My wife exiting the theater: That was like Twin Peaks The Return. She mean’t in experience, not in content and I agree. What a baffling film. That slow start promises a story (a promise any audience would reasonably take in good faith) before going gonzo in the second half, beating your critical instincts into the floor with gorgeous surrealism. And I kinda liked that about the film. Not just because it confirms the messiness of Howl’s was not entirely the fault of switching directors mid production, but that Miyazaki is happy to chase the expressionist ambition of his late friend Takahada. Just wish it were also a good film too!