The 2009 New Zealand International Film Festival is on at the moment, and while I haven’t had a chance to see alot of the films I did make time to go see Ponyo.

I’m a huge fan of Miyazaki + Studio Ghibli. I have half a dozen of their films, so I was pretty stoked to get to see Ponyo not only on the big screen, but at The Civic (Click the link, you’ll get a panoramic view of inside the theatre).

The Civic is a gorgeous, gorgeous theatre. Much better than the panoramic view makes it out to be. It’s huge for a start. And there are so many tiny tiny details. Before the show the sun ’sets’, and if you look up stars come out on the ceiling! I’m not quite sure how they do it, but the last time I was there they had clouds drafting over the ceiling too. Not actual clouds, I’m fairly sure it was just clever lighting, but I was delighted to see it. And stoked that Ponyo was shown there.

There’s something really great about Miyazaki’s films. They all are filled with fantastic animation, touching storylines (which usually have a clever (and moral) point), and the characters are always super charming and have such unique characteristics (in Ponyo there were old women who cackle and regain the use of their knees like youngsters; Lisa, the mother figure is a really crazy driver, and the villain? He wears blush and circus pin-stripped suit!)

While I found this one a little more straightforward than some of the other movies, Ponyo really was great. I love that there is so much life in his little characters (it certainly doesn’t hurt that they are super cute, too). In this one the evil characters weren’t so evil (certainly not like the top hat henchmen in Howl’s Moving Castle) but they were certainly present just the same.

All in all, I was pretty stoked to get to see it. I’ll probably end up adding the dvd to my collection too, I think. If you get the chance to see it, I HIGHLY recommend it :)