Criteria
Twenty two movies, an entire month of
films, and now it comes down to this. Did anyone honestly think Ghibli Month
would end any other way?
This
was the hardest list I've made. Aside from a few notable exceptions,
I'm looking at you Earthsea, every film this month was at one point up for
consideration. Some were easier to cut than others, but
eventually decisions had to be made.
Weighing visuals against story,
characters against themes, heart versus art, there was a lot to consider.
Single scenes could make up for and undo a slew of problems while an entire
story can stay consistently solid throughout. How do you rank gold higher than
other pieces of equally pure gold?
In the past I've relied on a number
of factors. While everything ultimately came down to what I
thought was a better film, my biggest consideration was what movie I would pick
if I were given only a second to decide.
Spoilers ahead, it was crushing to
leave films like Whisper of the Heart,
When Marine was There, and Nausicaä as honorable mentions because
they are each brilliant in their own right. With that in mind, these ten are
what I think best represent Ghibli and are the Crown Jewels of its
legacy. Without any further ado, here are my Top Ten Studio Ghibli Films.
