The Hair Post

Hair on your head, I mean..*cough*

Um, so, ANYWAY.  I'm just going to talk and post some stuff that is amazing and is hurr related.  In honor of the Emmys* earlier this week, let's just make this an award-type show, okay?  Okay.

The "Most Enviable Hair if I were a Man" Award:

CHRIS ZUCCONI

Just look at that floppy mess.  So cute.  Especially when live.

The "New Hair Thingy that Looks Amazing and I Need to Try Now" Award:

THE WATERFALL BRAID

It looks pretty and complicated, but even a person who sucks at hair stuff (me) can do this.  Here's a good video to ess'plain.

The "Most Desired Hair Accessory" Award:

THE SPIKED HEADBAND

Urban Outfitters

In another universe, I would DIY this.  Unfortunate in this universe, I am too lazy.  But I'm working on it!!

*LES MIS MOVIE OHMYGOD WHO'S PUMPED FOR THIS CHRISTMAS I KNOW IT'S A MOVIE SO IT'S NOT GOING TO WIN THE EMMYS LIKE NEXT YEAR BUT HEY THIS IS A MUSICAL MOVIE SO IT'S SOMEWHAT RELATED OKAY?!

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Hayao Miyazaki Movies

Note:  Talk about hiatus!  Sorry for not being very active.  School and stuff has taken over, but I am hoping I will have more opportunities to post more on this blog!

My life would seriously be incomplete without watching a movie made by Hayao Miyazaki. By combining cute, yet still artistically breathtaking animations with touching storylines that present serious struggles that are dealt with today, Miyazaki makes his movies relatable to people of ALL ages. To this day, I dream about living in a Hayao Miyazaki movie. I mean, come on. Who wouldn’t want to be the girlfriend of that drool-worthy wizard Howl? Or ride in a kick-ass catbus? Those are only a few of the many magical quirks that Miyazaki gives us in his ultra-girl power movies.

Here, I compiled some of Hayao’s movies that I’ve enjoyed and placed them into categories for the ultimate viewing pleasure!

For an instant heart-warmer:

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) - My childhood was literally watching, and watching, and watching this movie. A father and his two young daughters move to a creaky old house in the middle of rural Japan. The responsible Satsuki and the utterly adorable Mei explore their new home and surrounding forest, and have encounters with the cutest of creatures, including soot spirits, bunny-things that can howl and grow trees, and a freakin’ catbus. 

Ponyo (2008) - Alright, so this light-hearted Miyazaki movie is definitely geared towards the kiddies...But it’s great all the same! It’s a take on The Little Mermaid, except Brunhilde/Ponyo is around 3-5 years old, and so is her crush! Ponyo is extremely cute (both in fish form and human form), and the boy Sosuke has a haircut that I believe all little boys should have. And to make things even better, Ponyo’s dad is an effin sea wizard with long red locks and an amazing fashion sense! The colors of this film are also dreamy and vibrant, especially when it shows Ponyo and her family under the sea.

For an exciting adventure:

Castle in the Sky (1986) - A mysterious flying city, sky pirates, and airships!
This movie is pretty long, and often overlooked and underappreciated, but I implore you to watch this NOW! Oh man..The adventure! The mystery! The voice actors (James Van Der Beek!)! The music ! So. Good. If that didn’t convince you enough, may I introduce you to the lovely Dola?
She’s the amazing, gun-toting, kick-ass, fearless, spunky captain of the Sky Pirates (who also are her sons, and also extremely hilarious)! She’s like, the grandma I’ve always wanted!

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) - One of my favorites. The heroine Sophie, who’s just an average Joe(sephine?), must find the witch who cursed her to reverse the spell (which is way more interesting than Sleeping Beauty’s and all the others’). Sophie tags along with a smart talkin’ fire, a lovable 7-ish year old boy, a scarecrow, and the ultra dreamy Howl who’s infatuated with his own looks (Who wouldn’t when you look like this?). Super awesome visuals, and the characters are so amazing and deep, that you immediately empathize with them! Granted, this story isn’t original, but after reading the book, all I could do was fantasize about this Academy Award nominated movie (hey, it lost to Wallace and Gromit, so it’s all good).

For a serious girl power punch:

Princess Mononoke (1997) - Arguably the best of Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke is an epic movie that seriously everyone needs to watch. Unlike most of these movies, the protagonist is a guy. BUT, San (also nicknamed Princess Mononoke) is such an awesome wolf warrior princess girl, that she pretty much steals the entire movie. The story’s moral is extremely pro-environment, and there’s an EPIC battle of humans vs. nature at the end. As always, the animation is flawless and captivating, notably when the main guy gets cursed by a demon boar and also in the aforementioned battle. Note: I was kind of creeped out by this movie as a child (I’m still a wimp, so this might not be saying much), so watch with tweenies or older.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) - So I only watched this once, but I don’t have to see it again to recommend it to all you people. Quite a few elements in this movie are reflected in later Miyazaki films. Like Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki makes a huge point out of respecting and loving nature. And like Castle in the Sky, there’s a lot of flying machinery. But the plot itself is radically different. Nausicaä is peace-loving yet headstrong, and it is up to her and only her to save her post-apocalyptic world. The movie may be a little convoluted and it’s pretty dang long, so watch when you have time and can completely concentrate on it.

Spirited Away (2001) - This is probably the most watched Miyazaki movie of mine (I suppose this is indicates that this is my favorite?). The girl power embodied in this movie is different from and far more subtle that of the action-y Mononoke and Nausicaä; it is about the true compassion and dedication someone has for their loved ones. It’s a great bildungsroman - when we first meet 10 year old Chiriro, she is resentful of her parents’ decision to move away from the comfort of her old home and friends. On the way to their new house, a “shortcut” results in the Ogino family getting hopelessly lost as they stumble upon an abandoned bathhouse. But a sharp turn in events make Chihiro do whatever it takes to save her parents. The pureness and simpleness of Chihiro’s intentions combined with her bravery when faced with impossible tasks make us all absolutely fall in love with her. PLUS, Spirited Away unforgettable characters - a shady customer, a mysterious boy, and a vastly misproportioned and evil-ish witch to name a few (there are also plenty of adorable creatures similar to Totoro!) At the end of the film, we will see a new wiseness in Chihiro. We will realize that the little adventures Chihiro had will propel us to let our curiosity lead the way and explore the world and its mysteries for ourselves.

Honorable Mention:

The Cat Returns (2002) - Okay, so this isn’t a Miyazaki film (it’s by a different guy at Studio Ghibli), but it is worth throwing out there. A teenage girl who meets talking and walking cats and goes on an adventure to their world! That is all.