From My Neighbor Totoro to Princess Mononoke to Spirited Away to Howl’s Moving Castle , the release of a new animated masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki is cause for major celebration. This cartoon fantasy centers on the adventures of a 5-year-old boy who befriends a goldfish princess name Ponyo who dreams of becoming human. This adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid is clearly aimed at younger audiences, but the visuals are a trippy treat for all ages.
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This animated Irish fable was very quietly nominated for an Academy Award earlier in 2010. It concerns Brendan, a young boy living in a remote medieval abbey in Ireland. He joins up with a monk to help complete a magical book of worldly wisdom—a quest that takes him outside the sheltering walls of the abbey and into contact with a mysterious fairy girl. Enchanting and beautifully illustrated.
