The Miyazaki Movie Marathon and My Un-Dying Love for Hayao Miyazaki

Hi, everyone! It's been almost a year since I last posted! (Okay, now that I've acknowledged that, we can move on).

So I don't really have much that's interesting to write about besides this: The Miyazaki Movie Marathon!! Get excited!
Speaking of excitement, I have to give a shout-out to my Uncle Brady, whose blog, thesongsstuckinmyhead.blogspot.com, has inspired me to write today and also because he was the first person to introduce me to Hayao Miyazaki!

For those of you who don't know, Miyazaki-san (that's right, I went there) is a brilliant writer and director of animated films, the most famous of which include Spirited Away and Ponyo. I've always loved Spirited Away (I use the term love very loosely- what I feel for this movie is more like absolute, unconditional, complete adoration to the point that I practically worship it if it weren't for the fact that it's a commandment to not worship false idols), but I wanted to explore more of the Miyazaki World.

Let me fill you in on a bit of back-story about summer and me: every summer (without fail) I get the urge to do three things:
1. Read the last two books of The Little House series (not The First Four Years. That one doesn't count.)
2. Read the entire Harry Potter series
3. Watch Spirited Away.
And the one thing I've done without fail every summer is watch Spirited Away.

BUT NOT THIS SUMMER.
No, this summer had to be extra-special because I saw this thing one day when I was mindlessly Pinteresting. (Heck yes, Pinteresting is both a verb and a proper noun).

And I took it not as a picture, but as a challenge.
And at that moment, I knew: I would watch all these movies.
And I would make Abby watch them with me.
And I would call it The Miyazaki Movie Marathon.

I don't know what it is about Miyazaki movies, but they are just SO great. Whenever I watch them, I feel moved, immediately attached to the characters, and somehow... nostalgic. For childhood, I guess. And innocence. But the best part about his movies, to me, is that they all have the same message: that anything is possible, that love is more powerful than anything, and that to dream is to live.

I invite you all to join me on my epic quest to complete the ultimate tribute to Miyazaki. Just pick a movie, any movie. Watch it with your friends, your kids, your cat, yourself, whatever. It'll make your day (and maybe your life) better, guaranteed.