By Wendy Steiner
Starting Thursday May 1, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is hosting a retrospective of some of the best Studio Ghibli films. There’s a good chance you’ve seen Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro, but these imaginative animated films are even more beautiful when viewed on a big screen.
Most of the movies will be shown with English subtitles, which is great because listening to Kirsten Dunst voice act a young Japanese witch can be very distracting. The Studio Ghibli program runs through June 1, with a dubbed English language version screening every Sunday, if you go in for that sort of thing.
Tickets will be $10, or $8 for seniors, students, and teachers. If you’re a YBCA member, you get in free. YBCA’s box office is open Tuesday through Sunday or you can buy tickets here. Here’s the full schedule:
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
Thu, May 1, 7:30 p.m. and Sat, May 3, 5 p.m.
Whisper of the Heart by Yoshifumi Kondo
Sat, May 3, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, May 4, 3:30 p.m.
Kiki’s Delivery Service by Hayao Miyazaki
Sun, May 4, 1 p.m.
Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki
Thu, May 8, 7:30 p.m. and Sat, May 10, 4:30 p.m.
The Cat Returns by Hiroyuki Morita
Sat, May 10, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, May 11, 3:30 p.m.
Ponyo by Hayao Miyazaki
Sun, May 11, 1 p.m.
Pom Poko by Isao Takahata
Thu, May 15, 7:30 p.m. and Sat, May 17, 5 p.m.
Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki
Sat, May 17, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, May 18, 3 p.m.
My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki
Sun, May 18, 1 p.m.
Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata
Thu, May 22, 7:30 p.m. and Sat, May 24, 5:30 p.m.
Only Yesterday by Isao Takahata
Sat, May 24, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, May 25, 3:30 p.m.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki
Sun, May 25, 1 p.m.
Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki
Thu, May 29, 7:30 PM and Sat, May 31, 5 PM
Porco Rosso by Hayao Miyazaki
Sat, May 31, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, Jun 1, 3 p.m.
From Up on Poppy Hill by Goro Miyazaki
Sun, Jun 1, 1 p.m.
Photo courtesy of YBCA
