7 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A strange flower grants a girl magic powers.
Starring: Hana Sugisaki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yuki Amami, Fumiyo Kohinata, Hikari MitsushimaAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 99% |
Fantasy | 45% |
Family | 31% |
Adventure | 15% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, French
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Mary and the Witch's Flower is the debut film from Studio Ponoc, which hopes to fill the void left behind by Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed animation house that has produced some of the finest genre films of all time. The studio was founded by Ghibli Producer Yoshiaki Nishimura and this first film is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, whose Ghibli credits include When Marnie Was There and The Secret World of Arrietty. Mary is an auspicious beginning for the studio. It doesn't match the thematic resonance or character of the best Ghibli films -- or even Yonebayashi's own Marnie -- but it's a handsomely constructed film and a quality tale of self discovery, purpose, and adventure, complimented by beautiful animation and a soaring soundtrack.
A magical discovery.
Mary and the Witch's Flower makes for a gorgeous Blu-ray. The image is crisp, clear, and clean. Lines are very well defined. Overall definition is wonderful, whether character lines or the fine details the artists have created for furniture, carpets, woods, walls, and numerous exterior elements, like grasses, brick walls, and trees. That's not even to mention interesting and complex character designs, chemistry lab sets, and other wonderful, unique bits. Colors are vibrant, easily the highlight with impressive dazzle and pop, generally considering Mary's red hair and natural greens and particularly when considering some of the more flamboyant lighting effects that electrify the screen. Colors leap off the screen with tremendous authority and vitality. The image never struggles with banding or other eyesores; even dense fog is no problem for a five-star transfer from Universal.
Mary and the Witch's Flower features a pair of wonderful DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks, one each in English and Japanese. The movie opens with very good sonic spacing and depth. Instrumental clarity is excellent, wide open, complimented by a very satisfying and powerful low end supporting instrumentals and effects alike. Surrounds are fully engaged, carrying intense and discrete sonic activity, including musical support. It's a huge, enjoyable sequence that sets the tone for the rest of the film, which also sounds fantastic. Mary swooping about on the broom, pounding thunder effects, and large magical elements in a dungeon in chapter seven just explode out of the speakers with remarkable power and precision. Minor natural ambience -- a mooing cow, for example, or chirping birds in the background -- and some wonderfully light and complimentary underlying chilling atmospheric fills when Mary discovers the broom are all perfectly integrated into the track. The track produces seamless sound traversal and dialogue reverberation around a cavernous lecture hall at the 39-minute mark. Basic dialogue presents with polished clarity, natural positioning, and seamless prioritization.
Mary and the Witch's Flower contains several extras. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with
purchase.
Mary and the Witch's Flower can't match the best of Studio Ghibli in terms of emotional draw, but Ponoc's's debut feature is just as visually striking as anything Ghibli ever released. The film soars as an adventure populated with wonderful characters who are built on sturdy, though not necessarily resonating, arcs and surrounding themes. It's a good all-around movie and an auspicious beginning for Ponoc. Universal's Blu-ray is tremendous, boasting top-end video and audio as well as a quality assortment of extra content. Highly recommended.
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