10 Years With Hayao Miyazaki

Well we didn't end on a bad note, I'll say that at least.

This is a strange review for me, for the first time in almost a decade of writing these things never have I ever watched something in full on Facebook. Yeah it was kind of a bitch to find this whole 4 part mini-series documentary and to be honest I was having a hard time sitting through it all the way to write this thing. A curious enigma about this is the fact that it comes from NHK basically the japanese version of the BBC, and yet it's narrated in english, it has english subtitles, and there's no evidence to suggest it was created any other way before hand and they just slapped an english dub on top of the narration. I'm not saying it's impossible for japanese audiences to watch something in english but I've never really seen examples of it. Curiosities out of the way, let's get to the review. 4 parts, approximately 50 minutes apeice, chronicle stints of Miyazaki's career with the first two parts alone focusing on the making of Ponyo, then working in tandem with his son Goro on From Up On Poppy Hill, and finally ending with The Wind Rises. I have to get this out of the way right now and then we'll move on to positives but this english narration was terrible, a complete 180° from Never-Ending Man that feels completely unnecessary, slightly biased and putting way too much of an impression on the events rather than simply letting the audience view it, and truthfully has the writing style of a first grader trying to write their first story. It took so much away from it for me that it's easily going to be the lowest score of the week. And that pisses me off because seeing bits of new making of behind the scenes stuff for Ponyo and Poppy Hill was really neat despite it not going in that much detail which is strange considering the run time for each respective episode. Seeing Miyazaki's inspiration for the character of Ponyo, his tribulations with the animation, seeing the relationship with his son, further hammering the point home how hard it truly is to be creative with a deadline, all that stuff adds onto the experience of the previous documentaries I watched this week. Though admittedly if you've seen Never-Ending Man you can flat out skip episode four, I mean there is legit reused shots from that documentary here and everything. It has some interesting stuff at times, the score once again is actually really friggin' good, seeing Goro on his own project was a welcome change of pace, the addressing of the 2011 earthquake that struck Japan and how that affected production on Poppy Hill, it's not all a waste. However whether it's slight fatigue or the overall production and captured footage didn't do that much for me personally, this is an okay documentary that I think I can only recommend to die hard Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli fans. I knew Never-Ending Man wasn't gonna be beaten this week but I didn't expect it to go out on more of a whimper. I give it 2.5 stars, 7/10, and we got a little anime new release coming up very soon so all is not said and done yet.

Never-Ending Man

I know it's a documentary and everything but this is a contender for most inspiring works ever made.

An hour and ten minutes, you really cannot lose much over that as this extremely candid documentary chronicles the musings and work of Hayao Miyazaki after he officially retired from making animated feature films in an attempt to utilize CGI for a short film idea he had. I cannot explain the vast appeal this had for me and yet it completely reaffirms why not only art is made but why people commit to projects entirely out of passion alone. I may go on several tangents here but it's just the goddamn truth of the matter, animators are some of the most passionate and hardworking people on the face of this earth, you just HAVE to be if you step into this line of work! And I know it's kind of a meme in anime circles that Miyazaki is this depressed, exhausted, grumpy man but really look at this and there is a reason for it. He's an older man and coming to terms with it seeing friends and coworkers he's known for years passing away, he overworks and overthinks because he gives a damn about his work and wants it to be as good as it can be, he might seem stern and uncaring but that couldn't be farther from the case showcasing a love and passion for life as well as just the act of creating. I love love love how this documentary is presented, beautiful music, simple yet sometimes gorgeous shots, no voice over work, it doesn't even really have any kind of satisfactory ending but I don't give a shit. Documentaries are supposed to be brief looks into a certain figure or period of history, nothing more nothing less and that's what I get here. I've seen actually a good fair bit of behind the scenes footage and the process of animators in Japan and there's something so calming and enjoyable about it to me, I don't know if other people feel the same way but it has this style of production and ambience to it that strikes me in a certain way. Frankly that's just me and Japan as a country but it's just as present here. I will be real here, I can't draw even semi-competently so to see many people's craft in the works whether 2D or 3D is so damn cool to see! And to hear Miyazaki muse on his age, his work, and hilariously his reaction to AI art has so many nuggets of wisdom that can't be denied. And just for the hell of it I'll throw out one of mine as well, when longtime producer and friend of Miyazaki's Toshio Suzuki talks about the decline of 2D animation and CG taking the forefront my only response was, "Just because something new comes along doesn't mean you have to give up on what you're working on now.". And this documentary isn't just motivation for art people either, everyone has a passion for a field of work that could be anything and it gives you that little boost of energy and positive frame of mind. There are instances where this feels like a job instead of a passion project for me but I never lose sight of the reality of it all and I don't want anyone to be discouraged with their own work. I couldn't stress seeing this more if I tried, and I know it's probably just me but I adored this documentary to the moon and back. It's simple, it's short, it's sweet, I give it 4 stars and a sterling 10/10!

