Next up for Studio Ghibli Fest 2018: ‘Porco Rosso’

The next chapter in the Studio Ghibli Fest 2018, "Porco Rosso," is just another example of how magnificent Japanese animation is. Especially the animation efforts of the great Hayao Miyazaki.

"Porco Rosso" (1992) will screen in dubbed version at 12:55 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. May 23 (Wednesday) at Regal Cinemas theaters at Northtown Mall and Coeur d'Alene's Riverstone Stadium. A subtitled version will screen at 7 p.m. Monday at both locations.

The film is an imaginative blend of fantasy and actual history. The titular character is a former Italian aviator who, following a deadly encounter during World War I, was mysteriously turned into a … pig. He now fights sky bandits over the Adriatic Sea, and teams up with a legion of women mechanics to battle his chief rival.

Here are some critical comments:

Jeanette Catsoulis, New York Times: "Mr. Miyazaki smooshes fantasy and history into a pastel-pretty yarn as irresistible as his feminism."

Robert Pardi, TV Guide: "Animator/fabulist Hayao Miyazaki pays homage to Hollywood's wartime adventure films in this masterwork built around the adventures of a high-flying pig."