Agreed. The characters lacked development, everyone wasn’t really surprised about magic, the villains weren’t interesting and the script was boring. The introductory scenes were incredible and that’s it.
a film about 2 hour long feels short. give time and let Studio Ponoc correct their mistakes while they pick up which next classic children's books will they adapt
issa osama i just recently saw the film, its just okay. A low six out of ten for me. But i will continue to support more of their films regardless as i suspect that they will increase in quality.
Kyle Barnes i agree. I just saw the film last night. It had a special preview event across the UK on april 10th before a wider release in may. Its just okay, a low 6 out of 10 for me. But i am also sold on Studio Ponoc and i am looking forward to their next film.
It would've made a great high budget 12 episode tv series. Things were set up amazingly and just weren't explored enough. Still a very enjoyable film though
I was watching this film, and towards the end, I realized that it is basically Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and some Princess Mononoke smooshed together. Despite your in depth review though, I liked it and I’d watch it again. It had so many similar elements to some of my favorite Ghibli movies; aside from the animation. I understand where you were coming from though.
I agree with you Chris Stuckmann. I left the theater thinking the aunt would have been way more interesting story. The art is beautiful but the magic world and villains needed more time. I think that if they would have cut some of the beginning or increased the length a bit would have been better.
Animation is an art form. Story telling is an art form. It's films like these that are enough to remind audiences that making an animated film requires more work than just animating the film. Regardless of the medium the film is made in, or how appealing the visuals: Story rules as King. Without it, it's just a "beautiful looking film" that's going nowhere.
I’m still pretty excited to see this one for the two reasons you stated: gorgeous sound and visuals. Based on the rest of your review, it’s disappointing that there isn’t more to the characters. Still looking forward to making my own judgment, though.
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS*** I'd personally give Mary and the Witch's Flower an A-. It was a really good movie but it was a bit predictable at some points and did not meet the expectations of Ghibli masterpieces such as Spirited Away that I was hoping for. That being said it was still an excellent moving and I would still reccomend it to anyone wanting to watch a fantastic movie 😊
the villeins never really get punished for there actions, so most likely they're just gonna do experiments again. the writers completely forgot about the other flowers next to that one flower Mary picked it from. C- it goes to show you that pretty colors is not good enough to excuse bad writing
spoiler marry is a witch note the part when she crys for the borken broom it floats even when the power from the flower is gone and another thing her grandmother only found 1 flower on the stairs how did she give it to her without using a flower ? they need to explain how her grandmother is a witch its possible she is a witch too
I watched the film last year when I was in Japan. And I totally agreed with you. Script, story, everything in there lacked any kind of depth. Though it’s beautiful, I left the theatre disappointed.
I went to watch the movie and I share the same views than you. It was absolutely beautiful, but characters were missing the development we were hoping for.
what are you talking about? she never had that arc, she was never made fun of by kids that her hair was weird (all Peter did was made friendly jokes), she was never depressed and ashamed of herself, they never told her that she has to except who she is. she hasn't change from beginning to the end of the film. the only thing that's different was accepting her hair and that is not enough to call it "development".
syaondri 1. the grandparents never got annoyed or mad at her ”LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU LITTLE JERK!” or anything like that. 2. They never really shown that she felt useless. never cried never ran away, never told herself that she hated herself, except for her heir 🙄 3. she was never addicted to the flower. she only used it twice for none selfish reasons. the first time (unknowingly) and second when she realized that Peter was kidnapped. she has no real problems at all. this is just a mundane inconvenience to her. and again, all this isn't enough to call it character development.
I love this movie. I remember I watched it when I was at a basketball game, sitting in the stands. I was lost in the world of this film. I watched it again on a flight and it was just as amazing.
I disagree that the villains didn't have understandable motivations. The movie explains the motivation of the villains quite succinctly, in a way that makes them reminiscent of real world scientists like Albert Einstein who had great ideas for inventions that would make the world a better place, whereas those inventions actually caused a lot of problems. It's not a perfect analogy, but I definitely think that the film explained their motivations well. However, I watched the Japanese with English subtitles version; I don't know what the translation was like, so maybe the English version didn't do a good job in translating that part of the story.
Chris, I'm not sure if you're going to see this but here we go anyway. My takeaway from the film is that like many young girls, Mary in insecure, she dislikes her big frizzy red hair, even puts it into pigtails to hide them. She fails to appreciate or understand her new surroundings in her new home with aunt charlotte, and she dislikes peter fairly blindly without bothering to understand him. She doesn't feel special or important and she says early on that she wishes she could change. When she gets powers she finally feels important or special, and at first is very happy to finally be something unique. The villain's are constantly changing things into other things to "improve" them, and we learn that their overall evil plan is to imbue their students with the ability to do any and all magic, which results in their becoming something monstrous. As the film goes on, Mary gains an understanding of herself, she stops being insecure, her greatest insecurity being her red hair. She removes the hairband and lets it fall down in front of her face, finally embracing what she once saw as a weakness. She realizes she doesn't need magic to be special, she's happy with who she is. So she throws the magic berry away, finally feeling okay with who she is as a person. The theme is about accepting yourself and not trying to be something you're not. I think it's a beautiful message of growth and empowerment, I even talked to a little girl after the movie who's grandparents and mother brought her, and she said she loved it. I think you should probably give this film another watch.
i liked that movie but i find it rushed for some reason plot goes from 0 to 100 just like that + Lala land set the bar so high for musical that it make this movie fell like it been released in 2008 that is my opinion if you want to know ps : huge jackman was good . didn't like the beard lady i dont know how is that a thing music was ok .
I would have to disagree. While some points where fun. I thought there was almost no variation of song. It all kinda melding together. Like here I am and the greatest show. I don't know if would be appropriate to call it Broadway because it felt so staged. The romance looked forced, scadel out of no where. And if you look at the period the actual history behind this man is so much darker in truth and they barely explored it.
Mary is barely interacted with other characters, all along we just listening to her talking to herself loudly about almost everything, even to smallest details like "oh, the cat turned to black again!". We barely even know why she must stay with her great-aunt, unless you read the book.