The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness

Damn, that was good.

Yeah I can't explain what hit me this month but I wanted to watch some Studio Ghibli documentaries. Taking place in late 2012 this documentary focuses on Miyazaki taking up the production for The Wind Rises, a film I haven't seen yet but hopefully there will be time in the future to do so, while also showcasing a bit of history for the studio, a concurrent release for The Tale Of Princess Kaguya (also a film I haven't seen), and the tantum work of the animators. It's a leisurely paced documentary clocking in at 2 hours but if animation is your bag and even more so seeing how animation is made, it's worth watching! It's not entirely the main focus, it centers on Miyazaki and longtime business partner Toshio Suzuki working on the art side of the studio and the business side of the studio respectively just keeping up with the tasks at hand. That's kind of the beauty of a documentary there's no real drama or story to it, you can just view it and catch a glimpse of another time, another place, another life and some may say it's boring but it all comes down to what are you looking for. I just wanted to see the behind the scenes stuff at Studio Ghibli and witness Miyazaki in his element, and I got that but I also got more. I got some truly superb instances of cinematography, a beautiful score, a true sense of community and hard work from the talented as hell animators, and even some insight into Miyazaki's past during war time. The Wind Rises is all about a young man with a great love of airplanes who is conscripted to design a new fighter plane for the second world war, and that's not only a conflicted story but also a conflicted movie to make from a japanese point of view that's endlessly fascinating to see, and on top of all of that whether the influence of the Fukushima disaster that occured just a year before this documentary takes place had any conscious or unconscious effect on the story bears some insight from far more intelligent minds than my own. And just as the cherry on top of all of that hearing Miyazaki himself say this was the only film of his he cried at is kind of a testament to art in any medium and how deeply you can get attached to something even if you're the one who made it. I was sold already on seeing the movie but it's bumped up a bit on the Ghibli watchlist at this point. Hell seeing the animation team having an emotional breakdown finally seeing all that hard work up on the big screen got me in an emotional tizzy like you wouldn't believe, and further hammers that nail that is already embedded in the coffin of the fact that animation is a gruelling industry and that you have to have patience and love for what you do if you are in that field. Even somewhat innocuous details like Miyazaki's daily routine or peppered footage throughout of basically the studio's office cat doing cat stuff has great charm and certainly held my interest, but then again I'm the biggest goddamn mark for a cat you will ever meet in your life so I'm an easy sell. I don't know if it's just the cadence or the overall sort of style for lack of a better term about how people from Japan talk but it does something for me, there's actually quite a few lines from Miyazaki that struck me even in small ways, I mean Japan has had an indelible impression on my life since I was very very young but the appeal has never waned even after all this time. I very much enjoyed this brief look into a much loved studio that deserves the accolades it has, and I give it 3 stars, 8/10! And I'll see you tomorrow friends.

