Howl's Moving Castle

87%

Tomatometer

184 Reviews

93%

Audience Score

25,000+ Ratings

Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father's hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a magical flying castle. However, the evil Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall) takes issue with their budding relationship and casts a spell on young Sophie, which ages her prematurely. Now Howl must use all his magical talents to battle the jealous hag and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty.

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Howl's Moving Castle

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.

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Cast & Crew

Hayao Miyazaki Director Jean Simmons Old Sophie Christian Bale Howl Lauren Bacall Witch of the Waste Blythe Danner Madam Suliman Emily Mortimer Young Sophie

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Critics Reviews

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

David Ansen

Newsweek

Howl's Moving Castle has the logic of a dream: behind every door lie multiple realities, one more astonishing than the next.

Mar 13, 2018

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

[Miyazaki] may have made better films than Howl's Moving Castle, but it still exhibits his amazing imagination and astonishing detail.

Dec 8, 2014

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

John Lyttle

New Statesman

Howl's Moving Castle is Japanese and anime, and therefore automatically more artistic than its US counterparts. The right cultural cachet gives you a lot of leeway.

Dec 8, 2014

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A combination of hand-drawn animation and Miyazaki’s most obvious use of computers appears onscreen, dispelling some of the film’s magic through the excessive presence of the medium’s needless modernization.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 22, 2023

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Jordan Brooks

Vague Visages

This dazzling vision, despite a rational impossibility, manages to feel in tune with the hyper-utopian version of reality experienced by children, and by those of us who cling fondly to those haughty days of creativity that have long since faded.

Aug 1, 2023

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Howl's Moving Castle | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

A wonderful animated film that speaks to the imagination of the viewers in many ways. Gorgeous animation and interesting characters inhabit Miyazaki's wondrous world. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 17, 2021

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Audience Reviews

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Seth A The best animated movie I've ever seen. The music in it is some of my favorites ever! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/01/24 Full Review Teddy B Achieved visual nirvana by ways of sacrificing a sense of storytelling direction. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/28/24 Full Review Audience Member My favorite movie of all time. Definitely heartwarming and nostalgic. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/22/24 Full Review Ray Y 电影有点没看懂，蒸汽朋克风很赞，画面很酷很唯美KRIX厅的体验还可以，感觉音效控制的正好，没有其它影厅中那种震耳欲聋或特别散的感觉 Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review LABEL 2 虽然故事进展到最后有些“东一榔头西一棒槌”，但角色的每次互动都足以令人心满意足地露出微笑。 Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review Felipe V "Howl's Moving Castle" is a captivating work of art that seamlessly intertwines stunning animation, compelling storytelling, and rich character development. Miyazaki's imaginative world-building, accompanied by Joe Hisaishi's enchanting score, creates a cinematic masterpiece that transports audiences to a realm of wonder and magic. The film's exploration of themes such as love, self-discovery, and the consequences of war elevates its narrative to a level of depth and resonance, solidifying it as a timeless classic. With its breathtaking visuals and heartfelt storytelling, "Howl's Moving Castle" stands as a true masterpiece of animation and storytelling that captivates viewers of all ages. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Photos

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Poster Art

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

A scene from the film HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE directed by Hiyao Miyazaki.

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father's hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a magical flying castle. However, the evil Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall) takes issue with their budding relationship and casts a spell on young Sophie, which ages her prematurely. Now Howl must use all his magical talents to battle the jealous hag and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty.

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Producer: Toshio Suzuki
Screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co: Walt Disney Pictures, Studio Ghibli
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy, Anime
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 2005, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2024
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.7M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)