This Studio Ghibli co-production with its zen-like minimalism offers a magical, meditative take on Robinson Crusoe Less is a whole lot more with this palate-cleansing animation, which sets itself apart from its caffeinated Hollywood counterparts with a minimalist, meditative approach. Jointly made by Europeans and Japan’s Studio Ghibli, it’s like a zen variation on Robinson Crusoe. A man is washed up on an archetypal desert island. Repeated attempts to sail away bring him into contact with a mysterious giant turtle, out of which a surprising companionship magically develops. The story operates at the level of a universal myth, free of dialogue or specifics, subtly alluding to more essential, existential matters. The simple, uncluttered images do the rest. This is a movie to bask in, and we’re given the space to do so. Characters are often dwarfed in lush expanses of sea, sky or forest, and there’s a delight in small details: a Greek chorus of scuttling crabs, the lapping of waves on the shore. There are moments of violence, too – this is no therapeutic screen-saver. The experience is captivating, transcendental even. Continue reading...
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