Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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A Bit of a Downer, Really The Secret World of Arrietty (Rated G) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS All things considered, I prefer Spirited Away, or even Howl's Moving Castle, to The Secret World of Arrietty (94 minutes). Somehow the latest Studio Ghibli release lacks the depth of Hayao Miyazaki's other re- leases. First time director, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, is a long-time Miyazaki animator and he doesn't do anything technically wrong, he just falls short of reaching the emotional notes of previous productions. Like many other Ghibli proj- ects, the star is a young girl who, through courage and determina- tion, manages to heroine her way through the story. Of course, un- like most of those previous projects this one is based on the award win- ning children's tale The Borrowers by Mary Norton. The story is set in Tokyo, and sharp eyed viewers will notice Japanese characters in the back- ground of several shots. The story revolves around a family of Borrowers called the Clocks (little people) and the Beans (big people). Shawn (David Henry), a sickly child, arrives at his great aunt Jessica's (Gracie Polleti), under whose floor- boards the little people live. He is under the care of Hara, the housekeeper (Carol Burnett), while awaiting surgery. Meanwhile, Arrietty (Bridgett Mendler) is excited to go on her first "borrow- ing" with her father (a very depressed sounding Will Arnett). Her mother (Amy Poehler) doesn't want Arrietty to risk being seen by the new Bean, but after some convincing, Daddy and Daughter head to the kitchen to "borrow" some sugar. This is a euphemism for stealing, but the narrative sort of glosses over any moral dilemmas in favor of pragmatism. The most fun part of the film, as with every other version, is seeing what household items the Clock family repurposes. When the pair head off, they have fishhooks for grappling hooks, double- sided tape for climbing crampons, and a chip clip for a ponytail holder. It's all so darn cute! While navigating the house, Arrietty drops a sugar cube and is seen by Shawn, who does not seem inclined to interfere with the home's little people. However, he does become obsessed with protecting them and persists in giving them gifts that may cause more harm than good. After a couple of days, Arrietty defies her parents, sneaking out to talk with Shawn. On her way back she is caught by her father, who decides they need to move to another house. Their departure is delayed by the injury of Arrietty's father, who is brought home by Spiller (Moises Arias). Spiller, a somewhat feral loner who prefers fresh cricket leg to a home-cooked meal, is the first Borrower any of them have seen in years. He agrees to take them through the forest to a new home a day's journey away. Meanwhile, Hara, who has apparently reported the existence of the little people before and been accused of seeing things, zeroes in on the location of their home and kidnaps Mrs. Clock — thanks a lot for drawing attention to the loca- tion of their home Shawn. While Shawn and Arrietty discuss heavy philosophical topics like mass extinc- tion, Hara shoves her victim into a glass jar covered in plastic wrap, thoughtfully poking air holes in the plastic before concealing the jar in the pantry. This scene seems a bit underdone, since I can only imagine my reaction to a big hand tearing my roof off, blocking all my exits, and grabbing me. Arrietty finds Shawn to help rescue her mother, and the reunited family packs up to find their new home. Overall, the film is a bit morose, dealing with themes of death, isolation and loss. It is beautifully animated and offers a consis- tently arresting view of the Clock family house, the hidey-holes they use, and the outside environs they navigate to find their new home. Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com Companionship Medication Reminders Meal Preparation Light Housekeeping Shopping & Errands Personal Care Each Home Instead Senior Care® Call for a free, no-obligation appointment: 910.484.7200 homeinstead.com ce is independently owned and operated. © 2010 Home Instead, Inc. Styles of Yesterday & Today Hosted by The Child Advocacy Center of Fayetteville To benefit Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention Programs Saturday, March 24, 2012 11 a.m. & 3 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012 1 p.m. & 5 p.m. Location Crown Center Ballroom 1960 Coliseum Drive • Fayetteville, NC 28306 Tickets: $35 VIP Tickets: $60 (Limited quantity available) For more information, visit www.childadvocacycenter.com or call (910) 486-9700 Special thank you to our generous sponsors: Corporate Benefactors: TLC Auto Wash & Fast Lube Moonlight Communications BB&T Timothy D. Edwards, Attorney At Law Robin & Debbie Jenkins Dr. Wes & Lucy Jones Deborah Koenig, Attorney At Law Short Stop Systel Business Equipment Gold Sponsors: Lumberton Ford Williams Printing Silver Sponsors: AA All American Family Health Care – Jos R. Santz I, MD & Maria J. Villena, MD Bank of America Celebrations Wedding & Events Centerplate Catering Crown Center Crown Trophy Fayetteville Psychiatric Associates Sam & Sharon Fleishman Highland Construction Highland Pediatric Dental – Dr. Yvette Stokes & Dr. Phillip Caldwell Once Upon A Child/Plato's Closet Silver Sponsors: Rainbow Florist Up & Coming Weekly Pink Sponsors: CTS Cleaning Systems, Inc. Dairy Queen Jernigan's Need Speech? Inc. Pilates of Fayetteville Dr. J. Michael Ruff The Little Gym of Fayette- ville TRP CPAs, PLLC Vantage South Bank Village Family Dental YogAngie Fitness Doll Salon Sponsors: Taco Bell William F. Freccia, DDS, MS, PA – Endodontics Recommended for children 6 and up American Girl Fashion Show is licensed from American Girl Programs, Inc. All American Girl trademarks, names, and characters are trademarks of American Girl, LLC, used under license. All rights reserved. MARCH 7-13, 2012 UCW 21