She never eats the flower, how come she doesn't God damn eat one of those flowers! You'd probably have powers for way longer! Oh so you're right about the opening scene, the opening scene should set the tone and I would have rather seen the opening scenes' movie
Agree with the villains being kinda meh, but disagree with Mary's character not growing or learning much. I feel like her growing was done more thematically than through the context of the film's story. She starts out not liking herself. She hates her red hair, she says she's "rubbish at everything," however when she arrives at the Hogwarts school that becomes a complete 180 for her. She becomes confident in herself and in her abilities. So confident that she was able to go back to the school and save Peter. A message I think was conveyed here was "if you can't physically change something about yourself, why not look at it from another light." This is something many young people, especially females are known to struggle with, maybe not as kids but definitely as teens. And when she says she never wants to use magic again, she means she's tired of trying to change things about herself that she can't change or at least can't change at that instant. Over all a great video, I know this comment is like 12 months late but I just wanted to state my opinion!
Mary DID learn something. She learned to trust herself. Mary is shown to have insecurities about herself at the beginning of the film and at the end of the film she learns that she doesn't need any help or any outside source to be good. She learns that as long as she has her strength of character and a good heart she will be happy.
Something about the way the first day in the movie felt... how the TV was broken, how her day was doomed to boredom until she was given the excuse to have an unexpected picnic. I've had that feeling of being in a place as a kid that didn't initially cater to children, where you felt like you were going to be trapped into a boring day but... it turned into unexpected rich memory that fostered your imagination. Sometimes a movie has a feeling about it that pulls on a string you forgot you had... I feel like this movie had that special mood. So it is one of my favorites for that indescribable reason. It made me remember that part of childhood... before smartphones, and before having a car where I could take myself out of a boring situation. Great-Aunt Charlotte reminded me of my late grandmother too...I found myself very emotional throughout all of her scenes with Mary. The movie just spoke to me I guess.
Mary being a normal person with no tragic ass background was kind of the point I felt like. Little girls can take A LOT from this movie in my opinion. Because she wasn't special, because she wasn't any "chosen hero" , because she was just a normal little girl with enough determination and will to do amazing things, that just showed that you don't have to be special superhero to do great things. She definitely changed a lot as a character, especially showing that she just tossed the flower away in the end, where as in the beginning she surely would have kept it and that's symbolic for more than the literal action of course. I guess to me it felt more like you were just so expecting of that usual "marvel formula" that makes those movies so great, and you went as far as to compare it to some of marvels heroes as well. The characters definitely weren't 100% the best, and I agree with a lot of what you said, especially about the intro being so amazing and it more than likely would have been a better film if it was centered around what happened then, but I just wanted to say a bit about a few points you made that I did not agree with. Thank you for making a review about this, studio Ponoc needs more attention, and I certainly can't wait until their films are more polished and spectacular like Ghibli's were.
Lauren Favre If only all theaters showed movies like this, and that's probably why studios that make anime movies like this don't get as much recognition by the majority.
I remember seeing the trailer for this and thinking so many of the scenes looked like clips from every other Ghibli movie...Kiki flying her broom, the blob men from Howl's, the storm from Castle in the sky, etc and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. Thanks for the review Chris!
I agree, it's 100% on RT so why is it taking him so long to review it. He talks about people not going to see good movies, so I really hope he does a review to get people to see it.
Geez, a C+? That seems so harsh. I saw this movie last night and enjoyed every bit of it, aside for the abrupt ending. It was whimsical and so much fun finding all of the Ghibli easter eggs. Not everything was explained like Spirited Away which is what I expected, but was also okay with since it leaves you full of wonder and the lessons of never giving up and taking a confident step even when things get tough is such a nice theme to expose to kids. At the very least I would rate it a B+. The interview at the end helped me understand why they ended it the way they did and the type of story telling they were going for. So I left feeling pretty content with the film and excited to see the new films they'll create for the upcoming generations of kids.
I agree, I can't believe he didn't like this one but praised When Marnie was There, I tried watching that one because he gave it amazing reviews and it bored me to sleep. So I'm starting to not take his reviews so seriously all the time.
Hey Chris can you review "Little Witch Academia" on Netflix its amazing and unlike Mary, Akko want to be the best witch in her school. It's amazing check it out. Nice video.
What's the full title? The Glass Rabbit? or, Glass no Hana to Kowasu Sekai? I looked up "Glass anime movie," and those titles I mentioned were among the results.
This is one of his better reviews, he breaks down the weaknesses and strengths very clearly and concisely. I really want to see more of this kind of review
Episode 9's Instagram plot device, cliche preaching, and poorly handled Miki death scene almost ruined the entire thing. Everything else was pretty well done, considering it's a 10 episode adaptation of an entire comic.
Seriously though, I think people expected too much because of its Studio Ghibli roots. People should try to remove their "Ghibli Googles" and look at Studio Ponoc with fresh eyes. Wait for 10 years and surely Mary and the Witch's Flower will be an one of the ultimate classics. I enjoyed it and no, those who say that its similar to Kiki's Delivery Service without even watching it are idiots. A great film IMHO and the writing for me is great.
I totally agree. While I too was also completely blown away by the intro, as the film progressed I began to feel as though there was something "missing" from this movie (and especially towards the end). It definitely wasn't the visuals and certainly not the animation, both were incredible and had me at the edge of my seat, but the way the script and characters were developed throughout the film had left me with a slightly unamused feeling, like it just didn't hit its fullest potential as a Ghibli successor. I kept thinking to myself that I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had been 12 years younger, but then again, the same could be said for a crappy anime that doesn't even compare to this film, so I digress. It's a cute and gorgeous film, but it needed more work regarding story and character development.
Agree on everything you said, I liked it but felt rushed in plot and development in characters and villains. Also missed what I love about ghibli films and animation period when they have those quiet times to show time or character growth like when Kikis broom breaks and there isba quick scene of her in her little room carving the wood for a new one and crying about it. Or when Chihiro sits with Len on the balcony and look over the sea at night showing her adjusting to this world unlike when she was shaking in her sleep the first night. Stuff like that or small details put in to those paying attention like when you find out the tunnel in the end of spirited awat wasnt actually red and new and had a path to it in reality it was like that cuz the spirit world was open and the place was actually covered in vines and brush it was great. I bring these up cuz in the movie she makes a big point about her hair being unruly and red and just not to her liking. Though all through people in the witching world see that hair as a sign of a strong witch. Id of liked to see her in the end instead of having her hair stay in pigtails just out and unruly and pushed back with one of her bow ribbons as a headband. Show that shes proud of inheriting that hair from her grandmother. I'm being apart of a legacy of a great witch even if she may or may not get to be one herself.
