Dear Reader: Update, Movie Review Intelligence will discontinue
publishing this website at the end of May (more...)
Search a Movie:
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTYMovie Reviews
Animated family adventure about a tiny girl who lives with her family in the hidden recesses of a suburban home, venturing into the house only to borrow supplies. Cast:Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Carol BurnettDirector:Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Gary RydstromRelease Date:February 17, 2012DVD Release:May 22, 2012From:Walt Disney PicturesRating:GLength:1 hr. 34 min.
The Secret World of Arrietty played to very good reviews. • David Germain wrote for the Associated Press, "...a marvel of image and color, its old-fashioned pen-and-ink frames vividly bringing to life the world of children's author Mary Norton's 'The Borrowers'.... delightful..." • And Curt Holman wrote in Atlanta Creative Loafing, "...evokes the most idyllic of childhood summer days." More Reviews Below...
The Secret World of Arrietty Positive Reviews (38 Reviews, reviews below)
Steven James Snyder, Time: OUTSTANDING "...there's an intricacy to the settings, routines and vignettes that is spellbinding.... elevates the ordinary confines of everyday life into sumptuous surprises."(See all of Steven James Snyder's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 893 words, 02/17/12
David Germain, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a marvel of image and color, its old-fashioned pen-and-ink frames vividly bringing to life the world of children's author Mary Norton's 'The Borrowers'.... delightful..."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 585 words, 02/16/12
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "...bears the unique stamp of Japan's Studio Ghibli... dreamy, soft-edged hybrid, equally interested in observing raindrops and the worries of a race of minuscule beings."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 90 words, 02/17/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Japan's Studio Ghibli makes animated films the way Faberge made ornamental eggs: with incredible painstaking handcraft and extravagant imagination."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 553 words, 02/13/12
we have an app for when you're out and about
get our iPhone app... or get our mobile web app...
movie review intelligence
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (12 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Part of the charm of the Borrowers books, a quality shared by the movie, is the theme of the tiny making wonderfully do in a world inhabited by, and made for, the big..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 02/17/12
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...kind and sweet, with a Zen-like approach to crises and conflicts that even young viewers appreciate.... sadly suffers from more than a dollop of boredom."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 318 words, 02/17/12
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Set in an enchanting locale... this impeccable animated film puts its complete trust in the spirit of make-believe. Beautiful, gentle and pure..."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 812 words, 02/17/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Many animated and live-action films have dealt with miniature humans, but few have depicted a sheer sense of scale as effectively as this one.... a feast for the eyes..."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 368 words, 02/17/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "...enjoyable and attractive-looking... A slightly odd mix of whimsy and melancholy, but a good introduction to the beautiful work of Japan's acclaimed Studio Ghibli."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 352 words, 02/17/12
Nell Minow, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...beguiling... Each image is filled with captivating detail with items from one world re-contextualized in another.... Less universally appealing is the script."(See all of Nell Minow's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 691 words, 02/17/12
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "...an underplotted, near-humorless trifle, but in contrast to the shrill, saccharine CGI cartoons -- live-action included -- that pass for family entertainment, it's pure magic."(See all of Aaron Hillis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 395 words, 02/15/12
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "Gorgeous, painterly colours and rich tones are used... offers an opportunity to be carried away by a whimsical adventure, set to a lovely score by Cécile Corbel."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 807 words, 02/17/12
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an intriguing hybrid, mixing a Japanese reverence for nature with quaint Victorian architecture... Somehow, it all works."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 591 words, 02/17/12
Amy Joyce, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...this gorgeous little movie is sure to be beloved by your little people, who may discover what it means to find a magical beauty in the things we can't altogether see."(See all of Amy Joyce's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 511 words, 02/17/12
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Is the story a parable of the courageous souls who would protect endangered species? Is it about respect for all living creatures? Yes and yes. Don't miss it."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 592 words, 02/17/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a comforting film... This fantasy is a safe space where viewers can escape the harsh, messy realities of daily life."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 428 words, 02/17/12
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the film flatters young moviegoers' awareness of deeper matters while delivering just enough enchantment to beguile both them and their parents."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 495 words, 02/17/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the visual details are inventive, and the animation -- particularly the colors -- is lovely. Parents looking for a film to take small children to could definitely do worse..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 566 words, 02/17/12
