Possibly the best film ever?

Rating: 10/10 (21 January 2003)

In my opinion, Grave of the Fireflies is the best film ever made, animated or otherwise. I have never been so affected by a movie for so long afterwards, and I have watched a lot of movies. It stuns you with its truth. I purchased this movie not knowing anything about it 2 days ago, and sat down to watch it with my 20 year old daughter. I expected good things, but this was something else. The story line has been well documented on this site, so I won't dive into that. Needless to say, it will affect you for days after watching it, no kidding. We are both still sniffling. It's the attention to the subtle detail that makes you identify with the charecters. Everyone knows a toddler like Setsuko, and the quiet strength of Seito. There is a scene where Seito and Setsuko are watching the stars at night (after going to the toilet, no less) and he tells his younger sister about the days before the war. When he looks over, she is asleep. He goes to put his arm around her to cuddle up. I thought the would have panned out on that scene and left it at that for emotional impact. But no, what does the little girl do but throw his arms off her (much like my own toddler would do). The whole movie is like that. The ultimate message about the real casulties of war, the innocents, who suffer and endure events not of their own making, is heartbraking. Buy/rent this movie and be haunted forever. It will change the way you look at things and you will be a better person for it.