Thanks for the review! I haven't seen this yet but I look forward to having netflix send me the bluray. You're usually correct in your assessment of these films, which indicates that the people that wrote this script don't understand that it's the characters, not the visual effects, that make a movie genuinely good. Good movies have good character arcs, even if the visual effects aren't spectacular. By the way, Chris, I hope you review the anime "Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom" someday.
I wonder if Chris stayed for the interviews after the movie. For me they opened up a different view on some of the points he expresses in the video. While I do still agree a movie about the character at the beginning might have been a more interesting movie.
Hey Chris I am a huge fan love your channel, we are on the same page on a lot of things. Just one question. Why did you not review Proud Mary? I was looking forward to your take on the film.
I saw this two days ago and really enjoyed it. I look forward to what Studio Ponoc has in store next. Anyway, I've read that the movie was based on a book by Mary Stewart called The Little Broomstick. I was just curious if anybody has ever read book MATWF is based on? What are the similarities and differences? Was the movie a faithful adaptation or was it another Howl's Moving Castle situation?
Saw it, enjoyed it. Plot/Character wise it was dull. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Ghibli references throughout, and am really looking forward to Ponoc's next film.
Personally, I completely agree with you Chris. I watched this movie in theaters and I went into this movie expecting a lot yet when I watched it I felt it was very predictable. I even found myself falling asleep in some parts which I don’t normally do at the movies. What mainly turned me off was the story line. It felt like a recycled script, it felt like I’d seen the same story before many times. Other than the art and animation it wasn’t too impressionable. I think your score is spot on for this movie.
The opening scene had something special just like you said, but I couldn't get into the world. It felt like a children's book, so kids might like it though! I'm still hopeful for the studio itself. I adore both Marnie and Arrietty :)
I liked the second half better when it got darker, that made things a little more interesting. But yeah, it was a bit disappointing. Still entertaining enough, and definitely recommend seeing it in a theater (any anime in the theater is great).
Thanks for the review Chis! I loved the book this film was based on growing up, The Little Broomstick by Mary Stuart, and am excited to watch. The book the film is based on was pre Harry Potter, so the similarities are there, but are from long before Harry Potter was written. Always enjoy your reviews, and is was great hearing your thoughts on this film. 😁👍💫🌸🌺
Chris, you should review the movie Miss Hokusai. I think it's one of the best anime films in years. Although, you should definitely read a little into the backstory of the real life people it was based on. It's one of those movies that doesn't hold your hand regarding some context. You don't need to know much, just basically who the Hokusai father and daughter are and their place in history.
Chris, I think you're being a bit harsh on this film. I don't think it's perfect, but I found it to be a wonderful film with the other Ghibli films. I wonder: would you have these opinions if it was still under the Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki name? You're entitled to your opinion, of course and I respect that, but I feel like you were more negative towards this film than you would normally be. Nevertheless, thank you for reviewing this film.
I agree, I can't believe he didn't like this one but praised When Marnie was There, I tried watching that one because he gave it amazing reviews and it bored me to sleep. So I'm starting to not take his reviews so seriously all the time.
Well, I didn't like the characters neither. I couldn't find one character I got attached to and Mary and Peter were sort of a bratty half pint. The story was very cliched too and too much like Harry Potter and Kiki's Delivery Service. It just seemed like a very typical animated film that rips off a few other movies and the finished product was "You already watched Mary and the Witch's Flower. I give it a D or D+ It was very iffy.
I agree i cant belive the film got this mixed reaction and hey i know it wanst going to be anything miyazaki does forsure but when i went in i was amazed and came out breathless. I cared very much for mary ,her aunt and the animals i wasnt let down by any aspect. But with that said i respect others opinions and i can see why others didnt like it as much
i really do love Mary and the witch's flower and when i watched this yes it does look like harry potter this was made in 8 July 2017 but is Based on the 1971 book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart it has nothing to do with harry potter harry potter was started around 2001
Hey Chris! I've heard you say that you're a big fan of animation but I noticed that you only review American and Japanese productions so could you please review Loving Vincent or some of Cartoon Saloon's movies like Song of the Sea for example? Thanks!
Mary did change. She started out hating peter then used the power of the flower to save him. She learned to be comfortable with herself and to care for others. Mary is a heroine many people will look up to. I disagree with this review. The movie was great. Another thing, stop comparing this film to star wars and Harry Potter because it's nothing like those movies.
yes! best scene whole movie was that beginning scene paired with its music. i def found i was more interested in that backstory. it got me super hyped then it turned into another ghibli kids movie. not that that is a bad thing. i agree with almost all your talking points chris. i would really like to see a prequel to this movie with all that great action in that backstory. its such a strong contrast and looks like so much effort went into that scene that it makes me wonder if they planned on expanding that to another movie. its too epic to ignore.
I believe I watched it in the cinema 2 or 3x a few months ago (because I had to go with different groups of friends) - but I almost forgot this movie even existed until Chris brought it up. I barely remembered the ending, but Chris is right - i think that in the ending - its like nothing changed for everyone, kind of like "oh that happened didn't it... lets move on... meh"
I totally agree with all the problems you pointed out, sadly. A big one for me though, which you seem to disagree with, was the audio. There just wasn't enough sometimes or it wasn't that good so I didn't get immersed.
I agree with you. The animation was decent, the music(especially the end credit song 'rain' by sekai no owari') was good and I actually sorta liked the dark theme this movie tried to explore, but the story and character was quite disappointing. The movie's flow of story didn't really felt natural to me, it felt more like the story is flowing out of obligation. Also, there wasn't anything interesting about Mary and Peter? too. Personally 3/10 movie to me.
I absolutely LOVE Mary and The Witches Flower. I know nothing about how to write characters, character development or script writing, so im not one to speak, but its really amazing and makes me happy :D
MissMisery i see alot of kiki and harry potter comparisons both movies i hold dear to my heart and. For me you need more then just flying on a broom and haveing a magic college in your movie to make comparisons because i assure you harry and kiki are more then that and mary is different from both.
