Review of The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) by Thedrauch — 27 Oct 2012

Another Ghibli success comes in the form of 'The Secret World of Arrietty', a heartwarming and gorgeously animated entry into the studio's already impressive resume of films. The movie fully transports you into the world of the borrowers, a feat that many other films about little people have failed to accomplish.

Some may be off-put to this particular release due to its rather deliberate pacing, but it's for that exact reason that I really enjoyed 'Arrietty'. Most animated films are so focused on immediate gratification that they rarely slow down to let us really take in the display of painstakingly constructed visuals and it is in this avoidance of convention that the film really is elevated to greatness.

The music for the movie (especially in the scenes where Arrietty travels through the lush garden) is also beautiful and captivating. All of the aesthetic aspects aside, 'The Secret World of Arrietty' never forgets about it's story and characters.

There is one particular scene of note where Shawn and Arrietty have a deeply philosophical conversation about living life and the acceptance of death. There is such a reverence for depth in the dialogue in that scene.

Overall, a beautiful and wholly enjoyable movie that adults can take pleasure from just as much as their kiddies can.