The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
GKIDS | Release Date: November 28, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
75
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The A.V. ClubDavid EhrlichNov 25, 2014
Building to an emotional wallop that’s almost on par with anything found in one of Miyazaki’s or Takahata’s films, The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness is pornographically interesting for Studio Ghibli fans; as a delicate depiction of the artistic spirit, it’s equally essential viewing for everyone else. Read full review
91
The PlaylistJessica KiangFeb 19, 2015
Without overly romanticizing it or suggesting that, ultimately, it is anything more than a business built around the talents of some very singular men, Sunada's film becomes a love letter of a most unusual kind, because it is addressed to a place that is unremarkable in every way except for the spirit that flowed through it. Read full review
90
The Hollywood ReporterClarence TsuiJan 26, 2015
Sunada has managed the incredible task of editing all these anecdotes into a flowing whole, an unfettered celebration of cinema as a concoction of vision, persistence, collective faith and, of course, some canniness about how the world operates. Rather than diminishing the seventh art's magic, Sunada's documentary enhances it. Read full review
80
Village VoiceSimon AbramsNov 25, 2014
Sunada's critical distance makes Kingdom of Dreams and Madness the clear-eyed celebration that Ghibli's artists deserve. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNov 25, 2014
This seemingly ordinary biographical documentary about the retiring animation master unfolds, at a deceptively gentle pace, into a work of immense beauty. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy BurrJan 3, 2015
He’s the dreamer in the machine, and if he truly is retiring, the world stands to look a lot more ordinary. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoNov 30, 2014
If you’re not enraptured with the work of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and the rest of the artists at Ghibli, it may not be precisely what you’re looking for, but Sanada captures something poetic about art and creativity that could speak to anyone, animation fan or otherwise. Read full review
75
McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreNov 25, 2014
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a great name for a documentary about Hayao Miyazaki and his animation house, Japan’s Studio Ghibli. Read full review
70
VarietyPeter DebrugeJan 26, 2015
The atmosphere inside Studio Ghibli may suggest a zen-like idyll, but animation is a painstaking — and sometimes painful — process, and though shaggy and somewhat ordinary in places, Sunada’s tour of the “Kingdom” makes us appreciate the magic all the more. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineElise NakhnikianNov 24, 2014
The documentary is hesitant to show the great work that resulted from Hayao Miyazaki's "grand hobby," never including clips from the classics referred to throughout. Read full review
60
The DissolveTasha RobinsonJan 26, 2015
Like Ghibli’s features, Kingdom is a friendly, elegiac, approachable movie. But it lacks the studio’s well-polished sense of energy and commitment. Read full review
60
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergNov 28, 2014
This affectionate documentary is more of a bonbon for longtime fans than an entryway for a broader audience. Read full review
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