Sophie tells Howl's young assistant Markl (Josh Hutcherson, "Kicking & Screaming") and the bellyaching fire demon Calcifer (Billy Crystal) that she was hired by Howl as a cleaning lady and begins to give the all male enclave a woman's touch. Docter's English vocal cast make "Howl" possibly Miyazaki's funniest outing without diluting any of Miyazaki's artistry. The film is being released in both dubbed (the version I caught, adapted by Pixar director Pete Docter of "Monsters, Inc." fame) and subtitled versions and damn if Billy Crystal doesn't make a fine fire demon (and resists the urge to ad-lib 'storming the castle' lines). "Howl's Moving Castle" is about how a young girl blossoms as an old woman while dealing with enchanted beings, a vain but noble wizard, the women who love him, and a distinctly messy household. Writer (from the Diana Wynne Jones novel)/director Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") once again takes inspiration from multiple sources ("The Wizard of Oz" having two references in that opening paragraph alone) and concocts a thoroughly Miyazakian film.
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