Not my first, but my favorite

Rating: 10/10 (14 October 2014)

The truth is 'Princess Mononoke' was my first by the masterful M. I was instantly in love with the mixture of fantasy and heartbreaking emotion.
I went back and saw Spirited Away. It endures as a masterpiece.
I hit Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Air. Fun, if restrained.
But this was my first film on the big screen.
Maybe it was the format, maybe it was the age of the protagonists (because this is two young adults, not the children of Ponyo, Totoro, etc.) but this film knocked me to the ground. I cried so hard I felt in the souls of my feet.
Despite the fact the source material is miles away from the plot of the movie (I like both a lot) and in a weird way the book actually speaks to the film (though there's no requirement to read the book) the romanticism and lyrical sweep are what makes this my favorite of The Master's films.
Masterful.
And that the couple in question are in love and together when all this ends is the fulcrum around which my heart bends.