|
My
Neighbor Totoro
stars the Fanning
sisters in an
interesting cartoon
about wonder and
discovery from
Studio Ghibli and
Hayao Miyazaki.
Satsuki and Mei move
to a new house with
their father while
their mother is sick
in the hospital.
They soon discover
that the new house
and the area around
it is magical and
filled with magical
creatures. Among the
magical creatures is
Totoro. A giant
cat-looking thing
that embraces nature
and everything
around him and
embraces the two
sisters too. The
sisters explore
their new
surroundings and the
friendly people
around it. They meet
all of these new
creatures and people
as they continue to
cope with their
mother being absent
from their lives.
My
Neighbor Totoro
fits the mood
similarly to Ponyo.
Normal life/real
life is mixed with
magic and wonder.
The mood of the
movie is very
different from a
fantasy/adventure
movie. The movie
ends up being more
about the characters
in the movie- in
this case the two
little girls. Totoro
is more of a coping
device for the
little girls.
They're both in a
very grown up
situation and Totoro
allows them to be
kids.
Out
of all of the Studio
Ghibli movies that
have recently been
released to DVD this
one is probably my
least favorite.
There's very little
action on the screen
and it's hard to
understand the
relationship between
the magical
creatures that live
in the area and the
little girls. The
relationships are a
little hard to grasp
but the big problem
with
My
Neighbor Totoro
is the pace. The
movie moves at such
a slow pace between
the beginning and
the climax that it's
hard to get into the
movie.
My
Neighbor Totoro
is a movie that
you're either going
to love or hate.
It's more about
social implications
than it is about
something magical
happening. It's a
very grown up movie
that's aimed towards
a younger audience.
My
Neighbor Totoro's
problems with pace
and action are it's
main problems and
the main reason you
should avoid this
movie before
watching the other
three Hayao Miyazaki
recent releases.
Ponyo
is a movie that your
children will love
and embrace.
Especially if
they're under the
age of six. The
movie's animation
and the magic in the
story will keep them
entertained. They'll
also like the music.
Ponyo
is a
magical tale from
Studio Ghibli and it
will fit in as a
unique release in
your home video
collection.
|