Something went wrong with Howl's Moving Castle. That's not to say that there isn't anything worthwhile to be found within this minor Miyazaki work, but it's nothing when compared to the likes of Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke (thankfully there is a God and those works have been ranked higher on the list - phew). Thing is, there a tons of animated movies far more deserving of a place than this one, which is - fundamentally - a bit of a mess. The mistake that Miyazaki made with Howl's Moving Castle stems from the fact that there is little internal logic; he seems to rely purely on the visual aspects, forsaking any kind of coherent storyline, which ultimately renders this as confusing and frustrating. Even Spirited Away, with its Alice in Wonderland-inspired plot, allowed us to cling to a sense of narrative; Howl's Moving Castle might be beautiful to look at, but it's not all that "enjoyable" to watch.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
