Howl's Moving Castle

[Mr. Toad]

Well I just got back from seeing this, and I was pretty impressed.

What, it's in Canada? I didnt think it was until next week.

[TM2-Megatron]

What, it's in Canada? I didnt think it was until next week.

It opened for a limited release today; only 35 screens across the U.S. and Canada, I think. It's playing at 3 in Ontario, one AMC and two Famous Players. You can see if it's playing near you on Movietickets.com

[Little Red Henski]

Here are the showtimes for the 1st week.

San Francisco, CA
AMC Kabuki 8 - 1:15pm | 4:15 | 7:20 | 10:10

Hollywood, CA
Pacific El Capitan - 10:00am | 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45

San Diego, CA
Hillcrest Cinemas - 1:50pm | 4:25 | 7:00 | 9:35

La Jolla, CA
AMC La Jolla Village 12 - 1:10pm | 4:00 | 7:15 | 10:00

San Diego, CA
Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 - 10:30am | 1:10pm | 3:50 | 6:45 | 9:45

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Highlands Ranch, CO
AMC Highlands Ranch 24 - 10:50am | 1:50pm | 4:50 | 7:50 | 10:50

Denver, CO
Mayan Theatre - 4:15pm | 7:00 | 9:35

Westminster, CO
AMC Westminster Promenade 24 - 11:10am | 2:00pm | 4:40 | 7:30 | 10:25

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Alpharetta, GA
AMC Mansell Crossing 14 - 11:05am | 1:40pm | 4:30 | 7:20 | 10:00

Atlanta, GA
United Artists Tara Cinemas-Atlanta - 1:25pm | 4:05 | 7:00 | 9:40

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Evanston, IL
Century CineArts 6 - 11:00am | 1:30pm | 4:15 | 7:15 | 10:00

Chicago, IL
Pipers Alley 4 - 4:15pm | 7:15 | 10:10
AMC River East 21 - 1:15pm | 4:00 | 7:10 | 10:00

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Olathe, KS
AMC Studio 30 - 1:10pm | 4:05 | 7:05 | 10:05

Leawood, KS
AMC Town Center 20 - 11:10am | 1:55pm | 4:35 | 7:20 | 10:20

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Cambridge, MA
Kendall Square Cinema - 2:15pm | 5:00 | 8:00

Boston, MA
Loews Theatres Boston Common - 11:50am | 2:50pm | 6:10 | 8:50 | 11:50

Brookline, MA
Coolidge Corner Theatre - 12:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:15 pm, 4:45 pm, 7:15 pm, 9:45 pm, 12:00 am

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Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Cinema - 1:30pm | 2:05 | 4:00 | 4:45 | 7:00 | 7:45 | 9:30

Hanover, MD
Muvico Egyptian 24 - 11:05am | 1:50pm | 4:35 | 7:25 | 10:10

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Minneapolis, MN
Uptown Theatre - 1:40pm | 4:15 | 7:00 | 9:45

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New York, NY
Loews Lincoln Square 12 - 11:10am | 2:00pm | 4:45 | 7:40 | 10:40

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Portland, OR
Regal Fox Tower Stadium 10 - 12:45pm | 2:10 | 4:15 | 5:10 | 7:00 | 7:50 |
9:40 | 10:30

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Philadelphia, PA
Ritz East - 11:45am | 2:20pm | 4:55 | 7:30 | 10:05

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Arlington, VA
Shirlington 7 - 12:30pm | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:50 | 10:10

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Washington, DC
Dupont Circle 5 - 12:00pm | 1:00 | 2:40 | 3:40 | 5:20 | 6:20 | 7:50 | 9:00 |
10:20

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Lynnwood, WA
Loews At Alderwood - 11:00am | 1:50pm | 5:00 | 7:50 | 10:50

Seattle, WA
Metro Cinemas - 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45
Uptown Cinemas - 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45

Redmond, WA
Regal Bella Bottega Stadium 11 - 12:55pm | 4:10 | 7:35 | 10:35
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Vancouver, BC
Cinemark Tinseltown - 1:50 4:30 7:10 9:55

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Toronto, ON
Paramount Toronto - 12:20 3:10 6:20 9:30

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Scarborough, ON
AMC Kennedy Commons 20 - 1:35 4:25 7:05 10:05

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Oakville, ON
AMC Winston Churchill 24 - 1:35 4:35 7:20 10:00

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West Montréal, QC
AMC Forum 22 - 1:15 4:05 7:00 9:45

Hopefully Miami gets it next week.

[Mr. Toad]

Vancouver - I saved for years so I could get out of that place, and once I finally do there is a reason to be there.

But I am headed over this weekend. Sunday night I am so there.

Thanks Red. Come on Nala lets go.

