Friday, February 25, 2005

Howl's Moving Castle and others

Went to watch Howl's Moving Castle (directed by Hayao Miyazaki's), a Japanese anime at Cineleisure with my ex-colleagues ( 7 of them, yet we 8 manage to get to sit in a row). I absolutely have no idea what this movie is about when my friend called to ask if I am interested, and I told her “ Scary movie ha? If so , I am not interested.” What a joke man!

Anyway, guessed my friend gathered us all to watch Howl's Moving Castle because the main character—Howl, is voiced by TAKUYA KIMURA. My other friend was gushing how “pretty” Howl is. Yah, the 美男子type.

Hmm, compare to Spirited Away, I think Howl’s is not that much detailed. Also there were some parts we aren’t cleared about, for example: Why at times Sophie is an old woman, while at times she resumes back to her normal state though her hair is still white; What curse was the wizard, Howl under? And what is his purpose in life—just to fight against bombs? Why his hands will grew feathers when fighting?

Was searching for some synopsis on the web, and managed to get a few clues.
Here they are:

Based on Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Howl's Moving Castle follows the story of young Sophie Hatter, a bookworm, the eldest of three daughters, a girl doomed to an uninteresting life as a hat maker. Sophie resigns herself to her boring fate, but fate has other plans for her. Cursed by the Witch of the Waste with the body of a 90-year-old woman, she finds her way to the moving castle inhabited by the wizard Howl, said by all to eat the souls of young girls.Howl has been cursed by the Witch as well, and is seeking the love of young girl to help him break the curse

Another plot summary from
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/plotsummary

“A young woman named Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste, and turns into an old woman, and she is unable to tell anyone of her plight. Unable to continue her job at her mother's hat shop, she goes to the ambulatory castle of the notorious wizard Howl, and insinuates herself into his household. Sophie befriends Calcifer, the fire demon who powers the castle and who is bound to Howl by a contract, the terms of which Calcifer cannot reveal. They promise to help each other with their problems. Like Calcifer, Howl can also see through the Witch's spell, and he and Sophie fall in love. Sophie helps Howl confront his former teacher, and the Witch of the Wastes.”
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Received a few shocking news from my ex-colleagues.
One of them was a really a shocking piece: One of my ex-colleagues’ husband had passed away suddenly. So sad that now she’s a young widow. Perhaps it’s a blessing that she has no kids though married for a couple of years.
There were a lot of changes in my ex company now. One was fired on the spot last week, there was a change of printers, staff now have to state their movements on the shared calendar……
Well, nothing much to say as I am not located there anymore :P

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