Tuesday, March 11, 2008

I love this movie






Editorial Review from
Amazon.com essential video
My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.
Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon

Me- It has magic and heart, spirit, imgination, and wonder.

4 comments:

JaneyV said...

Wow it looks wonderful! I hope that I can get it in England. Japanese animation isn't exactly mainstream over here ...except for Pokemon... that did quite well!!!
I love the Catbus idea.

Taffiny said...

Janeyv,

I don't mean to sound childish but "that catbus is so COOL!". Do check it out, and some of his other films if you get a chance.

:)

strugglingwriter said...

That looks like a pretty neat movie.

Also, as far as your comment on my vampire story, you "weren't too bold". I think you were correct that some of the jokes break the mood in a bad way. That makes sense. Thanks for reading it!

Paul

Taffiny said...

Paul,

Oh I didn't mean they broke it in a bad way. I meant when I first started reading I wasn't expecting jokes, so it took me a bit of time to get it, but once I had that "Oh" moment, then everything made sense, and I totally understood your choices.