Aw, I was hoping it was going to be really good... I mean, I'll probably still watch it sooner or later, but... I liked Arietty pretty well, and I adored Marnie. Hopefully this is just a fluke, and their next one will be better.
Chris, have you seen Sword of the Stranger? If not, you must watch! It is an amazing anime film, one of the greatest, I would love to see your review. Cheers!
Chris I really hope you'll See Mazinger Z the Movie (I read that it will come out in the US on February 11-12) it would mean a lot if you can say something about it! Thanks!
While I found the ending a bit abrupt, I disagree with the script being bad. It was very logical the way everything came together imo, not to mention I found the storytelling very nuanced and not cliche, which has been plaguing Hollywood as of late.
In reply to the point or lesson that you had mentioned Mary learns or doesn't learn: I had taken my seven year old daughter and after/during the movie we talked about how Mary had lied and how lies can grow and grow when you aren't truthful. This led to her friend Peter being kidnapped. She learns too, I feel by her comment at the end that ultimately it's better to be yourself than pretend to be something your not.
I personally agree with Chris’s position on this film. I believe that the audio and visual are definitely top tier, however the character development was definitely lacking. There are plot holes galore in the film that leave us wanting to know more about Mary and her journey. The “in medias res” intro of the film does not add much in the end. The end goal of the antagonists really are underdeveloped.
before watching this review I watched the movie already and I told myself after finishing the movie that " I'll give it a C+ cause there's so much of lacking, I feel like Chris Stuckmann gonna give it C+ as well" Welp, guess my predict was right all along😂
Just a quick note. I disagree with you on the villains motivation. It clearly stated throughout the movie what the specific motivation was. It showed it in that spell book. It showed it in that scene from the "past" and it showed it in the end of the film. Sorry if I came across to nit picky.
I saw this today and thought it was mostly good, although the parallels with Harry Potter are really unmistakeable. I thought it was an interesting twist that the Dumbledore Lady and the Bald Scientist were actually the villains, or at least greedy for power.
It was a great movie. Had that amazing Ghibli look to it, the animation always being amazing and the designs. The only thing I kept thinking during the movie though was “This feels a lot like Spirited Away mixed with Kiki’s Delivery Service or Harry Potter.” other than that, I loved it a lot. Just a good fun laid back film.
Came here after earwig, even with mediocre story at least something really did happen in this movie and we had an actual story with beginning & ending. Kinda ironic this is a better product that comes from former talent of ghibli studio itself
I was just talking to my friend and told her that I didn't like mary much. I didn't know why but now with your review I understand. I also told her that I liked the grandma better.. I also liked peter. But the movie overall wasn't that interesting. I have to agree with everything that you said. Anyway I still adore studio ponoc for this, their amazing work to deliver such quality "animation wise, that is"... I'm looking forward to their next movie. I hope it's something with a far better script
Yonebayashi is one of my favorite directors and I'll definitely agree, visuals and sounds were amazing but the story and characters were lacking and I wanting more information and story after the movie ended
Agreed. The characters lacked development, everyone wasn’t really surprised about magic, the villains weren’t interesting and the script was boring. The introductory scenes were incredible and that’s it.
a film about 2 hour long feels short. give time and let Studio Ponoc correct their mistakes while they pick up which next classic children's books will they adapt
It is what it is. It was a debut to a young ongoing studio and it has its own merit and expresses potential within the studio
this is there first film though
I will support their movies regardless. It's important to support new studios.
issa osama agreed
New Studios that do good work(s), and this one did over all so far.
issa osama Support for ones that do good, not this shit.
I support the ones I am interested in. TRIGGER is one that comes to mind. But I'll keep my eye on this studio.
issa osama i just recently saw the film, its just okay. A low six out of ten for me. But i will continue to support more of their films regardless as i suspect that they will increase in quality.
This movie has sold me on ponoc, I was a bit disappointed with the end result but overall I look forward to see what these guys can do in the future
Where did you watch this?
_Quirkless_
I saw this because of the fandango event at my AMC that I frequent
Kyle Barnes i agree. I just saw the film last night. It had a special preview event across the UK on april 10th before a wider release in may. Its just okay, a low 6 out of 10 for me. But i am also sold on Studio Ponoc and i am looking forward to their next film.
Yeah, all they need is better writing staff
Just watched this and it's boring af. The girl is annoying as hell. Just wanted to slap the damn thing.
It would've made a great high budget 12 episode tv series. Things were set up amazingly and just weren't explored enough. Still a very enjoyable film though
Can't beat Hayao Miyazaki writing, he may use the same character tropes a lot but he knows how to make some solid characters
Is this a joke comment?
Um, why would you think that?
I was watching this film, and towards the end, I realized that it is basically Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and some Princess Mononoke smooshed together. Despite your in depth review though, I liked it and I’d watch it again. It had so many similar elements to some of my favorite Ghibli movies; aside from the animation. I understand where you were coming from though.
I agree with you Chris Stuckmann. I left the theater thinking the aunt would have been way more interesting story. The art is beautiful but the magic world and villains needed more time. I think that if they would have cut some of the beginning or increased the length a bit would have been better.
Milo O'Rourke no
Chris staring directly at us in the thumbnail is deeply unsettling
but he does that for half of his thumbnails
then don't look.
BattleUp Saber 😂😂😂😂
Animation is an art form. Story telling is an art form.
It's films like these that are enough to remind audiences that making an animated film requires more work than just animating the film. Regardless of the medium the film is made in, or how appealing the visuals: Story rules as King. Without it, it's just a "beautiful looking film" that's going nowhere.
Without story what do we get? Mostly Transformers films. Beautiful to look at but dont make any sense.
candiigurl7893 How I felt, I thought the one scene with the animals turning back to normal was visually stunning. But the film as a whole was eh.
I wouldn't say story is king because a film with a fantastic story and poor visuals is also a disaster.
larry lovehandle example?
I’m still pretty excited to see this one for the two reasons you stated: gorgeous sound and visuals. Based on the rest of your review, it’s disappointing that there isn’t more to the characters. Still looking forward to making my own judgment, though.
