Castle in the Sky

This week we look at another animated classic from Japan’s Studio Ghibli.

The young orphan Pazu lives in a small mining town, but dreams of visiting Laputa, a mysterious floating city in the sky, home to strange and superior advanced technologies. When a young girl named Sheeta falls into his world, Pazu soon learns that the magical amulet she carries is made from the same magical crystal that keeps Laputa afloat.

Seeking her powerful amulet, Sheeta is captured by government agents, leading Pazu to team up with sky pirates in an airship who agree to help him rescue the girl. But the government agents want Sheeta’s amulet for a reason, and Pazu realizes it’s up to him and Sheeta to foil their nefarious plans, making a journey to the mysterious floating city very much inevitable.

The story’s reflection on the role of technology in our lives remains especially relevant today. For instance, smartphones and social media have rapidly transformed our modern world, and while they can give us new and exciting opportunities to enrich our lives, they can also give us new and dangerous ways to harm ourselves, and recognizing the difference isn’t always easy.

Philosophical ruminations aside, Castle in the Sky offers a light-hearted but action-packed adventure for the family.

Runtime: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Rated PG
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb Parents Guide