The most legendary anime director out there. A headstrong man with pretty strict ideas about animation, but Miyazaki's directed so many anime classics that it's virtually impossible to question his authority. Required viewing.

Rare treats
My Neighbor Totoro

A sweet, soft-hearted and imaginative film. The fantastical elements are pure perfection, the attention to detail is simply stunning. It's a film that every kid should have the chance to experience.
The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises is more than worthy closing act. It's one of Miyazaki's best films, a stunning ode to passion and perseverance in the face of a looming war.
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Ponyo is a feast for all fans that were wishing Miyazaki would return to his pre-Mononoke era, and for those people it might even reach the same heights as Totoro did.
Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso remains one of my favorite Miyazaki films. Personally I prefer his softer, smaller films over his big epics, as they are more aimed at atmosphere and less at getting a message across.
The good stuff
Kiki's Delivery Service

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle is high fantasy. That's not really my preferred Miyazaki material, but the level of execution is so perfect here that it hardly bothered me at all. The animation is superb, the characters are charming and the pacing is exactly right. Not his best film, I prefer his more modest narratives, but great fun nonetheless and a must for animation fans.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky

A sprawling adventure from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki. Laputa hasn't lost much of its charm over the years. The flying islands, mystical robots and bickering pirates are still as fun to discover as the first time I watched Laputa. Combined with top-notch animation, a slightly darker edge and perfect pacing, it makes for a lovely film.
Spirited Away

Solid pieces
Princess Mononoke

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro

Plain forgettable
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