Porco Rosso

Damn you Studio Ghibli, I shake my fist at you!



Believe it or not, this friggin' movie man has been on my list for a long ass time, well before I even entertained the thought of writing my own reviews. This was my white whale to finally see, and I was not disappointed. Set in what looks like the late 1920s in the Mediterranean Sea, an ace pilot named Porco Rosso makes a living off protecting sea cruisers from air pirates as the governmental landscape shifts and the times they are a-changin'. Bounty hunting is a thing of the past and worse, Porco's plane gets wrecked forcing him to get it repaired and comes face to face with the new big shot pilot in town named Curtis who wants to take him down. Throw in a kickass mechanic named Fio, some air pirates possibly more hilarious than the pirates in Castle In The Sky, some spectacular sea scenery, and I think this is top 5 Studio Ghibli material for me. I'm serious man, if I wasn't a gleam in my mother's eye in 1992 you bet your ass I would see this day one! Granted the only selling point needed for me to even feverently search to watch this movie is two things, Studio Ghibli and Michael Keaton. I'm sold, take my money! Michael Keaton is so great in this, he's kind of a smartass but he's so cool you don't care, he can drink, smoke, womanize ever so slightly, and look like a literal pig and by God he can get away with it. I love how they don't really even explain how he turned into a pig, you never see anything, it's mentioned in passing it's a curse, we simply just do not know. I would call that bad writing elsewhere but it's never a quest to make him human again, people fully accept his appearance, so it's never really a problem. Kimberly Williams-Paisley as young engineer Fio just puts a smile on my face, she ain't taking no nonsense from Porco, she's super intelligent, very funny, hardheaded but extremely sweet, and there isn't really any kind of overt romance projected onto the film with either her or an old friend of Porco's who runs an establishment named Gina, played by Susan Egan who it took almost until the end of the movie for me to recognize her voice. You 90s Disney fans know, and while she is a smaller part of the story I really like her addition. Cary Elwes coming back again to voice Curtis, an egotistical even more womanizing gent from Texas no less (appreciate that representation, though we're not all like that I swear), but he's not an outright villain. Hell even the gangsters and air pirates are more comedic relief than actual threat but I adore that, it's just wonderful fun and I am not opposed to fun. The animation and backgrounds in this movie are stellar, you do feel that momentum and flying sensation even to a point where I tensed up for a brief instance. Some of these backgrounds are just unadulterated art worthy of any landscape painter. And this is just a super tiny sidebar, I can't even explain why, but seeing colored glints on the plane and the machine gun fire being this string of purple/pink orbs just really put a smile to my face, it's that very particular early 90s style of animation and I am here for it. I was so upset when it ended though because I was just having that great a time with it, I didn't want it to end! Usually I don't hate when a movie ends but this is one of those rare exceptions. I'm doing it, can't stop me. Full 4 stars, 10/10, this was so far up my alley and we only have one week left of reviews before the end of another year. You didn't think I would leave you high and dry without some Star Wars did you?

Castle In The Sky

Oh my God this is the greatest movie I've ever seen in my life!!

