While not my favorite, Ghibli is still Ghibli. I'm not sure what is it that makes a movie a "Ghibli movie". I know the effect - it makes me care about characters and instead of talking about emotions, it induces them, which in turn makes time spent on watching it meaningful and memorable - but I have no idea what causes that effect. The only Ghibli movie that didn't have that effect was Tales from Earthsea (and that is the only Ghibli movie I'd not recommend).
RE: Review: Whispers of the Heart - An Unforgettable Slice of Life about First Love and Dreams