Kari Gurashi No Arietti (aka The Secret World Of Arrietty) (2010)

A lonely 12 year old boy (Ryunosuke Kamiki) with a heart condition spends the weeks before a major operation at his aunt's (Keiko Takeshita) home. He discovers a family of little people called "borrowers" who live within the walls of the house and attempts to strike up a friendship with a borrower of similar age called Arrietty (Mirai Shida), who is naturally suspicious of humans. Based on the popular classic children's novel THE BORROWERS by Mary Norton, this is another winner for Studio Ghibli. This time, Hayao Miyazaki serves only as an executive producer as well as co-writer on the screenplay. The directorial duties fall on first time helmer Hiromasa Yonebaya who worked as a key animator on SPIRITED AWAY and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. The film provides exactly what you expect from a Studio Ghibli animated film: bright and vivid colors, finely detailed textures and compositions and lots of heart that speaks to our fancy. It's an intelligent offering that very young children can enjoy as much as adults. Joe Hisaishi didn't do the score but there's a very fine one by Cecile Corbel. I watched the original Japanese dub but the American voice actors include Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett and Bridgit Mendler.