Studio Ghibli has had a good run recently. Its last two films, "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and "The Wind Rises" were both nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (although they both inexplicably lost to Disney movies, "Big Hero 6" and "Frozen," respectively).
Most people casually acquainted with Ghibli are familiar with the main man, Hayao Miyazaki, who makes some of the best animated films in the history of animated film (he is, for example, responsible for "Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away" and my favorite, "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind"). Ghibli, however, is home to many extremely talented filmmakers – among them Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who made his feature directorial debut in 2010 with "The Secret World of Arrietty." Now he's back with his second effort, "When Marnie Was There," which opens today as the most recent installation in the Louisville Exclusives series at Village 8.
Yonebayashi’s film tells the story of Anna, a girl who doesn’t quite fit in, feeling more comfortable spending time by herself daydreaming. When she gets sick and goes to the country for recovery, she meets Marnie, a peer who breaks through Anna’s self-imposed isolation. Marnie, however, is mysterious, and it becomes apparent that things may not be quite what they seem.
"When Marnie Was There" is scheduled to play at Village 8 for one week until Thursday, July 16 (this is subject to possible extension). Village 8 is located at 4014 Dutchmans Lane. For complete theater information and showtimes, see the Village 8 website.
Image: IMDB
