Mary and The Witch's Flower (2018)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

One of Studio Ghibli's most wonderful films was "Kiki's Delivery Service"---an anime movie about a young witch who goes into the world to find herself. In many ways, "Mary and the Witch's Flower" is like taking Kiki from that classic movie and sending her to Hogwarts! Seriously.When the story begins, Mary seems to be a pretty ordinary young girl. However, when she meets a black cat in the forest and finds a broom, something very strange happens....a weird slime pours from a flower onto her hands and instantly she can fly using the broom. She has no idea what she's doing but soon she and the cat are in a far away magical land with talking animals as well as a witch's school....Endor! But things aren't all happy and laughter there....and after a while she isn't sure who to trust. What's next? Well, it's a bit like "Frankenstein"...but you'll have to see for yourself.This film is based on Mary Stewart's 1971 story "The Little Broomstick"....which came out long before Kiki or Harry Potter....so although similar to the other stories, it is an original as well. I have never read this book nor had I heard of it before seeing the movie.So it is any good? Well, the animation quality is excellent and although it looks just like a Studio Ghibli movie, it's instead made by a different Japanese studio. I liked the film quite a bit. I only really have one quibble...the resolution to the story was very fast and not especially satisfying.

Last year, a brand new animation studio in Japan called Studio Ponoc, found by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, released their first ever feature film, Mary and the Witch's Flower, based on the book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart. While it earned lots of praise, many saw the film as inferior to Studio Ghibli; keep in mind that the film's director previously directed The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There. It seems as if people are still sad that the age of Ghibli is over, but it's time we moved on to this studio, because this film seems to have helped kickstart a potential successor to the acclaimed studio.The film tells the story of a young girl named Mary Smith who discovers an old broomstick and a strange flower called the "fly-by-night". Upon both the broomstick and flower whisking Mary into Endor College -- a school of magic run by headmistress Madam Mumblechook and the brilliant Doctor Dee, it's here where Mary discovers a horrible truth about said college and must set things right. With a premise like that, this is sure to be a character driven narrative, and Mary is made as a rather sympathetic and intriguing lead given how her boring life turns way more interesting after she briefly becomes a witch. It's later on in the film where we learn more about both the college's past and Mary's origins, showing off some hidden layers that will either disturb or enlighten you depending on which story aspect you follow.One interesting aspect about the film is how despite magic playing a key role, it also tackles the themes of whether it is proper or improper upon full usage. In fact, there are many moments where Mary has to rely more on bravery than actual magic, proving how sometimes, you can do way more with what you already have than what you might need. In addition, the animation is gorgeous to look at, with the green woods and mist-filled forests of England done in a soothing watercolor aesthetic, and the college of Endor itself practically coming off as a psychedelic space dream. Some notable objects throughout the enchanting place range from students floating by in soap bubbles, fountains morphing into humans, and grotesque creatures. There are also some thrilling action sequences towards the third act that really put the viewers on the edge of their seats.In terms of other characters, Madam Mumblechock and Dr. Dee are a good representation of those who are driven by greed and lust for new innovation, making them pretty threatening villains in their own regard. Peter, who ends up playing a bigger role in the film's second half, isn't all that memorable, but he does end up creating some big obstacles for Mary to overcome her fears. Mary's great-aunt Charlotte ends up becoming a very important character later on in the film and also helps Mary overcome her fears, whilst also helping Mary overcome her fears as well. There's not much to say about the rest, as they're either just there or are mere productive beings for Mary to struggle around. Also, if there's one big issue with Mary herself, it's that despite her overcoming the usage of magic with courage in the third act, she doesn't have much inner conflict in the beginning of the film, and it would've helped if she had more to her than being an average clumsy kid at first.Like I said before, Studio Ghibli may not be as active as before, but at least we have a new successor to make even better films in the near future. Overall, despite some weak characters, Mary and the Witch's Flower is a well done first feature from a new animation production company that packs in enough stunning animation, impressive themes of triumphing over superiority, and story momentum. If you're into stories about young sorcerers, you're a fan of Harry Potter or Little Witch Academia, or a former Ghibli fan, definitely give this film a watch. It's important to give new studios a chance, because even if their first product is only good but not great, just the right amount of love and support will help their next films blossom into something much more grand than their first attempt. Whatever Studio Ponoc has in store for us in the future, you can bet that I'll be there when it first comes out....in America that is.

Mary and The Witch's Flower is the debut anime film from Studio Ponoc and directed by former Studio Ghibli animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty, When Marnie Was There). Based on the novel "The Little Broomstick" by Mary Stewart, it is a nice first offering from the relatively new animation studio and features some truly beautiful animation.On her Great Aunt's estate, young Mary Smith (voiced by Ruby Barnhill) lives a bored existence as she tries to pass the time before her parents join her. One day, while venturing out in the nearby woods, Mary stumbles upon a mysterious blue flower, believed to have been used by witches for their magical powers.Naturally, the film has taken some strong influences from its Ghibli roots, particularly that of Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service, but also from the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with its overall magical tone and setting. The story does unfortunately play it safe one too many times, especially during the final act, and this does affect the overall enjoyment at times, whether this is how things are in the original novel I am unsure. Needless to say though, the animation is simply gorgeous and is up there with some of Studio Ghibli's best films. The attention-to-detail on every frame is exquisite and the use of colour makes the film great to look at. The performances of the English dub cast is solid, particularly that of newcomer Ruby Barnhill (Disney's The BFG) as the title character. However, as likeable a protagonist Mary is, her character seemed somewhat generic from a storytelling perspective and most of the supporting cast felt underdeveloped and one-dimensional. I have yet to see the original Japanese dub but I plan to do so in the not-too-distant future.I rate it 7.5/10

Overall this was an okay movie. Animation was great but the story was a bit week. I believe more time will the witches world would have been more desireable. And the ending was more of a Meh for me.