View Larger Image |
Kiki's Delivery Service Actor: Minami Takayama Director: Hayao Miyazaki Number of Items: 2 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Animated, Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Running Time: 105 minutes Studio: Walt Disney Home Video Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2003-04-15 Buy from Amazon |
 ""Kiki" May Not Quite Deliver Depending On How You View Miyazaki"Depending on how you view the work of Hayao Miyazaki your reaction to this film could be quite mixed. Some may feel it is another example of Miyazaki's genius. A film that is accessible to children as well as adults. Others may view it as a charming, sweet disappointment. I belong to the latter. Many people feel Miyazaki (and I am one of them) is one of the greatest animators of all time. What I personally enjoy about his films is the fact his work is more complex then say a Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny cartoon. Mickey and Bugs always remain cartoon characters. We can not relate to them because they do not inhabit our world. Those cartoons are specifically designed for children. Miyazaki on the other hand creates more than just cartoon characters. He simply creates characters. They are complex people. They are motivated by the same emotions as we are and face dilemmas we can understand. Children may enjoy these films but it would be for completely different reasons than adults, who will be able to fully understand what his work is about. If anyone other than Miyazaki had made this film I would be recommending it. But my failure to do so is not done out of spite, instead it is done out of affection, as odd as that may sound. Because I think Miyazaki has made films that have been far more complex "Kiki's Delivery Service" comes off as "too simple". It doesn't dwell as deeply as some of his other films in offering a social or even slightly political message. "Kiki's Delivery Service" though is made in the tradition of previous Disney classics. And from what I have seen by Miyazaki it is his most accessible to children. The story is about a young witch, Kiki (voiced in the American version by Kirsten Dunst) who having turned 13 must now leave home and spend a year on her own so she can develop her special powers. She travels to a new town with her cat (Phil Hartman) where she is greeted somewhat coldly. The fact that she literally flies into town does not impress anyone but instead frightens them. Kiki meets a boy, Tombo (Matthew Lawrence) who is fascinated by her, especially the fact that she can fly on a broom since he is interested in aviation. Because of her powers Kiki opens a delivery service working in a bakery. The movie's message is you should always believe in yourself because when you doubt yourself you can lose your ability to help people. When you believe in yourself you can accomplish anything. "Kiki's Delivery Service" has all the traits that make a Miyazaki film memorable as well. There is the precocious female character, aviation, and of course magic. I think I've given you a fair description of the plot and have expressed why I don't think the movie is better than Miyzaki's other works. So it is now up to you to decide if you want to see it. If you have children they will like this movie, and I'll bet you will to. If you've never heard of Miyazaki you may also enjoy the film because if for any other reason, you won't be able to compare it to anything else he has made. Even I have to admit I liked the film. ** 1/2 out of ***** p.s. I would also like to take the time out and tell you if you haven't seen his lastest film "Howl's Moving Castle" please do so. It is not only Miyazaki's best film, but it is also the greatest animated film I have ever seen. Bottom-line: Enjoyable if slight Hayao Miyazaki film that doesn't quite seem as complex as his other films. From what I have seen from Miyazaki though it is probably his most accessible to children. It is made in the great tradition of Disney cartoons.  "Just because it's light-hearted doesn't mean it isn't "meaningful"."I think a lot of Miyazaki fans expect all of his movies to be dark and mysterious, full of unique cultural mysticism like Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa -- and I think that's being confused with complexity. Kiki's Delivery Service, though not packed with the "typical" Miyazaki mystical gurus and biomorphic spirits, is complex in its own ways. I enjoyed Kiki's because of its straight-forwardness -- the complexities of growing up and finding your place in the world are subtly established in a more realistic realm, and the beauty and art in magic and emotion is within our grasp. If you think films that do not delve "deep" into the clichéd abyss of tragedy and loss are "boring", then this is not for you. But if you can appreciate a light-hearted and nostalgic look at