicka" Is A Pretty Good Ride; "Marie Antoinette" Spared Critical Guillotine
This week at the movies, we've got a complex tale of heroism (Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," starring Ryan Phillippe), a story of dueling magicians... More...
October 03, 2006:
Miyazaki Prepares Next Animation Classic
Let's face it: When the director of "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," and a whole bunch of other brilliant pieces of animation announces that he's about... More...
Related Forums for Howl's Moving Castle
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
79% 79% |
Gran Torino |
30% 30% |
12 Rounds |
23% 23% |
Confessions of a Shopa… |
|
The Code |
39% 39% |
Inkheart |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
22% 22% |
Push |
12% 12% |
The Unborn |
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Howl's Moving Castle at Rotten Tomatoes
- Howl's Moving Castle at IGN
- Howl's Moving Castle at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.



Top Critic