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***
I'd personally give Mary and the Witch's Flower an A-. It was a really good movie but it was a bit predictable at some points and did not meet the expectations of Ghibli masterpieces such as Spirited Away that I was hoping for. That being said it was still an excellent moving and I would still reccomend it to anyone wanting to watch a fantastic movie 😊
ggdsmd no
the villeins never really get punished for there actions, so most likely they're just gonna do experiments again. the writers completely forgot about the other flowers next to that one flower Mary picked it from. C-
it goes to show you that pretty colors is not good enough to excuse bad writing
spoiler marry is a witch note the part when she crys for the borken broom it floats even when the power from the flower is gone and another thing her grandmother only found 1 flower on the stairs how did she give it to her without using a flower ? they need to explain how her grandmother is a witch its possible she is a witch too
I watched the film last year when I was in Japan. And I totally agreed with you.
Script, story, everything in there lacked any kind of depth. Though it’s beautiful, I left the theatre disappointed.
I went to watch the movie and I share the same views than you. It was absolutely beautiful, but characters were missing the development we were hoping for.
what are you talking about? she never had that arc, she was never made fun of by kids that her hair was weird (all Peter did was made friendly jokes), she was never depressed and ashamed of herself, they never told her that she has to except who she is. she hasn't change from beginning to the end of the film. the only thing that's different was accepting her hair and that is not enough to call it "development".
syaondri
1. the grandparents never got annoyed or mad at her ”LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU LITTLE JERK!” or anything like that.
2. They never really shown that she felt useless. never cried never ran away, never told herself that she hated herself, except for her heir 🙄
3. she was never addicted to the flower. she only used it twice for none selfish reasons.
the first time (unknowingly) and second when she realized that Peter was kidnapped.
she has no real problems at all. this is just a mundane inconvenience to her.
and again, all this isn't enough to call it character development.
syaondri if you thought it was good, then you're an idiot...just kidding 😂. the movie is pretty good for there first
You should review other classic anime films like Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away
Blackcriticguy did all of Studio Ghibli film reviews
artfire28 He only did some Studio Ghibli reviews, he didn't finish them yet
Scottiplier PopCultFan mmmmmm yes
just watch Kiki's delivery service
VelvetSky1102 I CAN’T WAKE UP
Calvin Tang I can't hold on
LOVED THAT ONE
I can't for the life of me pinpoint why I love that movie so much, I just do.
Same here. It's just adorable.
I love this movie. I remember I watched it when I was at a basketball game, sitting in the stands. I was lost in the world of this film. I watched it again on a flight and it was just as amazing.
I disagree that the villains didn't have understandable motivations. The movie explains the motivation of the villains quite succinctly, in a way that makes them reminiscent of real world scientists like Albert Einstein who had great ideas for inventions that would make the world a better place, whereas those inventions actually caused a lot of problems. It's not a perfect analogy, but I definitely think that the film explained their motivations well. However, I watched the Japanese with English subtitles version; I don't know what the translation was like, so maybe the English version didn't do a good job in translating that part of the story.
Chris, I'm not sure if you're going to see this but here we go anyway. My takeaway from the film is that like many young girls, Mary in insecure, she dislikes her big frizzy red hair, even puts it into pigtails to hide them. She fails to appreciate or understand her new surroundings in her new home with aunt charlotte, and she dislikes peter fairly blindly without bothering to understand him. She doesn't feel special or important and she says early on that she wishes she could change. When she gets powers she finally feels important or special, and at first is very happy to finally be something unique. The villain's are constantly changing things into other things to "improve" them, and we learn that their overall evil plan is to imbue their students with the ability to do any and all magic, which results in their becoming something monstrous. As the film goes on, Mary gains an understanding of herself, she stops being insecure, her greatest insecurity being her red hair. She removes the hairband and lets it fall down in front of her face, finally embracing what she once saw as a weakness. She realizes she doesn't need magic to be special, she's happy with who she is. So she throws the magic berry away, finally feeling okay with who she is as a person. The theme is about accepting yourself and not trying to be something you're not. I think it's a beautiful message of growth and empowerment, I even talked to a little girl after the movie who's grandparents and mother brought her, and she said she loved it. I think you should probably give this film another watch.
Can you do a review on the greatest showman
i liked that movie but i find it rushed for some reason
plot goes from 0 to 100 just like that + Lala land set the bar so high for musical that it make this movie fell like it been released in 2008
that is my opinion if you want to know
ps : huge jackman was good . didn't like the beard lady i dont know how is that a thing music was ok .
I would have to disagree. While some points where fun. I thought there was almost no variation of song. It all kinda melding together. Like here I am and the greatest show. I don't know if would be appropriate to call it Broadway because it felt so staged. The romance looked forced, scadel out of no where. And if you look at the period the actual history behind this man is so much darker in truth and they barely explored it.
I feel like a 'There's Something About Mary' joke is appropriate here.
Review Paul Thomas Anderson's filmography!
Mary's Delivery Service.
The film is based on a really interesting original book from the 1970s. It's definitely intriguing watching it after reading the book.
Mary is barely interacted with other characters, all along we just listening to her talking to herself loudly about almost everything, even to smallest details like "oh, the cat turned to black again!". We barely even know why she must stay with her great-aunt, unless you read the book.
There's a book? What's it called? Just "Mary and the Witch's Flower" ?
I think it's called the little broom stick@@daniellagomez5412
She never eats the flower, how come she doesn't God damn eat one of those flowers! You'd probably have powers for way longer! Oh so you're right about the opening scene, the opening scene should set the tone and I would have rather seen the opening scenes' movie
There's nothing about Mary?
Agree with the villains being kinda meh, but disagree with Mary's character not growing or learning much. I feel like her growing was done more thematically than through the context of the film's story. She starts out not liking herself. She hates her red hair, she says she's "rubbish at everything," however when she arrives at the Hogwarts school that becomes a complete 180 for her. She becomes confident in herself and in her abilities. So confident that she was able to go back to the school and save Peter. A message I think was conveyed here was "if you can't physically change something about yourself, why not look at it from another light." This is something many young people, especially females are known to struggle with, maybe not as kids but definitely as teens. And when she says she never wants to use magic again, she means she's tired of trying to change things about herself that she can't change or at least can't change at that instant. Over all a great video, I know this comment is like 12 months late but I just wanted to state my opinion!
Mary DID learn something. She learned to trust herself. Mary is shown to have insecurities about herself at the beginning of the film and at the end of the film she learns that she doesn't need any help or any outside source to be good. She learns that as long as she has her strength of character and a good heart she will be happy.
