{Mononoke-hime}
 Tagline: The Fate Of The World Rests On The Courage Of One Warrior. Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka sets out to the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods... who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke, a young woman raised by wolves. This monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture. On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime. Claire Danes (The Mod Squad), Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Billy Bob Thornton (Armageddon, Sling Blade) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup – Without Limits) sets out to the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest’s animal gods...who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (The X Files) and Jada Pinkett Smith (Scream 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed with amazement as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture! Storyline: While protecting his village from rampaging boar-god/demon, a confident young warrior, Ashitaka, is stricken by a deadly curse. To save his life, he must journey to the forests of the west. Once there, he's embroiled in a fierce campaign that humans were waging on the forest. The ambitious Lady Eboshi and her loyal clan use their guns against the gods of the forest and a brave young woman, Princess Mononoke, who was raised by a wolf-god. Ashitaka sees the good in both sides and tries to stem the flood of blood. This is met be animosity by both sides as they each see him as supporting the enemy. Written by Christopher Taguchi Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, November 27, 2014 -- Princess Mononoke, Hayao Miyazaki's haunting, beautifully animated, critically acclaimed fantasy epic, has only become more poignant and timely in the seventeen years since its original release. It doesn't offer a clear-cut tale of good vs. evil, but a deceptively complex and sophisticated story of clashing cultures in an era of environmental recession and industrial expansion. There's no villain or malicious entity to overcome; no warlord to defeat or evil king to dethrone. Just conflicting interests, stubbornness, misunderstanding, pride, insatiable appetites, and consequences born from difficult decisions. The gods, though nobly fighting to preserve balance and the natural order, have become desperate, blinded by hate and bigotry. Mononoke, though in a unique position to forge lasting peace between the gods and mankind, is too entrenched in war to see beyond the spear in her hand and the enemy in her path. And the humans, though commendably driven and ambitious, believe themselves to be saviors even when advancing as conquerors. Yet man is merely another piece on the game board; a piece prone to self-interest and shortsightedness like all the rest. All but Ashitaka, that is. Miyazaki's principled protagonist refuses to choose a side, no matter how much his allies and enemies demand he declare his loyalties. It's a choice the film presents to you as well, and one you too will find impossible to make. Inflicted with a deadly curse, a banished young warrior named Ashitaka (Yōji Matsuda, Billy Crudup) sets out into the forests of the west in search of a cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Irontown leader Lady Eboshi (Yūko Tanaka, Minnie Driver) and a proud clan of hard-working humans against two of the forest's animal gods -- wolf Moro (Akihiro Miwa, Gillian Anderson) and boar Okkoto-nushi (Hisaya Morishige, Keith David) -- who count among their ranks the brave Princess Mononoke (Yuriko Ishida, Claire Danes), a young woman adopted and raised by wolves. Even Disney's at-times questionably cast and controversially translated English dub (courtesy of author Neil Gaiman) can't spoil the majesty and artistic mastery of Princess Mononoke. Ghibli's gorgeous hand-drawn animation and Joe Hisaishi's heart-stirring score are only the beginning of what quickly becomes a stunning, altogether absorbing cinematic experience. Worm-ridden demons. Giant wolf gods. Inhuman abilities granted to ordinary men. Invading samurai armies. Endless forests, deep ravines, and hidden sanctuaries. An otherworldly nightwalker turned sovereign forest spirit, with power over life and death. The sprawling ironworks of Irontown. The undesirables and outcasts who call it home. The tragic duality of Lady Eboshi, Mononoke, Moro and Okkoto-nushi. Climactic battles of steel and bone. Hordes of warrior boars charging headlong into the fray. Assassins, cloaked in boar skins. Enlightenment that nearly arrives too late. A race to right a horrific wrong. The twilight of one era and the dawn of another. All seasoned with Japanese history and mythology, a sharply penned script brimming with memorable characters and even more memorable encounters, and Miyazaki's transparent but soft-spoken caution against abandoning what's come before to chase what lies ahead. Miyazaki takes his time too. There's no hurrying or scurrying about in Princess Mononoke, brisk as it is. The world inhales and exhales slowly and smoothly, lives and breathes, and invites exploration. Emotion oozes out of every interaction and encounter, the stakes are legitimate, and the fallout carries real weight. And there's little in the way of tiresome exposition, and what is delivered is crucial to character and, more importantly, an organic part of the dialogue. More than a testament to Miyazaki's grasp on storytelling, the film unfolds carefully and patiently, unwilling to push or pull the plot until it's ready to move. Rather than an avalanche of crises, we're given time to examine the very fabric of the conflict, so that when it begins to unravel it does so to disquieting, even distressing ends. Without a villain to blame or an antagonist to ally against, we're left with the alarming relevance of Miyazaki's chosen themes and the heaviness of the questions he poses. Some will accuse the filmmaker of preaching -- of weaving a long-winded environmental sermon -- but Princess Mononoke is about much more than hugging a few trees or sparing a few endangered species. Miyazaki takes a hard look at humanity's desire to consume, its history of destroying to create, and asks if there isn't a balance between the natural and the technological worth striking. Princess Mononoke will always be remembered as one of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's finest films, and Disney's Blu-ray release doesn't treat the film as anything less. With a perfectly faithful video presentation, two strong DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks, and a solid selection of extras, there isn't much disappointment to be had. An HD production documentary/retrospective would have been a godsend, but I'd much rather have a meticulously preserved and presented film than a pile of spiffy new special features. Add this one to your collection post-haste. Cast Notes: Billy Crudup (Ashitaka [voice]), Billy Bob Thornton (Jigo [voice]), Minnie Driver (Lady Eboshi [voice]), John DiMaggio (Gonza [voice]), Claire Danes (San [voice]), John DeMita (Kohroku [voice]), Jada Pinkett Smith (Toki [voice]), Gillian Anderson (Moro [voice]), Keith David (Okkoto / Narrator [voice]), Corey Burton (Additional voices [voice]), Tara Strong (Kaya / Additional voices [voice] [as Tara Charandoff]), Sherry Lynn (Woman in Iron Town / Emishi Village Girl / Additional voices [voice]), Matt K. Miller (Additional voices [voice] [as Matt Miller]), Marnie Mosiman (Additional voices [voice]), Julia Fletcher (Additional voices [voice] [as Julia DeMita]). IMDb Rating (01/04/16): 8.4/10 from 204,923 users Top 250: #67 IMDb Rating (09/05/14): 8.4/10 from 162,875 users Top 250: #73 IMDb Rating (10/15/07): 8.1/10 from 38,147 users Top 250: #120 IMDb Rating (05/24/01): 8.4/10 from 4,156 users Top 250: #99
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