What It's About:

Lonely teenager Sophie (Mortimer) works in her late father’s haberdashery, where she one day befriends an aloof, eccentric wizard, Howl (Bale). When Sophie is transformed into an elderly woman by the jealous Witch of the Waste (Bacall), she takes refuge with Howl, who has an amazing airborne castle fueled by a fire demon named Calcifer. Together, they seek a way to reverse the spell.

Why I Love It:

Like all of Miyazaki’s hand-drawn animated films, “Howl” is charming, magical, good-humored, visually breathtaking, and swollen with themes about identity, humanity, and finding one’s way in the world. No character is ever wholly evil (or wholly good), and there’s plenty here for both adults and younger viewers to marvel at, whether it’s Miyazaki’s awe-striking artwork or his delicately rendered anti-war themes. For a truly otherworldly adventure, hop on “Howl’s Moving Castle.”