By Ned Jordan
The Secret World of Arrietty is Studio Ghibli's take on the story The
Borrowers. A young boy, Shawn, is sent to his grandmother's house in the country
to rest while awaiting heart surgery. While relaxing in a field he catches a
glimpse of Arrietty, a young girl who happens to be only about six inches tall.
Arrietty is a Borrower, tiny people who live unseen in houses borrowing what
they need from the 'beans' who own the home; a cube of sugar here, a pin there,
nothing that would be missed and arouse suspicion. The two soon begin to form a
friendship, but they come from different worlds, worlds that aren't normally
supposed to meet.
In these days of children's films filled with overly loud, catchphrase
spouting characters and cheap computer animation, The Secret World of Arrietty
is a wonderful exception. Its hand-drawn animation is magical ' bursting with
color and fine details. The story is heartwarming, and will touch both adults
and children alike. This truly is entertainment that parents can feel good about
their children watching, as well as something that they will enjoy themselves.
The voice work is top-notch, with a cast that includes Amy Poehler, Will Arnett,
and Carol Burnett bringing real feel of humanity to the animated cast; which is
even more impressive when you take into account the fact that the filmed was
dubbed from its original Japanese language version. The Secret World of Arrietty
is highly recommended to anyone seeking heartwarming, magical, and wholesome
entertainment, the kind of entertainment that's all too rare in children's
movies these days.
The Blu-ray version of the film includes the film on both a Blu-ray disc and
a DVD. The Blu-ray version really brings the fine details of the film's
animation to life and makes the brilliant colors really stand out. Also included
on the Blu-ray are a couple of music videos inspired by the film, as well as a
look at some of the film's original Japanese trailers and storyboards. The
special feature content may be a little light, but the film itself is enough
alone to justify adding The Secret World of Arrietty to your Blu-ray collection
' and to your regularly watched movie rotation.
Final Rating:
