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Howl's Moving Castle

PG In Theaters Mon Sep 23 1h 59m Fantasy Anime List
87% Tomatometer 184 Reviews 93% Audience Score 25,000+ Ratings
Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father's hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a magical flying castle. However, the evil Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall) takes issue with their budding relationship and casts a spell on young Sophie, which ages her prematurely. Now Howl must use all his magical talents to battle the jealous hag and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty. Read More Read Less
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Howl's Moving Castle

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.

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Cast & Crew

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek Howl's Moving Castle has the logic of a dream: behind every door lie multiple realities, one more astonishing than the next. Mar 13, 2018 Full Review Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard [Miyazaki] may have made better films than Howl's Moving Castle, but it still exhibits his amazing imagination and astonishing detail. Dec 8, 2014 Full Review John Lyttle New Statesman Howl's Moving Castle is Japanese and anime, and therefore automatically more artistic than its US counterparts. The right cultural cachet gives you a lot of leeway. Dec 8, 2014 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review A combination of hand-drawn animation and Miyazaki’s most obvious use of computers appears onscreen, dispelling some of the film’s magic through the excessive presence of the medium’s needless modernization. Rated: 3/4 Aug 22, 2023 Full Review Jordan Brooks Vague Visages This dazzling vision, despite a rational impossibility, manages to feel in tune with the hyper-utopian version of reality experienced by children, and by those of us who cling fondly to those haughty days of creativity that have long since faded. Aug 1, 2023 Full Review Fico Cangiano CineXpress Podcast A wonderful animated film that speaks to the imagination of the viewers in many ways. Gorgeous animation and interesting characters inhabit Miyazaki's wondrous world. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3.5/5 Nov 17, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member An absolute delight from start to finish. Visually and creatively a masterpiece. Easy to watch with a smile from ear to ear, the humour is playful in parts and the story never gets old. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/17/24 Full Review Nicolas E This is the best Ghibli movie, the animation is amazing beautiful, the story is like the best dream that you had. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/13/24 Full Review Seth A The best animated movie I've ever seen. The music in it is some of my favorites ever! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/01/24 Full Review Teddy B Achieved visual nirvana by ways of sacrificing a sense of storytelling direction. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/28/24 Full Review Audience Member My favorite movie of all time. Definitely heartwarming and nostalgic. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/22/24 Full Review Ray Y 电影有点没看懂，蒸汽朋克风很赞，画面很酷很唯美 KRIX厅的体验还可以，感觉音效控制的正好，没有其它影厅中那种震耳欲聋或特别散的感觉 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Howl's Moving Castle

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Howl's Moving Castle

Poster Art Howl's Moving Castle (2004) A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father's hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a magical flying castle. However, the evil Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall) takes issue with their budding relationship and casts a spell on young Sophie, which ages her prematurely. Now Howl must use all his magical talents to battle the jealous hag and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty.
Director
Hayao Miyazaki
Producer
Toshio Suzuki
Screenwriter
Hayao Miyazaki
Distributor
Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures, Studio Ghibli
Rating
PG
Genre
Fantasy, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 10, 2005, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Sep 23, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 15, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.7M
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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