The Moviegoer: Secret Worlds, New Perspectives

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 at 9:15 am by Nick Olson

The Moviegoer: Secret Worlds, New Perspectives 2012-03-15T09:15:35-06:00 Nick Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Each week in The Moviegoer, Nick Olson examines new and upcoming films.

Confession: The Secret World of Arrietty (Yonebayashi, 2012) is my introduction to the wonderful world of Studio Ghibli. Founded in 1985, the Japanese animation and film studio enjoys a spirited following of fans and critics that is not dissimilar to Pixar’s fervent admirers. It’s not that I had never heard of the beloved studio, but — for whatever reason — I had never got around to seeing Ponyo, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, or any of the other Ghibli features that friends and colleagues have been recommending for quite a while. So it was with excitement and interest that I went to see The Secret World of Arrietty — an animated fantasy film based on Mary Norton’s novel The Borrowers. I wasn’t disappointed.

Fourteen-year-old Arrietty (Bridgit Mendler) and her parents (Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) are “little people.” Just taller than a pin needle, they live “beneath the floorboards” in the garden home of some unsuspecting human hosts. One of the few times the little people leave the safety of their tiny abode is when they need to venture out on a mission to gather the scraps necessary for personal necessities. For the sake of integrity, these self-proclaimed “borrowers” never take more than what they need — a sugar cube or a single tissue will often do. And, for their safety, the borrowers’ existence must be kept secret from the humans. But one night when young and earnest Arrietty joins her father, Pod, for a trip above the floorboards, she is noticed by a young boy named Shawn (David Henrie). It marks the beginning of a relationship characterized by unease and curiosity.

What makes The Secret World of Arrietty such a pleasure is how it delights the imagination with a visually- and aurally-crisp change of perspective. The arresting vantage we’re able to inhabit through the little people is a formal thrill that complements well many of the film’s soulful themes relating to empathy. It’s a playful opportunity to see our world through new eyes. In Arrietty’s world, every rain drop, blade of grass, and insect takes on a luscious enormity. A curtain becomes a silky mountain to scale, a rat is now a formidable opponent, and a pin needle is employed as a trusty sword. The boom of thunder, the methodical insistence of clocks, and the “caw-caw” of a belligerent crow are all heightened to the ear. But what I most noticed about the animated world was its pointed emphasis of shadows. Everything — from the terrifying to the mundane to the beautiful — looms large. The effect achieves a sense of presence in this new world that most 3D films fail to capture.

But as we venture with curiosity into this secret world, we also see Arrietty and Shawn gaining new worlds of perspective from an increasingly curious friendship. And, as it turns out, what they learn from one another is no child’s play. Spotted not only by Shawn, but — more to her family’s detriment — by the house maid Hara (Carol Burnett), Arrietty puts her family in grave danger and forces them to move away and find a new home. While Shawn discovers that Arrietty and her family live in constant fear of impending danger, Arrietty finds that Shawn has had a heart condition since birth and, as a result, he must soon undergo an operation with a low success rate. The threat of extinction hovers over the borrowers; death is a potential reality that assaults Shawn’s already fragile state. The little girl’s fighting spirit encourages Shawn to persevere, while Shawn’s humbled desire for companionship — in the wake of his parents’ recent divorce — inspires in Arrietty a growing trust of others. Together, from their unique perspectives, they reinforce in one another a desire for reconciliation and permanence — for home.

Perhaps most importantly, then, The Secret World of Arrietty presents an imaginative fantasy I wouldn’t mind my son entering. For what’s most apparent in the interactions between Arrietty and Shawn is the critical importance of family. Arrietty has a respectful, loving relationship with her parents; she admires their care for her. Meanwhile, Shawn feels the emotional burden of his parents’ divorce; he’s abandoned at a time when he needs them most. Shawn’s admirable desire to refurbish and protect Arrietty’s home seems motivated by his own sense of a broken home. Shawn harnesses the pain and suffering he feels in order to relieve the pain and suffering of the borrowers. In this sense, the “others” — the little people — become Shawn’s family, because they are worth enough to him that he will go great lengths to protect them.

The Secret World of Arrietty is a charming tribute to the inquisitive mind, to the discovery of new perspectives, and to familial love. These virtues are the qualities I want forming my son’s imagination. And mine, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2nb9Vq0yY

The Secret World of Arrietty

Previous Post

March 15, 2012

Mixed Signals: Target Shooting for Non-Violent Types

Next Post

March 16, 2012 Sacred Space: Cat a Kiss Him? What's a Catechism?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz