If you don't love it, you may not have a heart.

Rating: 9/10 (3 September 2006)

This is my third Miyazaki film, and I've yet to be disappointed. The only thing I regret about this film, as well as Spirited Away is that I didn't have an opportunity to see them as a child. In this beautifully crafted film, two little girls and their father move to the country to be closer to their ailing mother who is in the hospital. In their new home they find forest spirits who become their friends.
It is almost inevitable that I compare Miyazaki with Walt Disney. He is often called Japan's Disney. Although, I grew up with Disney, it's obvious for me that Miyaki's crafting is far more complex and less condescending than Disney. For the most part clichés are avoided (like Adults don't believe the children's fantasy world), and the children seem so much truer to the real world. They are sometimes annoying, loud and they're always laughing. These films seem to be so much more linked to culture, and it's interesting the differences in culture between the East and the West, especially in regards to mythology and nature.
This film is bittersweet and it appeals to both children and adults. It's enchanting, and unlike many children films there are villains and the typical adults vs. children storyline is thankfully not employed. However, this film is not without it's tension and even those moments of loss of hope and even fear, it just never uses extremes or hate to create them. Most of all though, the stunningly beautiful and detailed animation is stunning. It's original and imaginative, just the thing to capture your attention. The beautiful watercolour backgrounds seem so rich and unbearably beautiful, that that alone can be warrant for this excellent film.