[TM2-Megatron]

Vancouver, BC
Cinemark Tinseltown - 1:50 4:30 7:10 9:55

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Toronto, ON
Paramount Toronto - 12:20 3:10 6:20 9:30

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Scarborough, ON
AMC Kennedy Commons 20 - 1:35 4:25 7:05 10:05

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Oakville, ON
AMC Winston Churchill 24 - 1:35 4:35 7:20 10:00

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West Montréal, QC
AMC Forum 22 - 1:15 4:05 7:00 9:45

Five screens for the limited release week in Canada isn't too bad; though I feel a need to question their distribution choices. Why 3 centered around Toronto? One should've gone to Calgary, and another to Quebec City. I see no reason for the Scarborough showing.

[Mr. Toad]

I can see Calgary but Quebec City is a rather small population for another showing.

[TM2-Megatron]

I can see Calgary but Quebec City is a rather small population for another showing.

It would still make more sense than putting it at a theatre in Scarborough when there are already showings in both Toronto and Oakville.

[Mushu]

I just got back from seeing it and all that I can say is wow! But it did leave me with some unanswered answers.

[biganimefan]

Just out of curiosity, why is this film released in select theaters? This is not playing where I'm at. Miyazaki already won an academy for his previous film. Are we (Americans) afraid of too much Japanese influence or is it because there is not a huge following of Japanese animation. Is there another reason like competition? I know there was a delay when Princess Mononoke was released because there was a fear of competition with Mulan. Or americans may not understand Japanese style of filmmaking and that people may get bored because it's slow? I disagree with people who think this way. Miyazaki films have always been very consistant, and he has his style of story telling (he creates his own stories). He has said he tries to create stories that address the problems at the moment in a creative way, unlike American animation styles where it's very cartoony and humorus (not saying that's bad or anything, just different styles). Miyazaki deserves to be credited for his work. So I'm excite to see this film...I just have to drive 4 freekin hours to see it though lol.

[Luke]

Welcome to the forum, biganimefan! Did you mean to post this in the <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i> thread? Is that the film you're talking about?

To address your actual question, it's probably based on history and research of American attendance of anime films. The only ones that have really received wide releases are those which already have a built-in audiences (i.e. TV shows airing in America). While Miyazaki does have a built-in audience, it's probably not significant enough among the moviegoing population to do a really huge release. Nonetheless, his films always sell satisfactorily on DVD; it's probably a better (read: more profitable) market for his films in the US. At least it gets theatrical release. It's not often anymore than 2-D animated films do here.

[Pukahontas]

Although I'm not a huge Miyazaki fan, I might give this movie a try.

[biganimefan]

I haven't seen much advertisment on Howl's moving castle either. Same with Steamboy. It's disappointing to me. I'm not much of a Pokemon fan, I'm too old for Pokemon. Personally I don't much care for animation style in Pokemon either, it's not as high quality like Miyazaki and Otomo films for some reason, and I guess it's just their style.

Didn't blair witch project start out in limited theaters and it became so popular that it was changed to wide release?

[LeiaP22]

Off to see it, starts in less than an hour at Tinseltown.

[biganimefan]

Miyazaki films have always been very consistant, and he has his style of story telling (he creates his own stories).

Wanted to add that I didn't mean THIS movie to be his original story (it's based on English writer Diana Wynne Jone's story, not Miyazaki). I was just generalizing about his style of filmmaking.

[Christian]

The movie is opening in wider release on the 17th.

[Mr. Toad]

Another excellent winner.

Really good job by the top rank voice talent as usual. Visuals were fantastic but the castle seemed to be a bit of a nod to Terry Gilliam. I guess I can echo Musho - Wow.

Saw a trailer for Valiant and was totally unimpressed - looks like a series of bodily fluid and fart jokes.

[Prince Eric]

Box-office mojo has reported that Howl's Moving Castle has taken in $400,000+ the first weekend. I think that's a very good start.

[Mr. Toad]

Thanks for the info Eric second highest per screen average next to Mr and Mrs Smith, over double Madagascar when you look at it that way.

[PublicEnemy#1]

That's still a good gross even though Spirited Away did better with less theatres. I honestly hope I see this next weekend...

[Mr. Toad]

The review continued. Came back to work yesterday to post and did it quickly.

As for people having a lot of questions, I would agree with that. As usual with Miyazaki the fun was in the ride not in the destination. The end was forced and rushed. Felt like somebody yelled two minutes left to an improv group. Really the only lacking part of the movie.

I loved a couple of lines from the movie and keep in mind I am paraphrasing a day after I saw it. Think they really represent the world in which we live in.

"Only idiots believe what they believe in the newspaper".

To Sophie's question of "Are the battleships theirs or ours".

Howl's response "It does not matter they are both evil".

Really like those in a world where tolerance for so called subversive behavior has dissapeared.

So the movie was really intelligent, creative, well excecuted with the exception of the ending. Nice escape from the buddy rut that north american animation companies cant seem to get out of.