‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ Review: Miyazaki’s Search for Hope Under Bleak and Tragic Circumstances

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Although not technically the first Studio Ghibli movie, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind set the foundation for everything that we have come to love most in their long body of work from over the years – we nonetheless still recognize it as one of their films. Being only the second feature film directed by Hayao Miyazaki as well as the first to have been based upon his own property, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind not only has not aged a single day in time but like all the best of Studio Ghibli’s movies, its message is one that still resonates with the way our world moves today. Above all, the hopefulness that Miyazaki creates within such a bleak setting results in one of the most beautiful films ever made.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas – Review

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Age has never always been the best friend for films that we remember loving when we were younger. As a matter of fact I had not seen Henry Selick’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in over ten years and that was back at a time I remember having absolutely loved the film but my perspective now has turned into something else. While I still recognize this Henry Selick/Tim Burton collaboration as a success especially in terms of what it presents with its wonderful animation, I have only found that said appreciation has faded a little more over time. It’s easy to see in part where it has become a family favourite especially during either the Halloween or Christmas seasons but outside of such events I can’t say I find myself compelled to revisit The Nightmare Before Christmas – as if that takes away from what it offers.

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