Ponyo - 2008

My kids told me that no film bog could be complete without a film by Hayao Miyazaki for Studio Ghibli. When asked for their favorite, it was unanimously PONYO. The creator of "Spirited Away", "Howl's Moving Castle", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and many more he is one of Japan's most highly regarded anime directors.

Featuring the amazing voices of Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson and many more.

This anime feature follows the adventures of a 5-year-old boy, Sosuke, and his burgeoning friendship with Ponyo, a goldfish princess who desperately wants to become human. After running away from and then being recaptured by her strict father, Ponyo -- with some help from Sosuke -- becomes more determined than ever to make her dreams come true. But will her wishes throw the entire earth off balance?

Although Miyazaki's films found critical and box office success in Japan, it wasn't until Miramax's release of his 1997 effort Princess Mononoke that he became widely known to U.S. audiences. In 2003, his Spirited Away won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and in 2006 Miyazaki was nominated for Howl's Moving Castle.