My Neighbor Totoro

With only decent animation and a mediocre storyline, this Miyazaki film fails to match his more imaginative pictures, or the subdued and realistic Grave of the Fireflies, which was created and released simultaneously. In fact, there is very little to necessitate - or at least justify - this film being animated. The story begins with a father and his two young daughters moving to an old house in the Japanese countryside - their mother is ill and confined to the hospital. The girls soon discover the presence of spirits in the house and surrounding forest, including the rotund, bearlike grumbler they call Totoro. But there is surprisingly little of the curious forest dwellers (which only the children seem able to see), as the film gives in inordinate amount of time to squealing children and the bland plot. From the drawings to the story, My Neighbor Totoro is not particularly inventive (it often seems to be imitating Alice in Wonderland), and seems a little more intended for children than other Studio Ghibli projects.

Um?
2.5 out of 5
Buy this film: My Neighbor Totoro

Plot: 2
Imagery: 3
Originality: 3
Soundtrack: 2
Overall: 2.5

Spirited Away

This film, framed with a standard child escapist scenario, is a stunning, inventive adventure from director Hayao Miyazaki. A young girl wanders from her parents (who are gorging themselves on food) and suddenly finds herself in a different, parallel world, full of bizarre creatures and mysterious happenings. Combining Peter Pan-like fantasy with Japanese lore, the world sprouting from Miyazaki's fertile imagination contains a healthy amount of oddity and grotesqueness. Certainly, the film may be seen simply as entertainment, but there is commentary behind the fantastical situations, as in the presence of a greedy, ghostlike No Name monster that will do anything for attention and then devour those who have fed its desire (The black hole of consumerism? A needy, lonely weird kid?). The girl is endangered by a witch/bath house manager who steals her employees' names (and thus their identities) binding them into her service - perhaps a good message for anyone entering into a dismal corporate career. The animation is excellent and the story manages to breathe life into the old, well-used plot of a child lost in an imaginary world.

Worth Watching
3.5 out of 5
Buy this film: Spirited Away

Plot: 3
Imagery: 4
Originality: 4
Soundtrack: 3 Buy the Spirited Away Soundtrack
Overall: 3.5

Only Yesterday

This film comes from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation company responsible for such imaginative classics as Castle in the Sky and Porco Rosso, two movies which Only Yesterday matches in animated design but does not even approach in plot or characters. Taeko, a twenty-seven year old office worker from Tokyo, chooses to spend her ten day vacation working with family friends in the countryside instead of traveling. While packing she slips into nostalgic memories of her ten-year-old self. She drifts in and out of this sentimentalism throughout the entire movie, mainly imposing on strangers, one of whom somehow falls in love with her. Only Yesterday is a long, tedious story that leaves you wondering- so what? Aside from the beautiful animations and a few moments of realistic ten year old reactions your time might better be spent reflecting on your own ten-year-old self - as long as you don't feel inclined to share.

Um?
2 out of 5
Buy this film: Omohide poro poro (Only Yesterday)

Plot: 1
Imagery: 4
Originality: 1
Soundtrack: 1
Overall: 2

Waltz with Bashir

This Israeli animated feature length documentary is the story of director, Ari Folman, a retired soldier, and his quest to fill in the gaps of his Lebanon Wartime memory. Haunted by a reoccurring vision of the aftermath of a massacre (Sabra and Shatila) and yearning to know if is based in reality, Folman dives into a series of interviews with friends, fellow soldiers and a reporter, all of whom were in Beirut at the time. The realistic animation lasts almost the entire film, providing the audience with insight into Folman's memories as they reform, surreal as they may seem, and the harsh, shadowy tones help to express the dark mood of the film. The only live footage, which plays for a few seconds at the conclusion of the story, is a powerful news clip of wailing mourners and piled bodies. Waltz with Bashir has been designated an anti-war film by Folman - with an original soundtrack that picks up the narrative, seamlessly filling in gaps between interviews, this robust story leaves little room for that message to be missed. All together an intriguing, courageous and entertaining film, tight enough that it doesn't have to explain much, instead allowing room for personal reflection and further questions.

Important
4 out of 5
Buy this Film: Waltz With Bashir

Plot: 3
Imagery: 4
Originality: 5
Soundtrack: 4 Waltz With Bashir Soundtrack
Overall: 4