Classic Friday : Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) 7/10

Starring : Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, Matthew Lawrence
Director : Hayao Miyazaki
Running Time : 105 mins

Kiki (Dunst) has just turned thirteen, and as part of an ancient rite of passage she moves into a new town to practice her craft with only her cat Jiji (Hartman) for company, but soon realises that she can't get by on magic alone. So she decides to take a job at a shop as a delivery girl, using her broomstick as her mode of transportation and promising to deliver anything imaginable.

This is not at all like any of Miyazaki's previous movies - it doesn't have a moral message like Nausicaa or Grave Of The Fireflies, and it isn't as imaginative or spectacular as My Neighbour Totoro or Laputa, but it still has a winning charm, and the animation is just as detailed, particularly the flying sequences. The story itself is sweet, with Kiki gradually being accepted by her adopted town, but don't expect to be dazzled by any spectacular sequences as they are few and far between.

You’ll like this if you liked : Whisper Of The Heart