When Marnie Was There (2015)

Plot: Anna is a tomboyish 12 year old girl who lives with her foster parents in Sapporo. When she collapses from an asthma attack, her foster parents send her to spend the summer with some family friends in a seaside town. While she's there, she grows interested in an abandoned mansion out in the marsh. Her interest leads her to meet a blonde girl named Marnie who appears to live in the house. The two of them begin to form a very close friendship, but Anna also tries to figure out this mystery behind Marnie.

If I can sum up this movie in one word, it would have to be beautiful. This was without a doubt a beautiful movie. Its not as magical as a lot of Studio Ghibli's other works, but it's still magical in its own way. Not with fantasy worlds, creative creatures and numerous adventures, but with pure, powerful emotion.

This is no simple happy, charming light-hearted piece of animation. This is a mature film that gives us some of the deepest and darkest emotions that children can go through. Even from the most simple expressions from Anna or Marnie, you could can look at their faces - be it Anna's "ordinary face" or Marnie's cheery one, and you can tell that these are girls that go through hard stuff. There's even a scene where Anna and Marnie both claim that the other has life going much better. But there also is a sort of other worldly aspect to who Marnie really is that leaves you invested in finding out more about her. And when you find out, chances are you will be very satisfied with what you get. I know for me personally, it was the reveal that really sold me into really liking if not loving this movie.

The animation in this movie is wonderful. This might be the most beautiful animation I have ever seen in a Studio Ghibli film. And that's saying an awful lot compared to films like Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and Howl's Moving Castle: one of my all time favorite films. As much as I love how creative and detailed Studio Ghibli can me with its animation, there's no denying that - in a way, it's much stronger here, because it's a matter of the emotion behind the animation over spectacle. And don't get me wrong, the other films do have their quiet moments where they also let the emotion of the scene play itself out, and they are wonderful. But this feels like almost an entire movie where they just let the depth of emotions in the scenes play themselves out. The soundtrack is also wonderful - I even have bought some of the music on itunes.

If I did have one problem with the film, it would be that its timeline is a little confusing. Like this takes place through an entire summer, and yet it contradicts itself of when certain events come to pass. But it really is just a total nitpick.

And that's my review for When Marnie Was There. It's a wonderful experience with a mature subject matter, deep characters, and animation that shows so much powerful emotion to the story. I saw this with one of my best friends, Candra, and she says that it might be one of her favorite Studio Ghibli films. I for one didn't waste a whole lot of time with buying my own personal copy, and watching it again, I can officially say that it is now my second favorite Studio Ghibli film, second only to Howl's Moving Castle. If you have not seen it yet, definitely watch it as soon as you are able to. It is one films that you may never forget.

Rating: 95%