The Big Picture · Review · Top Five
December 13, 2023/ 146 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean Fennessey runs a Studio Ghibli roundtable with Andy Greenwald, Charles Holmes, and producer Bobby Wagoner on Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron' and everyone's top-five Miyazaki. Then he and Amanda Dobbins spoil their way through Justine Triet's 'Anatomy of a Fall.'
10 films across 3 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
'The Boy and the Heron'Miyazaki's first film in a decade
Miyazaki's first feature since 2013, six years in the making and the most expensive Japanese film ever. Its Japanese title, 'How Do You Live,' nods to the 1937 novel. A wartime boy, Mahito, follows a talking heron into a fantastical world after losing his mother; the panel reads it as Miyazaki's most personal and confounding work, his 'Irishman.' Christian Bale voices the father in the dub, Robert Pattinson the heron. Opened No. 1 at the U.S. box office.
Top Five Miyazaki Moviesranked by rough consensus of four ballots
Unanimous No. 1 for all four. Called the 'Wizard of Oz of Japanese animation,' the text everyone else gets measured against.
No. 2 for Charles, Andy, and Sean. Charles says it hit hardest on a pandemic rewatch, when the sick-mother undercurrent came through.
On every ballot. Bobby's No. 2 and his 'morally complex' pick, which he likens to 'Avatar.'
Charles's No. 4, and part of Andy's and Bobby's ties. The safe-and-warm mode of Miyazaki.
Sean's No. 5, Andy's No. 3. Kirsten Dunst voices Kiki and Phil Hartman the cat in the dub.
Sean's No. 3, Andy's No. 4. Miyazaki's 2013 'retirement' film, a projected biopic of the man who designed the A6M Zero.
Bobby's No. 5. A big popular hit in America, though the others admit they aren't Howl's people.
Charles's No. 3. Miyazaki's self-described 'failure': a fascist-era ace cursed with a pig's head.
An 'Anatomy of a Fall' Deep Divefull spoilers, with Amanda Dobbins
Justine Triet's Palme d'Or winner, Sandra Hüller as a writer tried for her husband's fall from their French Alps home. A full-spoilers dive on the marriage, the French courtroom, and the son's decisive testimony, ending on the unanswered did-she-do-it. Touchstones: the 50 Cent 'P.I.M.P.' instrumental, Milo Machado-Graner as Daniel, and Snoop the dog, that year's Palm Dog winner.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Other Studio Ghibli films Castle in the SkyEarwig and the WitchThe Secret World of ArriettyWhen Marnie Was TherePom PokoThe Red TurtleThe Tale of the Princess KaguyaMy Neighbors the Yamadas
Touchstones and comparisons Petite MamanKillers of the Flower MoonThe IrishmanThe Wizard of OzLawrence of ArabiaAvatarAvatar: The Way of WaterSnow White and the Seven DwarfsCinderellaStar WarsGhost in the Shell
In the 'Anatomy of a Fall' conversation SibylThe Zone of InterestMay DecemberSaint OmerThe HoldoversAnatomy of a MurderOppenheimerMaestroMegalopolisToni ErdmannSaltburn
Coming up Wonka
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Scavengers ReignNeon Genesis EvangelionBlueyPaw PatrolMighty Pups
Video games The Legend of Zelda
Podcasts The WatchThe Midnight BoysThe RewatchablesDissect60 Songs That Explain the '90s
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