User Comments:
40 out of 44 people found the following comment useful:-
Beautiful, 22 August 2004
Author:
actionjackson88 from England
Whilst Pixar are producing some pretty entertaining movies, Disney's
most recent efforts have been OK at best. Mulan was a great adventure
but its forgettable. Why? Because the film, like many other modern
Disney efforts, is always bouncing around with annoying energy, giving
us joke after joke, song after song, action sequence after action
sequence until we finally (and thankfully) reach the end credits. You
know you had a good time but you probably won't remember much because
it all happened so fast.
My Neighbour Tororo is a movie set in the still countryside of early
20th century Japan. It doesn't feature grandiose action set pieces, it
doesn't uncomfortably shift between the only 2 moods many of Disney's
latest movies know of (i.e. goofy comedy or tearful tragedy), and it
actually does not have a lot going on within its admittedly short
runtime. And yet this movie is as magical as Walt Disney's best work.
It focuses on a few days in the life of two sisters, Satsuki (about 10
years old) and Mei (about 5 years old). They have just moved into a
peaceful Japanese village with their father Tatsuo, a University
professor who has to take the bus every night to work. Their mother
Yasuko is recovering from an unknown condition at a hospital some three
hours away. Inbetween visits to the hospital to check on Yasuko, the
two girls explore the great woodlands and forests around them. One day
little Mei, who I can only describe as cute, loud and curious, bumps
into a forest dwelling "spirit" named Totoro. He's like a huge cuddly
bear but only the two girls can see him. But everyone else is open
minded about their existence. Tatsuo and the locals do not admonish the
girls for believing in spirits, they almost encourage it.
It is a peaceful existence but there are moments of real, unforced
drama. I wouldn't really like to say more, because I'm unable to do so
without spoiling the movie!
So what's so great about this film? Its really hard to articulate --
for one the girls are endearing. Mei, the loudmouthed little critter
that loves to explore and play and who we are really concerned for when
she....damn nearly spoiled the film again! And Satsuki, the brave and
courageous little girl who is maintaining a balancing act as a kind of
mother to Mei whilst still being a playful kid herself. They are so
real and likable. When the film is seemingly doing nothing, it is in
fact developing the characters so that once moments of crisis occur we
sit up and become genuinely worried about the outcome. In spite of the
fantasy element, the movie seems so grounded in reality we really do
get upset for the characters when things go wrong. Unlike a many Disney
movies, it lacks the assurance that "it'll all be alright in the end".
There are images from the film that won't leave my mind. The movie
takes time to meditate on scenes of stillness and quiet. Like rainfall
on a dusky sky outside the girls' house. Or the kid Kanta playing with
a model airplane whilst sitting on his porch, arguing his way out of
doing some chore his mother is yelling for him to do, from within the
house.
This is a film made for everyone. Kids will love it but I suspect they
won't know what to put their finger on as far as why the love it is
concerned. And you know, I feel the same way. This film just captures
you so naturally, without trying and without even having much of
anything to show you but a couple of excited young sisters exploring
their new house, the forest that surrounds and it and the cuddly spirit
that inhabits it.
Check for other user comments. - I have seen this movie and would like to comment on it
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