Tonaro no Totoro (Japan) (Ghibli) (1988) ****1/2Decade: '80siMDB
Director: Hayao Miyazaki Cast: Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Tanie Kitabayashi
There are some movies that I watch because they have great story lines, or they are though-provoking; then there are those that make me laugh or scare me or let me escapt to another world or place. Then, there are the movies that I turn to when I simply want to feel happy. Tonari no Totoro is one of those.
Arguably the best known character in the Studio Ghibli canon, Totoro is a sort of nature spirit that haunts the woods around the house where two little girls, Satsuki and Mei, and their father move in. I am not quite sure in what time period this story is set, but it feels like sometime in the '50s or '60s. There is some tension in the fact that the girls' mother is in the hospital with some unspecified illness, but this movie is not a melodrama; it's about the life of the girls in this country place, their interactions with the people there and of course, with the Totoros (which come in 3 sizes!) and other spirits that inhabit the place.
This is a very gentle movie, filled with childhood wonder and fantasy, while at the same time being a very realistic - and non-condescending - portrayal of children. It's also beautifully drawn - the scenery is quite breathtaking. Unlike most American animated movies, it has many quiet stretches where you simply drink in the story without being hit by noise and commotion. While it's totally suitable for children, it's also a movie that can be enjoyed very much by adults.
And, you will never forget the Catbus!
Posted by bc on January 16, 2006 03:27 PM