Something about the way the first day in the movie felt... how the TV was broken, how her day was doomed to boredom until she was given the excuse to have an unexpected picnic. I've had that feeling of being in a place as a kid that didn't initially cater to children, where you felt like you were going to be trapped into a boring day but... it turned into unexpected rich memory that fostered your imagination.
Sometimes a movie has a feeling about it that pulls on a string you forgot you had... I feel like this movie had that special mood. So it is one of my favorites for that indescribable reason.
It made me remember that part of childhood... before smartphones, and before having a car where I could take myself out of a boring situation.
Great-Aunt Charlotte reminded me of my late grandmother too...I found myself very emotional throughout all of her scenes with Mary.
The movie just spoke to me I guess.
Mary being a normal person with no tragic ass background was kind of the point I felt like. Little girls can take A LOT from this movie in my opinion. Because she wasn't special, because she wasn't any "chosen hero" , because she was just a normal little girl with enough determination and will to do amazing things, that just showed that you don't have to be special superhero to do great things. She definitely changed a lot as a character, especially showing that she just tossed the flower away in the end, where as in the beginning she surely would have kept it and that's symbolic for more than the literal action of course. I guess to me it felt more like you were just so expecting of that usual "marvel formula" that makes those movies so great, and you went as far as to compare it to some of marvels heroes as well.
The characters definitely weren't 100% the best, and I agree with a lot of what you said, especially about the intro being so amazing and it more than likely would have been a better film if it was centered around what happened then, but I just wanted to say a bit about a few points you made that I did not agree with. Thank you for making a review about this, studio Ponoc needs more attention, and I certainly can't wait until their films are more polished and spectacular like Ghibli's were.
Looks like if someone combined kiki's delivery service with a bit of spirited away
My first thoughts when I saw the trailer and ads for this movie XD
Lauren Favre If only all theaters showed movies like this, and that's probably why studios that make anime movies like this don't get as much recognition by the majority.
It definitley feels like a mish mash of the 2 but without the charm.
John B aka Smooth Chocolate What?
Katie Bayliss what what?
I remember seeing the trailer for this and thinking so many of the scenes looked like clips from every other Ghibli movie...Kiki flying her broom, the blob men from Howl's, the storm from Castle in the sky, etc and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. Thanks for the review Chris!
Dude where's Paddington 2 where the hell is it where's the review come on I want to hear your opinion.
I agree, it's 100% on RT so why is it taking him so long to review it. He talks about people not going to see good movies, so I really hope he does a review to get people to see it.
I feel there are certain films that he doesn't want to see. He still hasn't reviewed Captain Underpants.
BlackBeltDragon /FilmWise - that's because Chris didn't grow up with underpants
The Scarecrow but it was still a successful film that has gotten positive reviews.
Nah I'm not even interested in Captain Underpants well to me.
Geez, a C+? That seems so harsh. I saw this movie last night and enjoyed every bit of it, aside for the abrupt ending. It was whimsical and so much fun finding all of the Ghibli easter eggs. Not everything was explained like Spirited Away which is what I expected, but was also okay with since it leaves you full of wonder and the lessons of never giving up and taking a confident step even when things get tough is such a nice theme to expose to kids. At the very least I would rate it a B+.
The interview at the end helped me understand why they ended it the way they did and the type of story telling they were going for. So I left feeling pretty content with the film and excited to see the new films they'll create for the upcoming generations of kids.
I agree, I can't believe he didn't like this one but praised When Marnie was There, I tried watching that one because he gave it amazing reviews and it bored me to sleep. So I'm starting to not take his reviews so seriously all the time.
he gave it a C+ that's good enough for this movie. being harsh is if he would've given it a D-
Hey Chris can you review "Little Witch Academia" on Netflix its amazing and unlike Mary, Akko want to be the best witch in her school. It's amazing check it out. Nice video.
ramirezalejandro6 I was gonna suggest LWA too, given both premises are quite similar.
LWA is good. I wouldn't say amazing, but definitely entertaining.
Who else can't wait for *Glass* I'm soooo hhyyyppppeeedddd
What's the full title? The Glass Rabbit? or, Glass no Hana to Kowasu Sekai? I looked up "Glass anime movie," and those titles I mentioned were among the results.
I was talking about the m night shyamalan movie, that's if you weren't being sarcastic in your comment
No, I was not being sarcastic. I was genuinely interested in checking out the media you suggested.
I just realized that "Glass" is on my imdb watchlist, and I had forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me. :-)
Joel Castleton yeah no problem😁
This is one of his better reviews, he breaks down the weaknesses and strengths very clearly and concisely. I really want to see more of this kind of review
Chris you should watch Devilman: Crybaby ...
Hot garbage and fuck that show.
Donna Transblack Asian Coalburning AttackHelicopter Definetly not garbage but also not as good as people make it out to be.
Donna Transblack Asian Coalburning AttackHelicopter
Your opinion.
Episode 9 is all I'm gonna say.
Episode 9's Instagram plot device, cliche preaching, and poorly handled Miki death scene almost ruined the entire thing. Everything else was pretty well done, considering it's a 10 episode adaptation of an entire comic.
Seriously though, I think people expected too much because of its Studio Ghibli roots.
People should try to remove their "Ghibli Googles" and look at Studio Ponoc with fresh eyes. Wait for 10 years and surely Mary and the Witch's Flower will be an one of the ultimate classics. I enjoyed it and no, those who say that its similar to Kiki's Delivery Service without even watching it are idiots.
A great film IMHO and the writing for me is great.
Will you review In This Corner of the World please? It’s a masterpiece
I second that motion
Please review the greatest showman and darkest hour
I totally agree. While I too was also completely blown away by the intro, as the film progressed I began to feel as though there was something "missing" from this movie (and especially towards the end). It definitely wasn't the visuals and certainly not the animation, both were incredible and had me at the edge of my seat, but the way the script and characters were developed throughout the film had left me with a slightly unamused feeling, like it just didn't hit its fullest potential as a Ghibli successor. I kept thinking to myself that I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had been 12 years younger, but then again, the same could be said for a crappy anime that doesn't even compare to this film, so I digress. It's a cute and gorgeous film, but it needed more work regarding story and character development.
