The newest offering of Studio Ghibli, which previously presented "Spirited Away" (2001) and "Ponyo" (2008), "The Secret World of Arrietty" is an animated Japanese fantasy film based on Mary Norton's young adult novel "The Borrowers." Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the film illustrates the friendship that develops between Arrietty, a tenacious 14-year-old Borrower, and Shawn, a human boy with a critical heart condition. Borrowers are tiny people no taller than 10 centimeters who live under the floorboards of houses, venturing out to take commonplace household goods like sugar cubes for survival. When Shawn's family maid becomes suspicious, however, Arrietty's family is endangered and must avoid detection at all costs. Katie Tai
Directed by: YonebayashiWith: Saoirse Ronan, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, David Henrie94 minutesRated G
A well-told story of a little family that grows to inhabit a big place in our hearts, "The Secret World of Arrietty" combines incredible visual animation with a touching storyline to bring childhood back into our lives. The detail is exquisite, the music is fitting and the rhythm is strategically thought -out. This animated film feels no pressure to create a frenzy of action. We are asked to examine our world from the eyes of Arrietty and experience her struggle to keep her family together. She is the adventurer we secretly hope we could be, a crusader who sometimes gets her cape caught in the doorway but plunges ahead with bravery and wide-eyed excitement. Jackie Wei
A surprisingly impressive film, the plot is relatively straightforward but manages to be engaging because of the stunning animation. In particular, the film harmoniously balances the world of the micro with the macro with meticulous, painstaking attention to the smallest details, counterbalanced with rich, grand landscapes. While a visual masterpiece, praise must also be given to the original score, which adds another dimension to the world of the Borrowers. This is not a stereotypical kids' movie but one that has subtle messages regarding life, death and family that transcend age. To say the least, "The Secret World of Arrietty" is a refreshing film that is hard to come by these days. Patrick Chen