Now to clear this up beforehand, Castle In The Sky is in fact the first Studio Ghibli movie. Now Nausicaa did come out first but Studio Ghibli wasn't formed at that point, the production company was alled Topcraft but it is still part of their library. It's a bit confusing. So if you want to be truly accurate Castle In The Sky is the first official movie of the legendary studio and it is glorious. I am serious, this is going to be the hardest movie to top in the Studio Ghibli library for me. Seriously, I could gush about how absolutely awesome this movie is for hours on end, it is that ffffflippin' good! Just the characters are the best, the story is the best, the animation though not as heavily detailed like in future Ghibli movies is still something special and wonderful. The voice acting is ridiculously good and fun. And that is the best word for this movie, fun. I had so much fun watching this movie, I was like a little kid again. This a undoubtedly fun family film adventure, almost like if you threw the action and adventure aspects of Indiana Jones, the mythos of Lord Of The Rings, and the perfect likable characters of Star Wars into a blender and mixed it all up. And it is delicious. So what is the story of this incredible film? A young boy meets a young girl with a crystal necklace as she is being hunted by militia and pirates, both of them have lived solitary lives and are suddenly swept up in this adventure of finding a lost castle, rediscovering it's ancient secrets, and trying to protect it from the ever in pursuit villains while trying to keep the girl safe. I think the reason why I love this movie as much as I do not just because the technology is cool, or the world is interesting and stunning to look at, but the characters are just an absolute joy to watch. I love this girl Sheeta and this boy Pazu, they're just so cute together and the voice acting talents of Anna Paquin and James Van Der Beek is what solidifies it, they are kids who are kind of wiser than their years and do not even bat an eye at the crazy events surrounding them. They evade pirates and gunfire, learn about the history of the mysterious city, trust and care for one another, it's just done so well! I love this pirate captain played by Cloris Leachman, she is absolutely incredible and given the opportunity I would be a sky pirate under her command from the word go, she may be older but she's always running about, barking orders, fighting, planning, being kinda grumpy, I mean talk about a treasure worth cherishing. And the bad guy is played by Mark Hamill.....10/10. 10/10! 100/100! Best film! BEST FILM. You have got to watch this movie, give it a shot if you are skeptical of japanese animation, it is so damn entertaining, so funny, so sincere, so lovely, it's kind of a perfect movie. Guys. Come on. I just, ugh! Buy it, watch it, you can get it for ten dollars at a Walmart. You have no excuse. The rest of the Studio Ghibli films I have not seen, oooh boy there is going to be some stiff competition from now on. I really need to go back and watch Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro again really just to see if this movie surpasses them in quality entertainment and great animated family films cause I feel it has.

And the worst part is this the last hurrah before.....next time. Pray for me. I'm going to die.

Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind

For the earliest Studio Ghibli movie to my knowledge, this is a heck of a way to begin.

Nausicaa is a very good movie, a truly excellent beginning to a world renowned studio that really set the mark in terms of story, character, and overall quality for decades to come. Original to boot as well, taking place on a world slowly being infected by a poisonous forest our young Princess Nausicaa lives her life trying to save as many people as she can and is a pacifist. But trouble brews beyond the forest as several different warring kingdoms comes to her peaceful valley and Nausicaa tries to resolve the issues peacefully before her people are utterly destroyed. Now this is such an interesting movie from every conceivable aspect. The designs are incredible for this world, I like the fact that they have airplanes but the design is not so much based on birds but more insects because that's the primary source of life beyond people, that alone is fascinating to warrant lengthy discussions but there's so much more. There's tons of different design origins, I like how each kingdom has a look, one has medieval knights with guns and others look like sand nomads that's really cool! But I can safely say in such a weird fantasy world such as this our main character is what keeps us in the movie, you want to see her win, you want to see how she can overcome these odds, and no small part of that can be contributed to Alison Lohman she is absolutely fantastic! Some people again like San says she's whiny and cries at the drop of a hat, but you know as a woman that takes action as much as she does, always has a plan, is respected and treasured in her kingdom far more than anybody, I have to take those claims with a grain of salt. I would follow her until the end, into the very fires of Mordor itself, she's really fantastic! And her supporting cast adds a lot, it gets you involved and connected to this world. One of her close friends is a swordmaster played by Patrick 'The Professor' Stewart, how can you not like that?? And this guy, who is like this smarmy, slimy, underling to a queen of another kingdom may just be my favorite character! And of course he's voiced by Chris Sarandon, he was like born for such roles like this movie and The Princess Bride, everytime he was on screen my joy and love for this character grew and grew, he just friggin' cracked me up everytime! Shia LaBeouf is in this movie, and he ain't actually that bad, he does quite well in the movie. I mean really the movie can do no wrong, you get tidbits of the history of this world and it does help acclimate us and you don't even really mind because the movie doesn't need that much context. Everything is either explained or is recognizable to the viewer, so you're not lost and desperately trying to get any form of bearings. And with a movie about a princess that flies on a hang glider trying to save her kingdom from rage filled bugs and hostile weirdos in costumes, I can safely say good job!

