Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke is a visually stimulating story about the clash of new and old ideals. As with director Hayao Miyazaki's movies, Princess Mononoke is based on fantasy. The idea is the upraising of man & his technology clashing with the old ways of thinking.

The story begins in a small village under attack by what appears to be a rampaging demon. Ashitaka, our hero/main character, jumps into action immediately avoiding harm to the beast until the very last minute. Most unfortunately Ashitaka is touched by the cursed demon and is to forever bare a mark on his arm that will gradually rip apart is soul then his body (he also has little resistance to the marks own will). His only choice is to leave his home and adventure far to west and beg the Spirit of the Forest to lift the curse. We soon discover that a woman named Lady Eboshi Gozen, the leader of Iron Town; whom is trying to destroy the forest so that the town may mine the ore from underneath it. And the plot only thickens further when we discover that not only is the forest in danger, but he Forest Spirits head is on the line, quite literally.

I absolutely love this movie. Miyazaki is always does wonderful work keeping his fiction well, realistic. What I mean by this is as a director he manages to keep facts of present day (present day > whenever the movie is taking place in) and keeping them as a constant while still fluttering the screen with imaginary characters and creatures and are both captivating and unique.