British novelist Mary Stewart's beloved «The Little Broomstick» predates J.K. Rowling's hit Harry Potter series by more than a quarter - century, which means the source material is original, even if its gorgeous big - screen adaptation feels a bit derivative in places — and derivative of not just Rowling's more richly imagined fantasy world, but also Ghibli's own «Kiki's Delivery Service,» which presents a similar plot, in reverse: There, a young
witch with a flying broom loses her
powers, whereas in this case, young Mary discovers a
magical broom that whisks her away to Endor College, where she's celebrated for her newfound abilities.
Her colorful paintings, drawings and graphic novels feature
witch - like goddesses, sexy over-eating vixens, and fairytale - inspired girls
with badass
magical powers.