I know it is a cartoon, but for all of you, who are not familiar with Princess Mononoke, it is one of the greatest and also one of the most underrated movies of all time. Though this movie is set in the world of imagination, it boasts and all-star cast including talents like Jada Pinkett, Billy Bob Thorton, Minnie Driver, and many more. The movie was originally written in 1997 by master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, and was than released in American Cinemas through Miramax during the November of 1999. Unfortunately it did not attract the attention that it deserved, but many critics and movie fans dubbed this to be a classic piece of art.

The story centers on the warrior Ashitaka (Billy Crudup). While protecting his village from a rampaging boar-god, he is cursed with a rapidly spreading scar that threatens to end his life. Seeking a cure and a reason for the animal-god’s attack, he journeys into the sacred depths of the Great Forest Spirit’s realm. On the edge of this once serene forest, however, the Tatara clan have begun to destroy the surrounding land to produce iron. In retaliation, San (Claire Danes), the adopted daughter of the wolf-god Moro (Gillian Anderson), has begun raiding the Tatara fortress to stop their encroachment. Soon Ashitaka is caught in the middle and must stop the war between the humans and the forest dwellers before they destroy each other.

What makes this movie so strong and remarkable, is how fluid it is. The film flows so smoothly between the story and the composition of the scenes, that it is reminiscent of a live action masterpiece that uses landscapes and visuals to tell the story instead of animated one. The art is so well done that you actually forget sometimes, but then again the beauty in this movie would be hard to depict in real life.

Trailer after the Jump