From the Award-Winning Director Hayao Miyazaki

Starring: (the voice talents of:) James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, Mark Hamill, Jim Cummings, Richard Dysart, John Hostetter, Michael McShane, Andy Dick, Mandy Patinkin, Tress MacNeille, Debbie Derryberry

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"This is no longer a throne room. This is a tomb for the both of us. You see, a king without compassion does not deserve a kingdom." - Sheeta

Why watch this? This is a other-worldly vision crammed with animated awesomeness.

Plot Summary: A young girl named Sheeta, who possesses a mysterious crystal, is pursued by both government agents and air pirates seeking to find a legendary floating city called Laputa. After she falls from an airship, she is rescued by a boy named Pazu, and together they flee their pursuers while trying to uncover the secrets of her past and his family's connection to the mythical castle. Their quest leads them on a high-flying adventure, but they soon discover that Laputa holds powerful secrets that others want to exploit.

Dad's Preview: I confess I am late to the Studio Gimli party, yet it's cool to now experience each film without any idea of where it is going to go. This treasure starts out as a mildly magical film, then transforms, without so much as an awkward misstep, into a sci-fi adventure that rivals Star Wars (1977). The level of sophistication, using traditional animation, is simply breath-taking. The plot focuses on environmentalism, man's relationship to nature, and the dangers of unchecked technology. Sound applicable to today's world? This film is beautiful, rich, and will have you gasping aloud at it's epic, spanning vistas of both air and earth. So jump aboard this adventure with Pazu and Sheeta, as they search to find the floating city, Laputa.

Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli; Toei