Oh my God this took forever to find though, Studio Ghibli or perhaps Disney does not want you to rent this movie at all. They want all your money's, but through perseverance and sevral ibuprofen I did manage to find this on a anime website. You can find it easily too if you just ditch the new browsing options and go back to good old Internet Explorer. Because if life has taught me anything it's that older always has the edge over the new.

Princess Mononoke

I seriously needed to wash my mouth out of that godforsaken mess of last so for one last hurrah before the dark times fall, more Studio Ghibli!

Even though this is not my first time seeing Princess Mononoke, it feels like it. The last time I saw this movie I was in high school so it's been a awhiles since I last saw it and I do have to say I appreciate it more and understand it better than the first time around. The story set centuries ago in feudal times follows a prince of a village named Ashitaka who one day after fighting off a demon boar is inflicted with a curse that will one day kill him. He sets off to find some manner of cure before finding an industrialized town aptly named Iron Town that has been destroying the forests and incurring the wrath of a girl raised by wolves named San. Ashitaka slowly gets to know the girl and tries to prevent a war from breaking out between the humans and the various gods and spirits that inhabit the forests. I love how the movie is heavily rich in japanese mythology and spirituality, there are gods and demons in this world that have their own place and do what they do and you rarely ever see such a thing in movies. Books sure, and stories since the beginning have had this look on these beings that control certain things from ancient Greece to more modern day interpretations like Neil Gaiman's Sandman. And it really does make me wish to look further into the more religious and folk tale history of Japan because it is interesting and the movie is still accesible even if you're not familiar with such tales. And I like how it's more for older audiences, anybody young or old can watch and enjoy films like My Neighbor Totoro or Howl's Moving Castle but this movie has things and does things that those movies couldn't. Nothing severe, there's no serious harsh language or nudity, there's some surprisingly unadulterated violence with blood mingling with the landscape but there's reason and purpose behind it. It's a constant conflict of ideologies, worldviews, and forces clashing. It's what we call a mature story, it is for older audiences but that's because of the message the movie has and the way it is told. Miyazaki has always had an affinity for the world's natural beauty in trees, rivers, and landscape and the film could not look more gorgeous if it tried. There's just so much serene backgrounds with lovely use of color in all aspects and the animation is a bit more detailed and crisp in terms of movement and action. There's a lot to admire and enjoy with this movie. I almost dare say the voice actors they got for the english dub may actually be the best dub I've heard in the sliver of Studio Ghibli movies I have seen and they always bring their A game! The characters are actually real people with some fantastic voice acting work! I think my favorite character in the whole thing is this merchant with less than altruistic motives played by Billy Bob Thornton, I can't explain it, he is just a great joy to watch, I love his character and the way he talks, he's just my absolute favorite. Billy Crudup is a fine lead, Claire Danes as the eponymous Mononoke is quite good despite how I've heard she's a bit of a whiny girl but I don't see that at all though her flip from a girl who is fully ready to knife our hero to friend for life is a bit off but whatever, Minnie Driver is great as the head of this Iron Town she's not this moustache twirling villain who wants to destroy the woods cause why the hell not but she has a quite nice sovereign rule over this town and is an interesting character. Of course this movie is great, I'm so happy I added yet another fine addition to the collection with more no doubtedly on the way. 4 stars check it out, and we will see you next time for either Nausicaa or Castle In The Sky.

Kiki's Delivery Service

Oh wow, I just realized there's two movies reviewed this week that involve witches. Didn't even think about it.

