Finally caught this highly praised flick and loved it. At first I was skeptical because the setup seemed to foreshadow the standard Disney fairytale formula... damsel in distress is rescued by prince charming... But it was nice to see that hackneyed formula subtly reversed by the end of the film. Also notable is the use of an old character as a protagonist, which I read was one of Miyazaki's strong themes. Sure Sophie alternates between old & young but most of her screen time is as the old grandma Sophie which is another departure from the standard fairytale focus on young protagonists.

The animation of the castle was out of this world. Apparently the original book didn't specify what the castle looked like, aside from being a dark place, so the steampunk biomechanical look was a really cool visual interpretation.

Couple things I'm lukewarm about, like the sudden change of heart everyone seems to have at the end. But I suppose that was another one of Miyazaki's themes consistent throughout the story: tolerance & forgiveness leads to redemption. Me having 1 foot in the cynic camp, I didn't quite buy it. But I'm sure I'll soften up on 2nd viewing which I'll definitely do, if only for the sake of enjoying the stunning visuals.