'The Secret World of Arrietty' From Studio Ghibli

The wee folk beneath the floorboards in the wistful animated children's film “The Secret World of Arrietty” don't get underfoot: they scramble and hide, if less like scattering mice and more like practiced explorers. There aren't many of them.

Animated kids flicks have become frenetic. Not so with “The Secret World of Arrietty.” In its own way this charming Japanese import is as visually lush as its Western competitors, but a refreshingly leisurely pace and simple

But “The Secret World of Arrietty,” the latest from the studio founded by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, sadly suffers from more than a dollop of boredom. Like the ornate dollhouse that plays a part, “Arrietty” is lovely and well-appointed,

But it's hard to imagine any previous version of the tale being more lustrously fashioned than The Secret World of Arrietty, the new animated feature from Japan's Studio Ghibli. Anime master Hayao Miyazaki, who co-founded Ghibli 27 years ago,

In an industry where animation has begun to all look and feel the same—thanks partly to the standard set by Pixar—The Secret World of Arrietty arrives as a breath of fresh air. Slow, calm and quiet with beautifully detailed