Agree on everything you said, I liked it but felt rushed in plot and development in characters and villains. Also missed what I love about ghibli films and animation period when they have those quiet times to show time or character growth like when Kikis broom breaks and there isba quick scene of her in her little room carving the wood for a new one and crying about it. Or when Chihiro sits with Len on the balcony and look over the sea at night showing her adjusting to this world unlike when she was shaking in her sleep the first night. Stuff like that or small details put in to those paying attention like when you find out the tunnel in the end of spirited awat wasnt actually red and new and had a path to it in reality it was like that cuz the spirit world was open and the place was actually covered in vines and brush it was great.
I bring these up cuz in the movie she makes a big point about her hair being unruly and red and just not to her liking. Though all through people in the witching world see that hair as a sign of a strong witch. Id of liked to see her in the end instead of having her hair stay in pigtails just out and unruly and pushed back with one of her bow ribbons as a headband. Show that shes proud of inheriting that hair from her grandmother. I'm being apart of a legacy of a great witch even if she may or may not get to be one herself.
Still can't wait to watch this, a "disappointing" ghibli film is still a masterpiece when compared to most films
I don't follow movie news and things of nature in Japan, so I'm really glad you told us about Studio Ponoc! And thanks for doing these reviews!
Chris grew up with flowers
Isaac Massey that wasn’t funny
Pelis express chris grew up with being unfunny
the joke is dead guys ffs
So what are we now? Some kind of an unfunny meme
Review Punisher
Punish Reviewer
I 100% agree this film could have been so much better
It's Studio *PONOC'S* latest movie, *BLIKI"S BLEBLIVERY BLERVICE.*
Thanks for the review! I haven't seen this yet but I look forward to having netflix send me the bluray. You're usually correct in your assessment of these films, which indicates that the people that wrote this script don't understand that it's the characters, not the visual effects, that make a movie genuinely good. Good movies have good character arcs, even if the visual effects aren't spectacular. By the way, Chris, I hope you review the anime "Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom" someday.
I wonder if Chris stayed for the interviews after the movie. For me they opened up a different view on some of the points he expresses in the video. While I do still agree a movie about the character at the beginning might have been a more interesting movie.
That1BlkGuy i was wondering that too
Hey Chris I am a huge fan love your channel, we are on the same page on a lot of things. Just one question. Why did you not review Proud Mary? I was looking forward to your take on the film.
I saw this two days ago and really enjoyed it. I look forward to what Studio Ponoc has in store next.
Anyway, I've read that the movie was based on a book by Mary Stewart called The Little Broomstick.
I was just curious if anybody has ever read book MATWF is based on?
What are the similarities and differences?
Was the movie a faithful adaptation or was it another Howl's Moving Castle situation?
The ending pissed me off so much, more than the ending of Spider-Man homecoming
Thanks for these great reviews, Chris! This film wasn't even on my radar, now it is.
Saw it, enjoyed it. Plot/Character wise it was dull. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Ghibli references throughout, and am really looking forward to Ponoc's next film.
Personally, I completely agree with you Chris. I watched this movie in theaters and I went into this movie expecting a lot yet when I watched it I felt it was very predictable. I even found myself falling asleep in some parts which I don’t normally do at the movies. What mainly turned me off was the story line. It felt like a recycled script, it felt like I’d seen the same story before many times. Other than the art and animation it wasn’t too impressionable. I think your score is spot on for this movie.
The opening scene had something special just like you said, but I couldn't get into the world. It felt like a children's book, so kids might like it though! I'm still hopeful for the studio itself. I adore both Marnie and Arrietty :)
I liked the second half better when it got darker, that made things a little more interesting. But yeah, it was a bit disappointing. Still entertaining enough, and definitely recommend seeing it in a theater (any anime in the theater is great).
Thanks for the review Chis! I loved the book this film was based on growing up, The Little Broomstick by Mary Stuart, and am excited to watch. The book the film is based on was pre Harry Potter, so the similarities are there, but are from long before Harry Potter was written. Always enjoy your reviews, and is was great hearing your thoughts on this film. 😁👍💫🌸🌺
Chris, you should review the movie Miss Hokusai. I think it's one of the best anime films in years.
Although, you should definitely read a little into the backstory of the real life people it was based on. It's one of those movies that doesn't hold your hand regarding some context. You don't need to know much, just basically who the Hokusai father and daughter are and their place in history.
Chris, I think you're being a bit harsh on this film. I don't think it's perfect, but I found it to be a wonderful film with the other Ghibli films. I wonder: would you have these opinions if it was still under the Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki name?
You're entitled to your opinion, of course and I respect that, but I feel like you were more negative towards this film than you would normally be. Nevertheless, thank you for reviewing this film.
I agree, I can't believe he didn't like this one but praised When Marnie was There, I tried watching that one because he gave it amazing reviews and it bored me to sleep. So I'm starting to not take his reviews so seriously all the time.
Jenna he did say that Marnie isn't for everyone.
Well, I didn't like the characters neither. I couldn't find one character I got attached to and Mary and Peter were sort of a bratty half pint. The story was very cliched too and too much like Harry Potter and Kiki's Delivery Service. It just seemed like a very typical animated film that rips off a few other movies and the finished product was "You already watched Mary and the Witch's Flower.
I give it a D or D+ It was very iffy.
I agree i cant belive the film got this mixed reaction and hey i know it wanst going to be anything miyazaki does forsure but when i went in i was amazed and came out breathless. I cared very much for mary ,her aunt and the animals i wasnt let down by any aspect. But with that said i respect others opinions and i can see why others didnt like it as much
Alexandria James 9 for the animation. 3 for the voice acting, character development, and plot.
i really do love Mary and the witch's flower and when i watched this yes it does look like harry potter this was made in 8 July 2017 but is Based on the 1971 book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart it has nothing to do with harry potter harry potter was started around 2001
Hey Chris! I've heard you say that you're a big fan of animation but I noticed that you only review American and Japanese productions so could you please review Loving Vincent or some of Cartoon Saloon's movies like Song of the Sea for example? Thanks!
Mary did change. She started out hating peter then used the power of the flower to save him. She learned to be comfortable with herself and to care for others. Mary is a heroine many people will look up to. I disagree with this review. The movie was great. Another thing, stop comparing this film to star wars and Harry Potter because it's nothing like those movies.
