Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)

The 2005 release “Howl’s Moving Castle” is my third Hayao Miyazaki film in as many months, and it’s as out-of-this-world magical as its sister films (“Spirited Away“ and “Ponyo”). A girl who works in her late father’s hat shop encounters in a single day a kindly but eccentric wizard named Howl and a self-fawning, cruel witch. The former saves Sophie’s life, while the latter sets a spell that turns lass into old lady. The stricken Sophie flees home, only to encounter the titular structure, a (literally) roaming mishmash of dozens of castles, houses and cottages. "Howl" casts its own spell with a surreal plot, shifting character loyalties and -- hands down -- some of the best animation I’ve ever laid eyes on. Miyazaki’s films have become my favorite film fantasy outlets of recent, and “Howl” delivers: The sites, images and many places see here have never been done before. The American dub has Christian Bale as Howl, Emily Mortimer as (young) Sophie and Billy Crystal as a fireplace demon. The last thankfully low key. A