The Secret World of Arrietty

“Delightful” doesn’t even begin to describe this newest animated film from Studio Ghibli. Based on Mary Norton’s juvenile fantasy novel The Borrowers, Arrietty’s screenplay was co-written by Japanese animation king Hayao Miyazaki (Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle). Miyazaki’s sensitive hand is all over this film that tells the story of a 10-centimeter-tall “Borrower” girl named Arrietty who lives under the floorboards of the house of a wacky woman named Hara (voiced by Carol Burnett in the U.S. version) with her mother Homily (Amy Poehler) and father Pod (Will Arnett). Things get interesting when a human boy named Shawn comes to stay with Hara and discovers Arrietty (Bridgit Mendler) in the garden. Arrietty is at first reluctant to befriend a “human bean,” as the Borrowers refer to people, as past experience has proven dangerous, even fatal. The colorful, nuanced artwork and animation is stunningly beautiful and delicate, rivaled only by the fairy sequence in Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The film is truly a must-see for viewers of all ages. Cinemark 14. Rated G