Film Review — My Neighbour Totoro
Miyazaki’s classic is a therapy we could all do with right now.
Moving to the countryside to be closer to their hospitalised mother, two young sisters soon discover magical woodland creatures.
Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbour Totoro had been on my stupendously long list of recommendations for over a decade. Having finally sat down and given this Studio Ghibli classic a go I can see now why so many of my friends were incredulous it had taken me so long to get around to it.
Elegant in its simplicity Totoro forgoes traditional cinematic elements. But what it lacks in a villain, catchphrases, and action set pieces it more than compensates with heart as well as an everlasting feeling of sheer goodwill. Spending time with the young Kusakabe girls felt like a wonderful throwback to those sunny, summery Sundays of old, the ones where nothing really mattered and everything just felt right with the world.
Pairing perfectly with the warming story is the animation which — true to Ghibli’s stellar reputation — is just levels above anything that was being put out at the time, and probably still stands as some of the most gorgeous and unique of its kind.
My Neighbour Totoro is a warm, fluffy hug of a film. It’s beautiful escapism, the perfect antidote for challenging times. I should probably listen to my friends more.
★★★★★
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