The Wind Rises will never make it onto most people’s favourite Miyazaki films, but as a piece of art that dissects the creative process, and the career that led up to its inception, it’s memorable, poignant, and bitter-sweet.

Kirsten Dunst is miserable again, and we for three cannot wait to see why! Celebrating the release of Lars von Trier’s Melancholia with a look back at Kirsten’s life in film, we present the Cliff Notes on a career that has gone from saving the planet from sentient children’s toys to just having a big, tired sit on the ground in order to watch the world burn. She once kissed Brad Pitt and hated it; how many 11-year-olds can say that?

Yay!

Floating castles, sky pirates and magical stones. All in a days work for Studio Ghibli. Another classic Japanese animation, you say? Well, don’t mind if I do.

For the longest time animation was simply perceived as something for kids, and wasn’t taken seriously by adults. If an animated film did in anyway achieve the hallowed ground of ‘appealing to kids and grownups alike’ it was considered a pretty rare thing. Today, animated films about toys are getting Oscar nominations and reviewers like to deal out their opinions based on one neat bit of criteria: is it any good?

To celebrate the May 9th double play release of Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli anime classic, LAPUTA – CASTLE IN THE SKY, we have 3 x Double Plays to give away! Competition ends 27 May 2011.

Studio Ghibli’s favourite director plans his first ever sequel project

Studio Ghibli, the company responsible for wonderful animations such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo have revealed a teaser trailer for their newest creation; Borrower Arrietty. And, once again, it looks rather freakin beautiful.

For America, nothing signifies the joy of hand-drawn animation like the chipper (and all powerful) little grin of Mickey Mouse. Similarly, for Japan, Studio Ghibli and its cuddly character Totoro are symbols of their national talent. Founded in 1985 by visionaries Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the studio has produced some of the finest hand-drawn features of the past 25 years, including the heartbreaking Grave Of The Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and our personal favourite, Spirited Away. For his latest animated epic, Miyazaki turns to Hans Christian Andersen‘s fairy-tale The Little Mermaid for inspiration.