Mary and the Witch’s Flower

Based on the 1971 children's novel The Little Broomstick by British author Mary Stewart, this 2017 magical fantasy anime feature by filmmaker Hiromasa Yonebayashi follows the adventures of a schoolgirl who receives magical powers for a day from a flower that blooms once every seven years. The magic rejuvenates a broom that whisks Mary away to Endor College, a school of magic run by a headmistress and a wizard scientist wanting the flower for their own experiments, who kidnap a human boy to force Mary to bring them the rare buds. Yonebayashi was an animator for Hayao Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli and he honors the master's work with this sweet, playful film, as the self-conscious, timid Mary—with her wild red hair and innate clumsiness—rouses her courage and finds the strength to fight adult wizards. Presented in separately available dual-language DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo editions, rated PG, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and filmmaker interviews. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)