KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

negatively-positive-girl Liked the sounds of the water, backgrounds and animation are both beautiful as always for Studio Ghibli. Not one of their best, but the mystery was enough to keep me engaged with the characters and watch it until the end. I'll even go so much as to say that it's one of their most underrated films.

ea_030402 This is a poignant masterpiece birthed by Studio Ghibli. Wonderful story line and picturesque scenery accompanied by relatable protagonist and her struggles to accept herself. This movie will not disappoint you. The twist at the end would leave you crying for a long time. Would totally watch again.

Leofwine_draca WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE is a sweet and touching family drama from those gifted animators at Studio Ghibli. The story involves a lonely young girl who goes to live with her aunt and becomes entranced by an abandoned old mansion by a lake. She soon befriends a young blonde-haired girl living there and the two develop a friendship, but mystery remains regarding her new friend's identity. As with many recent Ghibli films, this one's set in a recognisable real world and is less fantasy-oriented than their older classics. It's sublimely made, as always, and features a plot which layers on the emotion and feelings until the final, moving twist.

Cartoonreviews I don't know what it is about Ghibli recently, but I have been so amazingly bored with their recent movies. The Wind Rises, From Up on Poppy Hill, and now When Marnie was there.Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE Ghibli movies. Kiki's delivery service, the Cat Returns, and Castle in the Sky are some of my favorite movies of all time. However, this one, I sadly have to say, it is the ONLY ghibli movie I have ever shut off halfway through due to boredom.I don't know what it is about recent Ghibli movie and their aversion to using magic, but it doesn't help their cause.Ghibli unfortunately is like every other studio. They are not infallible. They make mistakes.The biggest issue I found with this movie is that the main character is an annoying little whiner. Every problem she has in the movie is due to her being a whiner. (except for the asthma) She goes to the new place, and she's mopey. People try to make friends with her, and she's a jerk and mopey again. Then when the kids in town get annoyed at her for being a jerk, I think the movie is trying to get you to feel bad for her? But I can't. Every single time something bad happens it is entirely her fault. The first half of this movie was just a test of patience to see if you didn't punch this girl in the face. Then Marnie shows up but the problem is, you hate the other girl so much by that point you don't even care if she makes a friend. I sure didn't.Ghibli's music and animation are never brought into question. No matter how terrible their movie is the art and music are always breathtaking. That doesn't change. But the main character was so unlikable, there was a lack of overt use of magic or wonder, and I did not give a single care about the story this girl went through as every single problem created was of her own doing.I actually read the ending of the movie on wiki because I just felt like knowing how it ended but I didn't want to invest more than 30 seconds doing so. And I still don't care.I do not like some Ghibli movies. I know this may sound blasphemous, but I just can't get into some. However, on the flip side, some of them are breathtakingly amazing. But I have NEVER shut one off halfway through before. That is something amazing all in itself. Tales from Earthsea and from Up on Poppy Hill are BAD but I didn't shut them off halfway through. Because as bad as they were, at least they weren't BORING. And that is the greatest sin a ghibli movie could have. So it with a heavy heart that I have to give When Marnie was there, a 3, out of 10.