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...harks back to Studio Ghibli's older fare and reminds us, with sun-dappled clarity, that the world we see is only part of the story."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 403 words, 02/17/12
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Against backdrops ranging from pastoral to densely urban to wildly exotic, enchantment always meets frightful challenges in Miyazaki's stylish fables.... a gem."(See all of Tom Keogh's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 546 words, 02/17/12
Jody Mitori, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "...part of the fun is venturing into a place where familiar objects have new uses.... proves that imagination still matters amid all the clamor."(See all of Jody Mitori's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 357 words, 02/17/12
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "...an underplotted, near-humorless trifle, but in contrast to the shrill, saccharine CGI cartoons -- live-action included -- that pass for family entertainment, it's pure magic."(See all of Aaron Hillis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 395 words, 02/15/12
Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a nice piece of kiddy fluff... It doesn't shed light on any important issues... But I challenge anyone that goes to see the film to walk out of the theater without a smile."(See all of Eric Eisenberg's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 618 words, 02/17/12
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The most touching love story and best children's movie in a long time... creates a world that is familiar, uncanny, and luminous."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 144 words, 02/16/12
Tasha Robinson, AV Club: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...nuanced enough to acknowledge how good intentions can be as damaging as bad ones, yet simple enough to take bittersweet pleasure in every aspect of life..."(See all of Tasha Robinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,153 words, 02/15/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: EXCELLENT(cg) "...features Studio Ghibli's impressively detailed, hand-drawn animation, a style that allows for lively action and subtle facial and figure reactions as well."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 863 words, 02/17/12
Michelle Orange, Movieline: VERY GOOD(cg) "Wispy but sweet... feels like a modest but exquisitely trimmed Japanese gift to fans of 'The Borrowers,' British author Mary Norton's classic children's books."(See all of Michelle Orange's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 709 words, 02/15/12
Jesse Cataldo, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a patient, elegiac adventure tale that also feels cozy and small, cinematically expanding a classic story without over-enlarging its scope."(See all of Jesse Cataldo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 786 words, 02/14/12
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT(cg) "...full of blooming gardens and babbling brooks, evokes the most idyllic of childhood summer days.... you'll leave feeling both stimulated and serene."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 528 words, 02/22/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: MODERATE(cg) "The animation is lovely, and it's always nice to see a story about an adventurous girl... But grownup fans of adventurous animation may well find their patience tried..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 268 words, 02/18/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Part of the charm of the Borrowers books, a quality shared by the movie, is the theme of the tiny making wonderfully do in a world inhabited by, and made for, the big..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 02/17/12
Bob Mondello, NPR: EXCELLENT "...may be too gentle and meditative to be the studio's breakout hit in this country, but it's another sweet advance, and further evidence that the Ghibli secret must soon out."(See all of Bob Mondello's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 615 words, 02/17/12
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Set in an enchanting locale... this impeccable animated film puts its complete trust in the spirit of make-believe. Beautiful, gentle and pure..."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 812 words, 02/17/12
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Set in an enchanting locale... this impeccable animated film puts its complete trust in the spirit of make-believe. Beautiful, gentle and pure..."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 812 words, 02/17/12
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Part of the charm of the Borrowers books, a quality shared by the movie, is the theme of the tiny making wonderfully do in a world inhabited by, and made for, the big..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 02/17/12
12.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Secret World of Arrietty's reviews are separated by an average 12.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Secret World of Arrietty (38 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Secret World of Arrietty's reviews cover 78.6% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 19,417 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 511 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Secret World of Arrietty Coverage, Volume & Length (38 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 11.8 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Secret World of Arrietty's reviews on average broke 11.8 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Secret World of Arrietty's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Secret World of Arrietty (38 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
Mobile Web App version 1.2 shows a list of all current movies and review information. You can click through to the cast, director, synopsis, release date and rating on page two, plus individual reviews on page three. The information is updated on a live/real-time basis. You can also search our database of films. Designed for when you're on the move and want the latest info, this app will work on any mobile web browser. From your mobile device -- only from a mobile device -- open our Mobile Web App here...
