Film Review: The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty is the most recent film to have been released stateside by the perpetually praised Studio Ghibli (this is my first excursion into their material, actually). What is most instantly striking and enjoyable about the film is the visual element; every image that wafts across the screen has a sort of ethereal beauty to it. Scenes of a cottage nestled amongst some sort of forested locale, drops of dew sliding-about on rich membranous leaves, and hidden-away residences filled to the brim with intriguing and varied contents are common fare within the visual world of Arrietty.

Because of the premise of the film, one that involves the cohabitation of a residence by both normally sized humans and those of a far smaller variety, these artfully crafted visual elements are experienced from both a perspective similar to our own, and from a much more intimate level. This contrast adds an extra plane of interest and immersion, granting an almost preternatural level of awareness to the viewer. Again, the animation itself is very beautiful, as well as the almost infinitely lush surroundings (that I believe are rendered in watercolor). Much of the magic is in the details with this experience.

There is also an almost secret and mysterious beauty to the film, held within less tangible aspects of the experience. There is a sort of meditative pace and vibe with Arrietty that places the viewer under a sort of spell or trance. Time seems to move at a pace more in line with that of the dream-realm than any sort of reality. The figures move slowly yet gracefully, and each sound is emphasized and prominent (much like a dream, really). This less tangible beauty to the film is what makes for a doubly interesting and unique experience, that might seem foreign to most viewers (in quite a good way, for me).

The soundtrack itself felt a bit lacking, to me, mainly because whatever aesthetic the music fell under wasn't really one that I am either familiar with or fond of. In many ways, the music did form a sort of cohesion with the rest of the film, but again, it just didn't really resonate with me. That aside, The Secret World of Arrietty was a truly unique and aesthetically pleasing experience, that shouldn't be missed.

C.W.