You know it's funny, I've heard about this particular Studio Ghibli movie more than any other for the longest time. They had a little trailer for it on one of my old tapes, can't quite remember which one but for a good 15 years or more I've heard about this film. And only just until today I haven't seen it! I've heard some people say it's one of Studio Ghibli's lesser quality productions but I could not disagree more. Kiki's Delivery Service is such a quaint, charming, and lovely film that centers around the life of a young witch setting out from home and living a life of her own independently at the age of just 13. And that's kinda it for basic plot but it's such an interesting idea I don't even care. Not every film needs to have a complex or serious plot, it just shows the life of this young witch! That's interesting, that's cool, I greatly enjoy this movie just for that fact! It's just a sweet little film, with the same quality animation and voice acting as the other films Disney has brought over to the States from Japan. That's Kirsten Dunst as Kiki and she is a joy to watch, one thing Studio Ghibli never fails to achieve is the emotions and personality of children. She is such a nice kid, though she has moments of disappointment, attitude, and even, kinda for lack of a better word depressed. But she pulls through and still has confidence and love in her heart. Gah, the more I think about this movie the more I just friggin' love it. The animation especially during flight is amazing, I have no idea how they did it but they simulated such fluent and natural flying for a girl on a broom and I've just never seen that anywhere as good as it is here. I'm so happy I went out on a limb and bought this movie, it was completely worth it and I could not urge you more to see this movie even if I bought you a copy and watched it with you, snacks and all. Hell it even got me choked up at the end, though nothing really sad or anything happened. I'm pretty sure that's called Miyazaki Syndrome. But anyway, excellent film, 4 stars check it out, and before the week is out we go a little...darker.

Spirited Away

Well spring is coming to a close so let us review one last Miyazaki movie, Spirited Away.

Now a lot of people say this is Miyazaki's best work, and I can kinda understand why. So the story of this movie is about a young girl named Chihiro who is moving into a new town and through a shortcut to her new home, her and her family find a doorway that transports them to the spirit world. Her parents soon have a spell cast on them and they turn into pigs, forcing Chihiro to save their lives and her own and return back to her world. This is one of the most original and creative movies I have ever seen in my entire life, the story itself is strange and magnificent but has a simple message of growing up. Our main character Chihiro, starts out at the beginning of the movie as a spoiled, needy, and kinda annoying child, but she grows through the movie by being put through so much that by the end she has matured greatly. This is a coming of age movie, but it has such a unique spin on it that really, you don't even notice until the end. And everything you expect and love about Miyazaki's work is still present, the animation is fantastic, the music is pleasant, the characters are well done and very real, and the story has huge amounts of creativity. Now I haven't seen all of Miyazaki's or Studio Ghibli's work and I would love to, but for now I have only seen a few. But if you watch these movies and love them, try and watch more than I have and judge them for yourself. There's even a series of reviews that were released not that long ago on EVERY single Studio Ghibli movie from it's inception to now and I highly recommend it. If you're interested in seeing it I will leave instructions on how to see it at the end of this review. Watch this movie, it is strange, it's like nothing you have ever seen before but I'm sure you will love it as much as I do, and I hope you will pursue more movies like these in the future.

So that's it for this review and that is it for spring ladies and gentlemen! Tune in next month where we start summer movies and hopefully I can get you more recent movie reviews. Oh, I almost forgot if you want to see that series of reviews on the Studio Ghibli movies just search for Disneycember, and you will find several of these and I believe it's the fourth or fifth where Doug Walker covers the Japanese animated movies. I hope you enjoy the reviews as much as I did and I will see you all very soon.

Howl's Moving Castle

I'm back! Sorry about yesterday, had some things to clear up. But moving on to our next review, Howl's Moving Castle!