another realm and the similar beauty and innocent nuances we all face, then you should give Kiki's a chance. "Kiki's Delivery Service delivers below expectations."I first became aware of this movie in the late ninties. I never had a chance to see it, but always intended too. With the new Disney release, and a new daughter in the family, I decided to give it a try. I have to say however, I found it wanting. I'll give a little background on the story w/o spoiling too much. The film centers around Kiki, a young teenaged witch in training, who must leave her family to develope her skills further. She sets off on her broom with her talking cat Jiji and settles down in a big city. While in the city Kiki realizes she dosn't have any skills other than flying her broom. By chance she stumbles into the business of delivery, where her one skill comes in handy. During the couse of the film, she makes deliveries and a couple of new friends, but becomes discouraged because she is not well off like some of the other girls in town. She also has a boy chasing after her whom she ignores at first due to her feeling self conscienceness. She also begins to loose her witche's abilities of flying on brooms and being able to understand her cat. She diverts her attention to regaining her skills with little succes, until her new boyfriend needs help. Rescuing him brings her skills back to her, and she becomes comfortable with herself again. Well Kiki's Delivery Service was a good idea in theory, but in execution it had some problems. For one, Kiki is a witch. But in this film it's treated more like an aside. As if that were an everyday occurance. Her reasoning for leaving home, and blindly adventuring into a new big city is never really explained to a suitable end. It's as if she has to leave with no plan or idea of what she is supposed to be doing. The characters and situations help the story somewhat, but never to an engrossing level. I never really felt a genuine concern for Kiki or her situation. And just when the movie seems like it should pick up into something dramatic, (like Kiki loosing her powers) it falls flat. It also seemed to me like Miyazaki had an idea to make a film about a witch delivering things and tried to build a film around it, but never brings it to a strong conclusion. He'd have been better off exploring the aspect of Kiki being a witch and how that played a storng role in her life instead. The tech aspects on the disc include the original Japanese, an English, and a Spanish language track. It's in wide screen and has some behind the scenes interviews with Kirsten Dunst (Kiki) and Phil Hartmam. Overall I gave the film two stars because Miyazaki did a good job with the animation for an older film. (1989) I'm also glad that Disney is putting out quality versions of his films with widescreen and a few features. I'd say this film is one of Miyasaki's weaker prodcutions though. It dosn't stand anywhere near as close to Spirited Away. And fails to have any of the cultural neccesities that Princess Monoke has. Both far superior Miyazaki films . My advice is rent it if you have an intrest in it. Only buy it if you have both seen and liked it. Don't get it just because it's a Miyzaki film and a Disney release. Neither of those elements made it a film worth keeping in my opinion.  "Nice, but pointless"While I understand all of Hayao Miyazaki's work cannot be heavy, 2 hour-plus epics, this is the lamest of all his films. Don't get me wrong, I like it. But there isn't really a lot of story or character to make a feature length film out of. I watched the English dub with Kirsten Dunst doing the voice of Kiki and the late, great Phil Hartman doing her talking cat Jiji. Much like Sabrina The Late-Thirties Teenage Witch, Jiki is black, cynical and funny. He provides most of the film's laughs and is impossibly cute. As I have said, the film is very light. So light it could float in the air without the need for a broomstick. Nothing is really made a big deal of and no real story develops. What gives the film class is Miyazaki's attention to detail and gorgeous production design. Kiki exists in a perfect, transethnical European town with wonderful architecture and scenery. The flying scenes look brilliant and the colors are always bright and cheerful. Still, no-matter how pretty and easy-going, it doesn't have that long-lasting appeal of Nausicaa or Castle of Cagliostro.  "A honest review from a normal person"I am tired of anime nuts rating everything 5 stars. After seeing Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and Princes Monoke, I was a Miyazaki fan. I immediatly bought Kiki's delivery service in hopes of another masterpeice. I was severly disappointed with it . . . enough to be motivated to write this review. Don't waste your time or money on this pointless dull animation. You might enjoy it if you are 3 years old. |