I agree
yes! best scene whole movie was that beginning scene paired with its music. i def found i was more interested in that backstory. it got me super hyped then it turned into another ghibli kids movie. not that that is a bad thing. i agree with almost all your talking points chris. i would really like to see a prequel to this movie with all that great action in that backstory. its such a strong contrast and looks like so much effort went into that scene that it makes me wonder if they planned on expanding that to another movie. its too epic to ignore.
Omggggg can you please please please do a review on Anohana???? I would adore you foreverrrr 😻😻😻
I believe I watched it in the cinema 2 or 3x a few months ago (because I had to go with different groups of friends) - but I almost forgot this movie even existed until Chris brought it up. I barely remembered the ending, but Chris is right - i think that in the ending - its like nothing changed for everyone, kind of like "oh that happened didn't it... lets move on... meh"
good start from Studio Ponoc which they will pick up what's Studio Ghibli left
I totally agree with all the problems you pointed out, sadly. A big one for me though, which you seem to disagree with, was the audio. There just wasn't enough sometimes or it wasn't that good so I didn't get immersed.
I agree with you. The animation was decent, the music(especially the end credit song 'rain' by sekai no owari') was good and I actually sorta liked the dark theme this movie tried to explore, but the story and character was quite disappointing. The movie's flow of story didn't really felt natural to me, it felt more like the story is flowing out of obligation. Also, there wasn't anything interesting about Mary and Peter? too. Personally 3/10 movie to me.
I absolutely LOVE Mary and The Witches Flower. I know nothing about how to write characters, character development or script writing, so im not one to speak, but its really amazing and makes me happy :D
Hey Chris, have you checked out the first two seasons of My Hero Academia, and Konosuba?
Probably not really fair to compare this film to much bigger films. Despite its flaws i still enjoy this film!
MissMisery i see alot of kiki and harry potter comparisons both movies i hold dear to my heart and. For me you need more then just flying on a broom and haveing a magic college in your movie to make comparisons because i assure you harry and kiki are more then that and mary is different from both.
thanks so much for pointing me toward the soundtrack! listening to it on spotify rn!
I couldn’t have imagine that Kate Winslet was in this film
I have the flu, and this video has made my day better. Thank you!
Aw, I was hoping it was going to be really good... I mean, I'll probably still watch it sooner or later, but... I liked Arietty pretty well, and I adored Marnie. Hopefully this is just a fluke, and their next one will be better.
Chris, have you seen Sword of the Stranger? If not, you must watch! It is an amazing anime film, one of the greatest, I would love to see your review. Cheers!
Hey Chris, did you get to see Darkest Hour? I'd love to hear your thoughts on that film
Chris I really hope you'll See Mazinger Z the Movie (I read that it will come out in the US on February 11-12) it would mean a lot if you can say something about it! Thanks!
While I found the ending a bit abrupt, I disagree with the script being bad. It was very logical the way everything came together imo, not to mention I found the storytelling very nuanced and not cliche, which has been plaguing Hollywood as of late.
Andy Ramirez agreed looks like the film got a mixed reactions. Loved it alot perosnally
Andy Ramirez it was extremely cliche.
Great thoughts! The film is based on a really interesting original book from the 1970s. It's definitely intriguing watching it after reading the book.
In reply to the point or lesson that you had mentioned Mary learns or doesn't learn: I had taken my seven year old daughter and after/during the movie we talked about how Mary had lied and how lies can grow and grow when you aren't truthful. This led to her friend Peter being kidnapped. She learns too, I feel by her comment at the end that ultimately it's better to be yourself than pretend to be something your not.
This review put into words a lot about what I felt about the movie. Thanks!
I personally agree with Chris’s position on this film. I believe that the audio and visual are definitely top tier, however the character development was definitely lacking. There are plot holes galore in the film that leave us wanting to know more about Mary and her journey. The “in medias res” intro of the film does not add much in the end. The end goal of the antagonists really are underdeveloped.
before watching this review I watched the movie already and I told myself after finishing the movie that " I'll give it a C+ cause there's so much of lacking, I feel like Chris Stuckmann gonna give it C+ as well"
Welp, guess my predict was right all along😂
I saw it too.
I missed the first 5 minuets of the film and didn’t see the studio I thought it was gibli
i saw it was playing at the Nightlife tonight and my first thought was “i bet chris stuckmann will be there”
Just a quick note. I disagree with you on the villains motivation. It clearly stated throughout the movie what the specific motivation was. It showed it in that spell book. It showed it in that scene from the "past" and it showed it in the end of the film. Sorry if I came across to nit picky.
I just saw it and was really underwhelmed. My gf loves ghibli films more than any other and she was really let down.
I saw this today and thought it was mostly good, although the parallels with Harry Potter are really unmistakeable. I thought it was an interesting twist that the Dumbledore Lady and the Bald Scientist were actually the villains, or at least greedy for power.
It was a great movie. Had that amazing Ghibli look to it, the animation always being amazing and the designs. The only thing I kept thinking during the movie though was “This feels a lot like Spirited Away mixed with Kiki’s Delivery Service or Harry Potter.” other than that, I loved it a lot. Just a good fun laid back film.
Came here after earwig, even with mediocre story at least something really did happen in this movie and we had an actual story with beginning & ending. Kinda ironic this is a better product that comes from former talent of ghibli studio itself
I was just talking to my friend and told her that I didn't like mary much. I didn't know why but now with your review I understand. I also told her that I liked the grandma better.. I also liked peter. But the movie overall wasn't that interesting. I have to agree with everything that you said.
Anyway I still adore studio ponoc for this, their amazing work to deliver such quality "animation wise, that is"... I'm looking forward to their next movie. I hope it's something with a far better script
Yonebayashi is one of my favorite directors and I'll definitely agree, visuals and sounds were amazing but the story and characters were lacking and I wanting more information and story after the movie ended
Hey Chris, can you review the Studio Ghibli films that you haven't done yet?
i was so excited to see it! but kinda disappointed after :/ i perfectly agree with what you said, but it was a cute film nonetheless
Your thumbnail poses get scarier every day.
Chris could you review The Rainbow Exparament it was filmed in my school.
Remember seeing this trailer since last year I can't believe its out already.