Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Most Admired and Adored Miyazaki Film
Laputa, Castle in the Sky, is the most creative, ambitious, and adventurous Miyazaki film I have ever seen. I like Miyazaki's work very much for its grandeur, originality, and imagination. Sadly to say that Disney has lost its creative edge. It has been copying stories all over the world. Disney promised to release the Castle in the Sky video in 1999 but they failed to keep their promise. (Disney, please include the original Japanese soundtrack on the US release because I don't like the English voice actor behind Pasu.)After 16 years since Castle in the Sky was first released in the theatres, I still consider it the creme da la creme of all anime movies. Certainly Laputa's art direction cannot compare to today's S/B CGI and S/B 3D animation. However, the story is much more fascinating and breathtaking than KiKi Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and even Princess Mononoke. Princess Mononoke is a graphically stunning piece of art but Castle in the Sky is a wonderful story of courage and determination. While there are a few graphically violent scenes in Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky is packed with action without graphic violence. I considered myself fortunate to be able to see it on the big screen (the original English version.) Castle in the Sky is a grand movie that deserves the big screen. I love the soundtrack of the movie very much. It is very uplifting and motivating. The title song, Carrying You, communicates the same kind of warmheartedness that permeates throughout all of Miyazaki's films.
Rating: - The best comes off the shelf
This is one of my favorite all time movies. This and Nausicaa I feel are Myazaki's best, far superior to Mononoke and Sen. What I look forward to most is hearing the revamped soundtrack. Jo Hisaishi was brought back to write new music to "update" the 17-year old movie and fill in some spaces. Hollywood has some silly rule about not allowing more than so many minutes of an animated film to go without any background music. But at least Disney went to the original composer (I'm sure Myazaki would have it no other way). Hisaishi also composed soundtracks for all of Miyazaki's best known films and the main theme for Laputa (Castle in teh Sky) is maintained. It's a beautiful tune and in addition to how I feel about this film, I think it has the best soundtrack. I know I will be adding the new music to my collection.What I don't look forward to is the poor transliteration of the names. Check out fan sights for this movie to see what was wasn't handled the best way. Still, I'm sure this will be better than the dub job done in the late 80's. It's only a shame that this isn't coming to the big screen. Miyazaki is finally getting the respect he deserves and his movies should as well.
Rating: - It's been a long time coming.
The wonderful thing about this movie is the way in which Miyazaki likes to present his underlying message; that technology is seductive, overwhelming, and may be the key to dominating others, but the user/abuser eventually isolates himself from those whom he would rule and/or fear. The isolation is complete, separating the "powerful" from others as well as nature. The poem that Sheeta recites to Muska is the reason why the initial inhabitants left Laputa: We need roots in the Earth; Let's live with the wind;
With seeds, make fat the winter;
With the birds, let's sing of spring. To couch the theme of this poem in the metaphor of the search for a floating mythical island of power demonstrates the depth of Miyazaki's talent and abilities in blending a moral message with his love for flight, talent for timing, storytelling prowess, and his immense respect for ecology and nature. The other wonderful thing about Miyazaki's/Studio Ghibli's films is that it isn't aimed at any market; it is aimed at both adults and children despite the fact that it is anime, and as a result, is much more honest about presenting its themes without resorting to sugar-coating or talking down to children. It is a very watchable film - not cartoon - despite being a fantasy, despite being anime, and despite Disney's efforts to process it through its marketing machinery. It's appalling that the release of this movie as well as Miyazaki's others such as Nausicaa, Porco Rosso, Omohide Poro Poro (Only Yesterday), and others has been held up in this country for as long as they have simply because Disney or Buena Vista owns the distribution rights. The international release year was way back in 1986, when I was in 6th grade. I enjoyed it immensely then, I enjoy watching it with even more pleasure now. I find it ridiculous that Disney would request the rescoring of the movie simply for marketing purposes and to sell more DVDs. Nonetheless, the belated release of this movie in this country more than overshadows the distateful actions of corporate narrow-mindedness.
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