Critic Reviews

• Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

  A departure for Studio Ghibli - an emotionally nuanced, nostalgic look at the past that is grounded in everyday reality but retains the humor and delight that are part of the studio's trademark.

• Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

  In the wisdom of this artfully rendered film, Umi and Shun - and the viewer - come to learn that the past and the future should go hand in hand, that the best way to move forward is to reflect, and respect, what came before.

• Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

  The story of a girl grappling with first love, the absence of her parents and the anxieties of an on-rushing future in 1963 Yokohama has all the earmarks of a Miyazaki classic.

• Ty Burr, Boston Globe

  The film's perfectly fine, but it's not a patch on "Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Princess Mononoke," and other Studio Ghibli classics.

• G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

  This is a gentle film, hand-drawn with irresistible colors, that exudes nostalgia in a lovely way.

• Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

  Although simpler and less mysterious than the great Hayao Miyazaki movies, the gently melancholic From Up on Poppy Hill is still a must see at a time when family entertainment is too often synonymous with blandness.

• Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

  There's definitely enough here to provide a quick fix for older Studio Ghibli fans, though children will probably be bored.

• Duane Dudek, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

  The charming and nostalgic "From Up on Poppy Hill" is as lushly illustrated and vividly realized as memory itself.

• Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly

  A sweet but rather bland coming-of-age story.

• Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

  "Poppy Hill" proves to be more than just a visual feast. Its seemingly slight storyline has a warm emotional resonance, tapping into both the uncertainty of a Japan caught between past and future.

• Kimberley Jones, Austin Chronicle

  From Up on Poppy Hill, Studio Ghibli's latest, is decidedly earthbound in comparison to those transportive earlier films, though it's not without its charms.

• Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

  Goro Miyazaki has a style that's both more painterly and more cinematic than the cartoonish norm, while his father's screenplay is a classic coming-of-age story that seems suited for a live-action remake.

• Chris Cabin, Film Racket

  What limits From Up on Poppy Hill is its seeming whitewashing of some tough subjects, including the unseen consequences of war and the role of women in post-war Japan.

• Matthew Razak, Flixist.com

  A wonderfully gorgeous and nostalgic film whose story doesn't live up to its look.

• Nell Minow, Beliefnet

  It's strange to see so much focus on the details of the backgrounds, which are exquisitely rendered, when there is so little attention to the expressiveness of the characters.

• Marc Mohan, Oregonian

  The animation is pretty and clean, reminiscent of other Studio Ghibli films like "Whisper of the Heart," but never achieves wondrous artistry.

• Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

  It's a minor work. There's no argument around that. Still, it's got a good heart, and likable characters.

• Richard von Busack, MetroActive

  As in so many Studio Ghibli films, the tension is between renovation and cherishing of tradition.The movie is staged during a beautifully chosen moment of transition-the months right before the Tokyo Olympiad.

• Glenn Lovell, CinemaDope

  Like his old man, the younger Miyazaki favors limited character animation and luscious water colors. Unfortunately, he lacks his father's storytelling skills.

• Cammila Collar, TV Guide's Movie Guide

  Rest assured, the younger Miyazaki has clearly earned his stars, as Poppy Hill offers just the same intimate, ultimately life-affirming kind of storytelling we've come to expect from the family name.

Read all 20 critic reviews