All the good points that I said about My Neighbor Totoro are even better in this movie. The voice acting, the animation, the real emotion you have with the characters, all that. So this story takes place in a world filled with magic and sorcery, where a young woman named Sophie has a curse put on her and she has to seek the help of a reclusive wizard to help her break the spell, and she falls in love with him and has to even save him from himself. The story is the greatest part of this movie, for several reasons. One big reason is just the world that our characters live in, like I said it's a world of magic and sorcery which means the movie can do so many creative things and do so much and it greatly succeeds! And the only real shame about it is, you want to know so much more about the world and you're only given glimpses of it. And that is not a bad thing. Now I know the movie is based off a book so it probably delves deeper into the world, so I can't complain much. Second is the characters, very much like in My Neighbor Totoro the characters act very real even though the film is set in a fantasy realm. They have conflict, they have backstory, they have wants and desires and the situations they are put in, although very mystical and impractical they treat it very real and very seriously. And I just love how everything is designed, not just the characters but everything! This animation far exceeds the animation of My Neighbor Totoro, the colors are bright and bountiful but can still be very dark when needed, every main setting has a distinct and beautiful look to it, even the run down castle in it's own way, everything is just so much bigger and deeper and more articulate than before. So if you thought the animation in My Neighbor Totoro was really damn good, you're going to be awestruck at the immense attention to detail and color in this movie. The characters are original, I mean I dare you to compare them to other characters because I can't. They are just so different from what you normally see in movies. The music is a beautiful composition by Joe Hisaishi, especially the main theme which is very much like a waltz, and it is emotional and beautiful music. You know how I said in my last review that Miyazaki's work is very difficult to explain? Well I think I figured out an accurate description for this movie: it's a movie where nothing is as you expect it. Because whenever you think of magic in movies, it's pretty simple compared to this movie in how it uses magic, it's unlike anything you have grown accustomed to. Howl's Moving Castle is a spectacular animated film, with tons of emotion in the story, and should really be given a chance even if fantasy and films with magic are not your thing. Give it a watch, and see it for yourself.

So tune in next time where we cap off spring with yet another Miyazaki classic.

My Neighbor Totoro

If I had a dollar every time I either said 'Awww' or 'Cute' I would be filthy rich by the end of this movie.

Yes, this week I will be reviewing three films from the Steven Spielberg of anime, Hayao Miyazaki, first starting off with My Neighbor Totoro. This is probably the cutest and most wonderful anime I have ever seen. The story follows a family who has just moved into a new house and the two little girls encounter and befriend a group of forest spirits. It's kind of a hard film to explain, in fact a lot of Miyazaki's work is, you really just have to experience it for yourself. And that's the perfect word I would use to describe Miyazaki's work: An experience. You feel everything the characters feel in the movie, and the characters despite being animated feel absolutely real. This is how real little kids act, this is how real kids talk, this is how people react to certain situations both good and bad. I cannot praise the characters enough. Another thing I can praise forevermore is the animation. Sweet Christmas, this film is beautiful. The attention to detail is staggering, the atmosphere is rich, the backgrounds are deep, some of the shots in this movie I want framed on my wall! This is art. Japanese animators are unreal to the extent of making worlds, it is amazing how much depth and beautiful use of color they use to create the surroundings. The story, although very simple has a lot of power, it gives you a sense of wonder and happiness. The music could not be any better, in fact I am going to leave a link to the best song in the movie that really sums up the whole feeling of the movie. And...this film is absurdly cute. I cannot watch this movie and not gush into happy giggling and big smiles, the joy is infectious. Now the cast of this movie, especially the two little girls played by Dakota Fanning and her real sister Elle Fanning playing the two sisters is the heart of the movie, really I don't even think they were acting they were just being themselves and it works so well, it's very real and very natural as to how two sisters act together. The film, what can I say? It is a wonderful, heart warming family film that everybody should watch together. My Neighbor Totoro is truly enchanting, and I hope you find it to be so too.

 Huge Tree In Tsukamori- http://youtu.be/o427T3gNUFA