Very disappointing...

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I love me some Miyazaki. The story is a little light this time around, but it works as a magical coming of age tale. Unconventional? Yes. But you find yourself rooting for a strong female protagonist, regardless...and the ride is a blast.

Wow... I have no words to describe this film... I can't think of the right one for it. So I have a few suggestions: perfect, perfect, amazing, beautiful, and did I forget to mention perfect? This is one of my favourite movies ever. The film is very appealing not only towards kids but for adults too, you feel for the characters because you can relate to them. Jiji is pretty funny in the movie, it has stunning animation that always feels active everywhere, the music is composed beautifully, the story doesn't need to be super intense or fantasy based, because the tension for me comes from relating myself to Kiki and imagining I have to face through what she does. Kiki is such a likable character as well, and like I mentioned, feels believable... despite the fact she's a witch, she is definitely a good role model. The writing is great, especially the conversations between Jiji and Kiki. The tone is very nice, and I definitely got absorbed into the beautiful atmosphere. I highly recommend people watch this film, I just cannot recommend it enough. It gets a 10 out of 10, although I wish I could rate it higher.

Tradition is that a witch leaves home at thirteen for a year. Kiki is eager to leave with her talking black cat Jiji. She wants to see the ocean and arrives at a large seaside town. Tombo is a boy infatuated with Kiki and flying machines. Kiki is befriended by Osono who gives Kiki a job in her bakery and a place to stay. Kiki uses her only skill flying to create Kiki's Delivery Service.Kiki is exceedingly cute. The problem is that there is no continuous drama. Her journey is a series of meandering friendships. There is no villain and no quest or purpose. It's sorta like a single gal sitcom in the city. It has a puppy love element but it's a thin thread to hang a romance. There isn't any tension until she loses her flying ability. A coming of age movie would be better served with something more dramatic. This has a similar theme to Spirited Away but it doesn't have that exuberance or danger. It floats in the air like a feather but its drive is little more than blowing in the wind.

I had pretty low expectations for this film, and perhaps that was a factor in why I ended up liking it so much. I thought the story sounded kind of lame, but I was completely mistaken. It's a simple story, and some people complain that it lacks a sense of conflict and is boring, but I couldn't disagree more. It's true that not a lot "happens" during the film, but it is so engaging and beautifully told that it doesn't matter. Miyazaki somehow manages to introduce suspense, pathos, joy, excitement - a truly amazing range of human emotion - in this very simple story about a young girl striking out on her own. And in typical Miyazaki fashion, he manages to craft a story that is equally effective and engaging for children and adults. He gets several statements across very effectively and subtly: always do good; be kind to others, even when they hurt you; if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all; be true to yourself. In fact, this is one of my favorite films - period.